If your friend or your Mum said to you that they were going to go for a 5km run, enjoy a long soak in the bath and then cook themselves a healthy stir-fry, you probably wouldn’t say they were being selfish. Chances are, you’d actually feel inspired by them to take time for some self-care too! So why do we talk ourselves out of joining that new spin class, or eating foods we know are going to make us feel good? Why do we feel that when we indulge in a little basic self-care, that we’re being selfish?

Self-Care Isn’t Selfish

The definition of self-care can look different for each person. Generally, many people view self-care as taking care of our appearance and mental health, such as going to the Spa for a facial and time to unwind.

Over the last few years, I have come to view self-care as anything that feeds my soul, nourishes my appetite for creativity and gives myself the respect I deserve. From the small, everyday self-care such as buying myself a brand new nail polish, to sitting down to really enjoy a delicious plate of food. Taking even 10 minutes out of our day to make ourselves feel good, is the very least we deserve.

Look After Yourself, To Look After Others

There’s a saying that if you were a vase, and kept titling over to pour your water into the other vases around you, eventually you would smash from the frantic swaying to keep everyone else topped up. If you stood strong however, and allowed the water to keep filling up your vase, eventually the water would over-spill onto the other vases.

We all know someone who seems to have dedicated their life looking after other people. For me, my Mum is the very epitome of someone who sacrifices their own comfort and self-care, because the joy she gets from seeing other people happy outweighs her need to prioritise herself. While I’m not saying there is a right or wrong way to live, I do feel it would still benefit if my Mum could have time spent to treat herself, at least once in a while. She may not realise what she is missing by not having a spa retreat, or taking time out to read a book.

How We Can All Indulge in a Little Self-Care

• Take time out to either read a book, listen to a podcast or enjoy a long soak in a bubbly bath.
• Say no to the things that you don’t want to do. This can be really difficult and potentially feel awkward. But your life and time on this planet is just as precious as anyone else’s. Don’t waste it solely pleasing others.
• Find a quiet, peaceful space. While it may be really tough if you’re living in a small place with family or flatmates during the COVID-19 pandemic, try and find a relaxing space you can retreat to, such as your bedroom, garden or even a nearby park, to take time out when you need to.
• Try a little mindfulness. While this is still very new to me, I have been hearing a lot lately on the benefits of looking after our mental health and practising mindfulness regularly. I’ve been trialling out the Headspace App as well as listening to classical music to help me focus at work. Listen to my Classical Calm Playlist on Spotify for instance chill-out music.

I hope this blog post helps you to realise the importance of taking time out for yourself. I’d love to know how you practice self-care. Share your tips below!