Self Care Is Not Selfish: Why It’s Important To Take Care Of YOU.

 

I saw a great quote this week..  “You can’t pour from an empty cup”.

Sometimes, when we give all we have in the pursuit of work and care for others, the thought of committing to self care, that seemingly simple and innocuous act of looking after yourself, is almost impossible.

Loving yourself can feel like an uphill battle at times, there’s so many things to do in a day that your brain probably screams “I don’t have time for this!” when you start getting the guilts about why you’ve not done it sooner. Sometimes society can send us the message that being self aware and caring for yourself is unacceptable, because it could show that your needs are more important than others.

This, I believe is a croc!!

I know first hand what not taking care of yourself is like, because I lived it for years and years (if you are interested, you can read about that revelation here).   

NOT taking care of yourself means you never pay attention to your own health, your mental capacity is constantly overloaded and your patience wears thin with others.  It means you don’t take time to breathe, you don’t believe in yourself, and you stop thinking of yourself as worthy.  There is a VERY big difference between taking care of yourself and being selfish.

Self care can take on many different forms and its not just about lighting candles and taking bubble baths (although to be fair, those ARE two of my favourite things – so no judgement here!!).  It’s about looking at your overall holistic health and making sure you are contributing equally to every section:  Physical, Mental, Spiritual, Emotional and Social.

A lot of women tend to feel they are last on the list when it comes to self care.  Let me tell you – you need to be first!  Just like I found out, you need to be the best version of yourself you can.  You owe it to yourself, as well as those you look after to ensure you are well enough and calm enough and capable enough to get through your day – however it looks for you.

Brené Brown (and if you don’t know her – for god’s sake look her up) in her book The Gifts of Imperfection says: “In a society that says, “Put yourself last,” self-love and self acceptance are almost revolutionary.  Self-care is not a disregard for others’ needs. It is extending the same concern and empathy for your needs that you offer others”.

In other words….it’s important you take care of YOU.

Just Be You, Everyday

 

Danni