Making Self-Care Part of Your Life not a Break from It

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, people on my socials seemed to be talking non-stop about self-care. They were showing off their moisturizing face masks, sharing videos while they were learning to use gua sha facial tools, and talking about making time for meditation and yoga. Self-care is great, but for the most part, all those people on social media showing off their face masks have gone back to skipping the self-care in order to make more time for work, family, and other pressing concerns now that things are going back to some semblance of normal. The problem with these self-care fads is simple – they’re not a part of your ordinary life. In fact, one person actually said they used so many moisturizing face masks during the pandemic that they hate them now. The self-care trend comes from a good and potentially beneficial place, but self-care shouldn’t be about social media trends. It should be about taking care of yourself. In this blog, we’ll talk a bit about the importance of prioritizing genuine self-care.

What Is Self-Care Really About?

In the simplest terms, the meaning of self-care is right there in the word. It’s about taking care of yourself. Sure, that might include splurging on a special treat or spending time in the bubble bath every now and then, but even more importantly, self-care is about learning what you need in order to live a life where face masks and bubble baths are a special treat instead of a necessity to get through your day. Think about that for a minute. When do we usually talk about self-care? When we’re stressed, worried, sad, lonely. Self-care ends up being about an escape from our lives instead of being about making our lives better.

How Can We Practice Better Self-Care?

Better self-care is about taking steps to create a more fulfilling life that doesn’t necessitate nightly face masks and bubble baths just to decompress. So, how does that work? When people ask about what good self-care looks like, we often ask them a seemingly unconnected question, “How do good parents take care of their children?” Good self-care is like being your own parent. It means doing things like:

• Planning and working toward long-term goals
• Eating well and exercising regularly
• Avoiding self-sabotaging behaviors like procrastination
• Giving up on “fixing” yourself and learning to work toward goals as you are
• Prioritizing your own needs and goals and avoiding being overwhelmed by the “stuff” of every day (those dishes in the sink will be there in the morning – and that’s okay)

Does This Mean I Have to Stop My Nightly Face Mask Ritual?

If face masks help you feel more relaxed and give you permission to take ten quiet minutes to yourself, that can be great self-care too. However, don’t forget that real self-care should look deeper and lead to real change. By learning to genuinely care for yourself and advocate for your needs, you’ll create a world for yourself where a nightly face mask is a fun treat instead of an essential self-care step.

Can Therapy Help Me Take Better Care of Myself?

Absolutely. Don’t forget that, if you’re having a tough time in any aspect of your life, therapy can help. We would say that. Afterall, we’re therapists, but that doesn’t mean it’s not true. Therapy can be an essential aspect of self-care if you’re dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, difficult life transitions, trouble in relationships, struggles at work – the list could go on. If you’re interested in learning more, let’s chat. Get in touch with us at Lansing Counseling to schedule a consultation with one of our knowledgeable therapists. 

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