Three Reasons that Self-Care is not Selfish
With anxiety at an all-time high, many people are stressed, overwhelmed, and nearing burnout. Some are workaholics, some have trouble saying no, and others feel like they are the glue holding everything together. Although most of them are some form of perfectionists, they are failing horribly in the self-care category.
The next logical question is if they are so good at so many things, why aren’t they able to take care of themselves? The answers I often receive are that there is no time for self-care, or they would feel guilty taking time for themselves. This thinking is faulty.
After helping countless clients overcome anxiety and improve relationships, I am revealing how self-care plays a vital role in a healthy lifestyle. By the end of this blog post, you will see that self-care is not selfish and, hopefully, overcome any of your misconceptions about the topic.
You will be a better caretaker
Nothing can run on an empty tank. You fill your car with gas, light bulbs only produce so much light, and eventually, most things stop running if you don’t take care of them. It’s the same with humans. You will burn out if you don’t find ways to recharge.
It also takes less to care for yourself before reaching your limit than when you actually hit it. Perhaps it makes more sense if I reference a famous quote:
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
All it takes is 10-15 minutes a day doing something to recharge your mind and your energy. If we don’t give our body a chance to rest, it will find a way to force us to do it. It could present as an anxiety attack or a mental illness, but eventually, you will run out of energy.
It will improve your relationships
Stress can do all sorts of things to our bodies, but it can also affect our mood. It can cause us to have less patience, more frustration, and be less mindful or in the present. It can also affect sleep and the ability to concentrate.
These things are essential in building (and maintaining) strong relationships. When we are quick to anger and have less grace for others, it can easily damage a connection with someone. It takes energy to connect. If we are using all of it up on doing things, what do we have left to give the people we love?
It makes you a good role model
Yes, there are times we need to teach our children the importance of helping others, but I’m willing to bet that you also don’t want someone to take advantage of them. We want them to help when they can, but we also want them to be healthy, have a healthy marriage, and find a good work/life balance.
Helping others is important but so are boundaries (even when it’s within your own family). Think about the message you are sending to your kids if you never take time for yourself. It is very healthy for them to learn that they can take a break when things are overwhelming. It takes off some of the pressure to perform.
So, now what?
Now that you know the importance of self-care, how do you do it? It is a common misconception that it will be expensive or take too much time. In reality, it might be something different for everyone.
What makes you deeply happy (other than serving others) AND helps you to feel rested? It could be a hot bath (or shower), listening to good music, reading a book, yoga, deep breathing, or even just 15 minutes of sitting in silence each morning before everyone else gets up. Try something new for a few weeks and see if it makes a difference.
If it doesn’t help or you are still stuck on why you need to do it, contact me and I will be happy to help you explore other options.
