As we mentioned in the monthly blog focus article, a major part of our overall wellness is how we take care of ourselves, aka self-care. And as was mentioned in that blog, self-care includes resting, good nutrition, quality sleep, proper hydration, and more. We also established that most of us do not take the time for self-care. In fact, we have convinced ourselves that we simply don’t have time for such selfish endeavors.

But when we don’t make the time for self-care, eventually our hectic lifestyle catches up to us. We may find ourselves sick, tired, burned out, or worse. What we need to come to grips with is the fact that self-care needs to be a non-negotiable part of our daily lives. It doesn’t have to take hours every day, but we need to find ways to bring self-care into our daily routines.

By taking time for self-care, we mean to truly rest, disconnect, and relax. Not necessarily sleeping, but most definitely not doing. Not reading a book or binge watching Netflix. Not listening to music or a podcast. Not gaming or scrolling through social media on the electronic device of your choice.

Why don’t some of those things count as self-care, you ask? Afterall, if you enjoy them, why isn’t that considered self-care? Simply put, it is because those activities do not help us slow down, reflect, and just be so our bodies can shift into the “rest & digest” mode of the parasympathetic nervous system. Whether we like it or not, we need a little selfcare in our lives every day.

What does self-care look like? Aside from just sitting and being (aka mindfulness or meditation), it can also include yoga nidra, a gentle yoga practice, or a quiet, leisurely walk in nature (no devices…just you and Mother Nature).

In essence, self-care in the sense we are talking about it here is anything that allows our heart rate and breathing to slow down so we move from the “fight or flight” mode to the “rest & digest” mode. Self-care is not numbing out, but rather it is consciously choosing to rest and relax…something not many of us of have likely ever experienced.

Now, that we have a better understanding of self-care, hopefully you can also begin to see how self-care is NOT selfish. When we feel better, we tend to “be” better in how we interact with others and conduct ourselves throughout the day. In the end, self-care is a “win-win” for everyone in your life.

As we move through the month of October, let’s give ourselves permission to practice a little self-care every day. And in the next blog we will share “the perfect self-care routine”. Until then, namaste.