Illustration by Paru Ramesh
In today’s turbulent social climate, taking care of ourselves physically and emotionally is more important than ever.
When speaking with friends about the meaning of self-care, I’ve encountered many differing opinions. I’ve heard from some that the word has become a meaningless platitude from overuse. Others have expressed using self-care to indulge in something decadent, like a pint of ice cream after a long day...or on the flip side, getting a good night's rest in order to wake up early and exercise.
For me, the key is balancing healthy self-care tools with activities that might be considered treating myself. Of course this looks different for everyone, but for me this means disciplining myself to indulge in junk food and TV binges only occasionally while making sleep, healthy eating and working out the majority of my self-care tactics. My self-care also looks like engaging in social media in healthy ways such as being selective in the accounts I follow and only checking in online in short doses rather than endlessly scrolling through posts that could be emotionally overtaxing.
It’s easy not to live up to this expectation for myself, but lately I’ve been trying not to feel guilty and instead take it in stride and get back into a healthier routine. Holding myself accountable and then accepting when I get off track and getting right back up has been essential in developing a healthy balance for myself.
I’ve also learned to accept the limitations of self-care. While it’s important to cultivate self-care activities that work best for you, there’s a point when all of us need to reach out to others for support. Talking to family, friends and health care providers goes hand in hand with a balanced approach to self-care. Recognizing my personal signs of getting close to the point when I need to reach out for support has been an important part of my overall wellness.
Meditation, yoga, drawing, writing, singing, dancing - anything could turn out to be just the right combination of tools for you. Getting out of my comfort zone and exploring all the possibilities out there helped me hone in on my perfect balance. I would recommend some healthy exploration to anyone on their own journey to successful self-care.
Maya Ameyaw