The Importance of Self-Care, Part 1

Today I will start a new series on self-care. Something that we don't always remember to focus on when we get busy or when life gets hard. Over the next few weeks, I will be guiding you through different techniques on self-care in your own life. 

The Importance of Self-Care

Over a cup of coffee, a new friend of mine began telling me about some concerning physical symptoms she was experiencing. I knew she was a very busy woman, so I asked her what kind of self-care she did.

She shook her head. “I don’t do any. I don’t believe in it!”

“Oh?” I said, “why not?”

“Because… you just do life, and everyone’s life is hard.”

Her mindset is common to many: Because life is hard for everyone, it isn’t ok to take a break and care for myself and my own needs. So many people have a harder life than I do, so shouldn’t have the right to care for myself, even when I need it.

The truth is, self-care is something we ALL need. While some seasons of life may require more self-care than others, the idea of consistently paying attention to our inner life and our physical body is a really important part of living a healthy life.

So what is self-care?

I like this definition:

Taking proper care of yourself and treating yourself as kindly as you treat others.

Before we go any further, ask yourself this question:

What is my attitude towards self-care?

I’d guess your answers span the range from I don’t believe in it… to ...It is a daily part of my living.

I encourage you to think of 3 or 4 things that help you feel better when life gets stressful or difficult. Allow yourself to consider what you need.

Self-care is important because it:

• Helps prevent overload burnout
• Reduces the negative effects of stress
• Helps refocus

Thanks for reading this first post in our self-care series. I’ll be building on these ideas over the next few weeks. Understanding your individual needs is an important part of living a self-compassionate life.

Until next time...

Be Comforted,

Donna Durham, MMFT

Owner & Co-Founder

Weighting Comforts