The Power of Self-Care
Self-Care. It’s a tricky concept. We tend to think about bubble baths and pedicures. We look at it as a luxury. It is something we do “when we have time.” But let’s be honest. Most of us don’t have time. We put everyone and everything before ourselves.
We say things like, “If only I had more time” and “I would love to do (insert your favorite thing) but I just can’t seem to find the time.” Recognize these statements? I hear them from my clients all the time.
But here’s the thing. If you are always waiting for the time to suddenly appear…. you will just stay in a constant state of waiting. I don’t know about you, but I hate waiting! I honestly try to avoid situations where I have to wait. Think of the DMV. NO ONE is reading this thinking, I love waiting all day in line at the DMV. So, why give yourself more struggles? Why stay stuck?
Make the time. Yep, I said it. You are just as important as the laundry. You may not be able to leave your kids at school to avoid waiting in the pick-up line…. but you sure can ask for help one day a week if that is what it takes to make some time for YOU!
Once you make some time, what is it that you do? This is where I see so many people go wrong. Many of us don’t believe that we can make time on a consistent basis so we just go do something to feel good in the moment (insert bubble baths and pedicure.) I am not knocking either of those things. I enjoy both of them! But the key is to find the time REGULARLY. Consistency is the key to self-care. When we consistently make time for ourselves we start to bank all that self-care. It is like compounding interest! At first, you just save one dollar, but over time you have far more money than you ever put in. Self-care is the same! Even the smallest amount of self-care, done consistently over time, has a HUGE impact on our well-being.
We hear all the time that self-care is the best medicine. But the real power of self-care is actually using time to take care of YOU. Adding a ten-minute walk to your lunch time routine consistently will have a HUGE impact on your mental health and well-being over time. We live in a fast-paced society. Many people are looking for the quick fix. Unfortunately, I have yet to see any quick fix give people the complete mindset shift that a self-care routine can offer. With so many stressors in your life, don’t you deserve a few minutes every day to work on yourself? Those few moments will be worth it over time because they will help you build resilience and live a more peaceful life NOW. Self-care is the answer to all the questions. I promise you!
