Self Care Is Not Just a Hashtag.
If you would have told a rather uncool 17 year old me in 1998 that # would mean more than just NUMBER, I wouldn’t have understood. In fact, some days the use of a # sometimes baffles me. I know it’s a form of communication, a form of solidarity, a quick way to get a point across, a great marketing tool.
A good # can pack a punch.
Let’s take a look at the past few months - we have had
#metoo
#bekind
#COVID
#Blacklivesmatter
What do they all have in common? Club together those hashtags and what similarities do they have?
They are all conduits to social change in one way or another.
When we make a # a real life action, we need to do the work. In order to action this social change, it takes emotional hard work and spiritual hard work. This is where the #selfcare needs to come into play. And where we realise that SELF CARE is more than just a hashtag.
Self care needs to be less wishy washy, it needs to be less vague and more of an act we practice daily, like scrolling through Instagram or browsing eBay. So, what is self care?
Self care is anything you do to be good and kind to yourself.
Self awareness, self kindness and self compassion are all components of good self care. Nurturing yourself - your mind, body and spirit is key in a great self care practice.
However, it’s vital to realise that not everything that feels good in the moment is self care. We all have negative coping mechanisms that are self destructive and that give us a distraction from our real emotions. It’s wise to have a level of self awareness around these things so we know what is true self care and what is unhealthy for us.
#metoo #bekind #COVID #Blacklivesmatter all call for huge social changes - and all of them have sparked anger and frustrations within us. This anger is essential is moving towards change - this brings about a fight against society as we know it to be. These fights take energy, and these changes take a lot of time. And we have to be so very aware of our own personal burnout during these times of fighting towards social change.
Every good cause is worth fighting for - but there are so many good causes, and there is only one of us. How to we protect our brains being drained? How do we protect our spirits from being dampened?
SELF CARE.
We all need to develop health self care habits as a way of practice. We need to put self care on our To Do Lists each and every day. In order to do this, as women we need to realise that our care is JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE CARE OR OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. I’m going to say that again -
YOUR CARE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE CARE OF YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
Self care is a HUGE topic, and it’s fast becoming my passion in life. Both for me and those around me. Here are some tips on improving your self care habits.
Put down your phone - have a phone free day, a social media free day, or certain times when your phone is off. It’s not easy to begin with but trust me, this will change your LIFE.
Rest - it’s simple, sit down and do nothing. Close your eyes. Sit still. If you struggle to do this then we need to talk!
Eat mindfully - really enjoy the foods you eat. Eat slowly and really relish eating. I promise you food is as much about pleasure as it is stopping your tummy rumbling.
Note your achievements and note what you are grateful for - however small, make sure your notice the awesome things you do. Made a cracking cuppa? The realise it! Made a friends laugh with a joke? Relish that moment! Do you value a relationship? Then really recognise that. Noting achievements and writing a gratitude list really lifts spirits and connects you to the great things in your world.
Adding self care to your life isn’t easy, and it take time. It’s called a practice because, well you have to practice it to be awesome at it. But I know you can do it.
And we both know you deserve to feel good!
