How To Overcome The Struggle With Self Care
Do you find it easier to take care of everyone else’s needs before your own?
Do you know you should take some time to rest and relax, but there’s so much to do first?
It's easy to put off taking care of yourself. I've certainly done it.
And yet, you are always important.
When you allow yourself to rest and recharge, you feel better and you're able to be more present for your loved ones.
That's why I'm sharing 4 common reasons we avoid self care and what we can do instead.
I hope you're inspired to do at least one small thing that helps you relax and feel better.
1. We Think It Takes Too Much Time
We may think self care involves long periods of time that we can't imagine fitting into our already busy schedules.
An hour for
A yoga class plus travel time?
Or a long bath?
Or time to read?
Certainly all of these things are wonderful.
But so is a:
5 minute yoga video on youtube
10 minute warm shower
15 minute nap
15 minutes of reading before bed.
If you're worried about the time commitment, pick a much smaller amount of time to start with - whatever feels most doable to you.
You can always extend the time later.
2. We Think The Results Are Beyond Our Reach
Self care sometimes becomes synonymous with buying things to help us feel better - candles, foods, natural oils, etc.
Sometimes self-care is defined as a regular practice that will result in our feeling totally renewed, full of self love, almost as if we're a different person.
It makes perfect sense for these to feel expensive, daunting and beyond reach!
Beyond the purchases, these types of self care are also much more about personal growth.
While personal growth is always important, it does take longer and can happen separately from what we’re talking about here.
We're simply looking for small, yet helpful, things you can do to take care of yourself so you're not overwhelmed by busy-ness or stress.
If the results feel beyond your reach, realize you might be expecting too large a change.
If you can catch yourself thinking this way, you can dial back your expectations and switch gears to what you need to feel better right now.
3. We Think Putting Ourselves First Means We Put Others Last
As a loving, devoted parent, prioritizing the care of your family can make you feel good and show your loved ones how much you care about their needs.
That's fantastic, as long as you aren't neglecting yourself in the process.
It doesn't have to be EITHER you take care of others OR you take care of yourself.
It can be you take care of others AND you take care of yourself.
You've heard the analogy of the oxygen mask on the airplane - you put on your own oxygen mask first so you're able to assist others.
It's the same with self care.
Taking care of your physical and mental health improves your ability to take care of others.
It's actually the opposite of being selfish.
Self care allows you to better care for others in the ways you truly want.
4. We Think You Need To Push Through, Rather Than Stop
We get so many messages in our society that we just need to push through hard times; that to stop and rest is a show of weakness or a lack of dedication.
I’m no stranger to pushing myself through periods of stress at home or at work. At times, I’ve told myself I don't have any time for fun or relaxation - I just need to keep going!
But I've learned that not taking time for yourself can add to your stress and ultimately lead to having less energy and focus to get things done.
Also, if you’re stressed and just keep pushing yourself to get through each day, you might burn out.
Neither of these scenarios is ideal.
Like the either / or thinking in the example above, this pushing can cause us to ignore our feelings or the tension in our bodies that are the clear clues that we need to take care of ourselves.
It's a shift to pause and see these clues as important, and not as a weakness.
It's a shift to not only recognize these clues, but respect them, and then act on them, finding ways to take care of ourselves.
If this is an issue you struggle with, I encourage you to tune in to how you feel to recognize when you need self-care.
Wrap Up
Which of these 4 reasons apply to you?
What other reasons keep you from taking even better care of yourself?
What is one small thing you can do to give yourself some rest and relaxation?
Self Care Examples To Encourage Your Thinking
Reading
Working on a puzzle
Engaging in a favorite hobby
Creating or doing something artistic
Listening to your favorite music
Going for a walk
Taking short breaks during the work day
Doing yoga poses
Doing part of an exercise video
Meditating for three minutes
Dancing to your favorite song
Calling a friend to connect and/or talk about your feelings
Taking a short shower or bath
Eating healthy food
Getting 30 minutes more sleep
Take the Next Step
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