What is self care? – Guest Post

WHAT IS SELF-CARE ABOUT?

May was Mental Health Awareness Month and that was only one more reason to talk about the epidemic of depression and other mental illnesses. Now the awareness month is over but still, we need to keep the conversation going. Self-care is one of the topics that need to be talked about because of all the misconceptions it entails.

The grueling achievements are oftentimes opening up to someone about your mental health or taking an appointment with your counselor. Yet on some days, we may find ourselves with absolutely no will to do When we find ourselves in the middle of a storm, even the tiniest accomplishments can remind us of the beauty of life and get us through the day.

Self-care is not about completing your greatest achievements or ticking every bullet point off your to-do list. It should not be just about tough times. In fact, in the search for happiness, self-care and self-love are a major point. And in fact, there are so many ways to practice self-care.

Staying in bed all day might not seem like the best way to take care of yourself, but if you simply turn on the loudspeakers and listen to your favorite album — you know you will feel better. In fact, sometimes, self-care consists of binge-watching a new Netflix series, or read and write all day long. It can be taking an hours-long bath and pampering yourself; even posting a selfie online can be part of it. Some people may find decluttering their house relaxing and reorganizing their bedroom might help them get through the day.

Self-care can help increase your self-esteem. For instance, if you have a passion for drawing, after posting your artworks online positive feedback can make you feel better about yourself. It might also be about escaping the dark thoughts by doing something you enjoy. By writing or watching television, your mind is put at ease, you finally relax and think about something else that turns you away from a negative mindset.

It may take time to get into new habits but to learn when to practice these acts of self-care is very important for one’s mental health. At best, to know how to practice self-care as much as possible in our daily life is one way to happiness.

At times, self-care might seem to come in the way. Say you had a friend meet-up scheduled but you feel down and struggle to get out of bed. You probably don’t want to disappoint your friends, and therefore you are not willing to cancel. Yet deep down you know that your mind wouldn’t be into it and your mood may even affect your friends. In this case, it is best to stay in bed, take the day for yourself and not focus on anyone else’s approval.

Self-care is part of the lifelong process of self-love. The earlier we start to get into it by practicing the activities that help us most the easier it will be to practice self-care during tough times.

Giulia

The High-Heeled Papergirl

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