What’s Self-care Anyway?

Self-care is anything you do deliberately to care for your mental, emotional, and physical health.

That could mean downing green smoothies and meditating, but for many of us it means finding small and mindful daily actions that we can take to slow down, reconnect, and ground ourselves. Ultimately, it’s a way for us to take a moment out of our lives to check in and make sure everything’s good. It doesn’t need to be a social media-worthy moment, but rather a way to look inward and define our genuine needs and wants. Self-care is especially important in times of uncertainty when you suddenly find yourself feeling anxious.

Find your groove

So how do we practice self-care? It’s different for everyone. And it’s important to note that the green tea, candles, meditation, and yoga image often sold to us is one that can often be rooted in enormous privilege—financial privilege, time privilege, body privilege, and more. For people working long shifts, fitting in a 3:00 p.m. yoga session isn’t practical. So instead, self-care can look like reading a book instead of checking your phone on your commute. It can look like eating a satisfying meal and watching your favorite movie. And, yes, it can look like relaxing in a citrusy bubble-filled bath on your day off and throwing on a refreshing minty-scented mask.

But how do you know for sure what will work? To start, think of the last time you felt truly relaxed, energized, or inspired. What made you feel that way? Maybe it was a morning when you slept in, when you ran your fastest mile, or when you reconnected with an old friend.

And remember, self-care isn’t for the benefit of others. This is completely and totally about you. Do it because it feels good, not because it looks good. Sometimes the best way to care for ourselves is doing unremarkable things like zoning out playing video games or staring aimlessly at the clouds—and that’s okay so long as it’s intentional and bringing you a sense of calm.

Take back your time

In a world where “busy” has become synonymous with “successful”, we need to have the courage to say no. Balancing a full-time job, a side hustle, relationships, studying, cooking, an exercise routine...it can be exhausting. Many of us believe that the harder we work, the happier or more successful we’ll become, but that’s not always the case—overpacked schedules leave little time for ourselves and can cause serious burnout.

Once you’ve figured out your own definition of self-care, take control of your schedule and prioritize yourself. We know it can feel selfish but we’re here to tell you: it’s not. Self-care isn’t a luxury, it’s part of a well-balanced life. So go ahead and decline that invite to a Zoom chat or long phone call that leave you feeling drained, and reclaim some time for yourself.

Reap the benefits

Putting time into self-care has far-reaching benefits like reducing stress, improving relationships, and boosting self-esteem. But like anything, it takes practice—especially if you struggle to fit it into your schedule. To set yourself up for success, create a self-care routine that you’re likely to follow, even if it’s just a few minutes every day. Take note of how you feel before and after, and switch things up if it’s not working for you. Remember: there’s no right way to care for yourself.

We’d love to help you find a way to relax.

Visit us in-store or contact Customer Care to find the perfect products to pair with your self-care routine.