The term ‘self care’ conjures images of bubble baths, massages and skin treatments. It’s a term the health and wellness industry relies on to sell their products. But this is not self care. Self Care Is Important & Requires Very Little Or No Money. Self care is about you – and not all the frilly stuff that comes with it…
The health and wellness market size worldwide was estimated at over 4.4 trillion U.S. dollars in 2019, which is likely to increase to over 6 trillion by 2025.
It’s no wonder that self care is used as an excuse to buy more things, and how more companies want to hop on the money train to sell to the masses.
Oh a face mask…don’t mind if I do!
Oh a foot spa for my tired feet..sounds great!
A bath bomb that sprinkles floating flowers and glitter..oh go on then.
(I quickly googled self care products and the list is endless.)
Self care is you taking care of you – try to kick away what you ‘think’ you should be doing. Because likely or not, you’ll succumb to marketing companies instead of listening to what you really want.
That’s not to say a massage, or a bubblebath isnt great – if you actually like it…
Massage Or Not Massage, That Is The Question..
I recently got a massage. I had been waiting for this massage for atleast a year. It was a long year – close family bereavements, covid, giving birth in another country, getting covid with my toddler with no help..but I had in my head that once I got a massage then all would be well.
The place I went to was lovely, the masseuse was perfect – just the right amount of talking and silence, the music tranquil…but the whole time I thought “is this it?”
I liked the massage, it was good, it relaxed me but I didn’t get the true indulgence I had been hoping for. Maybe I had pinned all my hopes on this, which led to disappointment? I also wondered if there was something wrong with me.
But I realise now, I’m just not a massage person, there’s a lot out there that I relish as self care…massage isn’t one of them. I just thought massage was the pinnacle of selfcare that was why I chose it.
What Is My Self Care
Self care can take form in so many ways – practises and activities for your mind, body and soul. It isnt just about what you can do for your body, it’s more than that.
I get relaxation and feel my batteries reset with:
Practising gratitude
Simple yoga stretches
A cup of coffee as I write my blog/novel
A walk in nature – perferably near the sea or in a woodland
Reading a book, curled up with a blanket.
My husband rubbing my feet !
Self Care is to nurture you
Self Care is about getting to know what works for you. What makes you truly relaxed, revitalised, reenergised and all the other words beginning with “re”!
It is to nurture your body and your soul. You do not need to buy anything either – this can be completely free!
It’s about understanding what you like, which so many of us don’t really know. And as you age, your needs change and what you might have once loved – maybe you don’t enjoy anymore.
Try to steer away your focus from the wellness industry and take time to see what matters to you.
Self Care Is Important & Requires Very Little Or No Money
Self care is for everyone
It’s true, self care is indeed for everyone. Although some people may believe they don’t ‘need’ self care or even ‘care’ about self care. What self care simply means is time to focus on your own needs. You don’t need to spend money or even take too much time to focus on it… It’s just a gesture of checking-in with yourself, putting yourself first and thanking your body for everything it is doing.
Find your own self care
What small things in your day-to-day do you love to do?
Self care does not need to be a big song and dance. You don’t need to declare it on Instagram and show the world you’re taking a bath and reading a book. It can be small moments in your day:
- Taking deep breathes outside as you watch the morning sun
- Massaging cream into your hands and listening to a podcast you love
- Looking up at the moon and stars and just pondering life
Keep track of the small things by ‘being in the moment’. Acknowledge these times and be grateful for them.
Remove distractions & look inside yourself
If you have time, switch off your phone, the radio, tv – maybe only have some calming music playing. See what you gravitate towards. We spend a lot of our days frantically cramming in lots of jobs to be done, chores, and other distractions so we don’t have any time to be bored and let our minds wander.
If you are paranoid about spending too much time on a selfcare task, then set an alarm on your phone at least you have peace of mind and can relax without looking at the time!
You got it from here
Slow down and enjoy this process. Self care is an important practise, and it is down to you to embrace it – no one else is going to encourage you. Giving yourself time for self care affects your mood which ultimately affects everyone around you too. Your happy state of mind is infectious, so if you don’t want to do self care for yourself..then do it for your family. Maybe it’s writing down your thoughts, stretching your body, making a cup of tea and watching the birds outside.
Things don’t need to be serious, enjoy yourself and be grateful for these moments in life. You are worth it, take time to tell yourself that with self care and nurturing.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
How do you feel about self care? Do you have a daily/weekly ritual?
Comment below and let me know your thoughts..
If you enjoyed this, have a look at my previous posts such as – Where to turn when you’ve lost your way
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