Even in times like these, many people feel guilty about engaging in self-care. However, self-care is NOT selfish. Instead, I view self-care as something that is necessary. You need to take care of yourself in order to have enough energy to give of yourself to others. Otherwise, you’ll just burn out. Self-care is the best way of managing your stress before your stress manages you.
Read on for 9 reasons why it’s important for you to engage in self-care without feeling guilty.
1. Self-Care Isn't A Selfish Indulgence
Taking care of your own needs isn't some frivolous act of selfishness. It’s vital to your well-being. If you don’t take care of yourself, you’re increasing your risk of developing physical and mental health issues brought on by stress. And make no mistake, stress is a killer.
2. Other People Practice Self-Care, So Why Not You Too?
There are tons of people (myself included) who don't have any qualms about practicing self-care. I’m sure there are people in your life have no problems with taking some “me” time to care for themselves. If they can, why can’t you? After all, if you don't look after yourself, who will?
3. By Helping Yourself, You Help Others
In order to take care of others, first you need to take care of yourself and make sure that your own needs are met. The happier and healthier you are, the more reserves you have and the more capable you are of helping your loved ones. It’s like the flight attendants say, you have to put your oxygen mask on first.
4. Your Loved Ones Want You To Take Care of Yourself
Those who truly love and care about you, want the best for you. And part of that is wanting you to be your best self. Which means practicing self-care. When you think about it that way, when you ignore your self-care, you are ignoring the wishes of your closest friends and family.
5. Boundaries Anyone? Get Comfortable With the Word "No"
Saying no can be difficult, but it’s a word you should strive to get used saying. Many people feel guilty when they say no, but more often than not, it turns out to be the best answer. Especially when it’s because you’re setting boundaries on your time and energy. Know this, the word "no" is a complete sentence.
6. Self-Care = Goal Achievement
I know that you have some kind of a dream or goal for your life. By avoiding selfcare, you’re doing a disservice to yourself. It is much easier to reach your goals when you’re healthy, happy and have the energy to do so. Because self-care helps you to replenish your reserves and to be successful at achieving your goals you need to have the focus that self-care affords.
7. Self-Care = Self-Love = Self-Respect
Loving yourself starts with respecting yourself enough to make self-care a regular part of your life. If you say that you respect yourself, but you’ve been ignoring your self-care, then you are lying to yourself. You can't possibly respect yourself if you don't honor your own needs. If you respect yourself, then you know you are worthy of self-care.
8. Self-Care Protects You
Remember how I talked about the importance of saying no because it helps your set boundaries? Well, this is why boundaries are important: proper self-care protects your health, energy, mind and time. Self-care is one of the best time investments you can make to protect yourself from future harm(s).
9. You Deserve It
There isn't a better reason for you to stop feeling guilty about self-care than the fact that you deserve it. Life is tough. We are all on a journey. It makes sense that we take some time to take care of ourselves. You deserve to enjoy the moments you can.
So now that I’ve talked about the reasons why you should absolutely make it a priority to engage in self-care, let’s look at 3 quick steps that you can take today to begin your self-care practice.
3 Quick Steps To Better Selfcare
1. Think about any aspects of your self-care that you might be overlooking. Focus on things like your mental, physical and spiritual health. Is there an area that you’re struggling with?
2. Once you have found an area of your self-care you’re neglecting (or want to go deeper into), brainstorm a few ways you could address it.
3. Once you have your brainstorm list together, choose one small action you can take right now as your first step to addressing your area of need.
So there you have it, 9 reasons why self care is NOT selfish and three quick ways to achieve it. There’s no better time than the present to begin your selfcare practice. Just make sure that you make time each day to do something caring or soothing for yourself. It’s all about making time.
Let’s talk, what do you do to make sure you have enough time for selfcare each week? Let me know in the comments section.
Cassandra Martin-Himmons is a trainer, wellness coach and consultant who believes in empowering her clients and providing the tools that they need to make positive changes in their lives to manage their stress and increase their self-care. In her spare time, she enjoys papercrafting, volunteering and travel. Connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn