Why Self Care Is Important

Day 11 of the 30 Day Writing Challenge

I created this blog in the hopes of sharing my self care journey with others, and hopefully helping others on their own journeys into self care. But self care is something that I think is only beginning to be embraced. I have often heard many women my age say that they don’t have time to do things for themselves because they are moms. And I feel that is the worst thing we can, put ourselves last. So today I want to talk about why self care is important.

You Matter

I want to begin by saying that you are important. You matter. Which means your needs and health needs your time and attention, and you are deserving of the time you take to practice self care. So this is important to keep at fore front of your mind.

I also want to point out that taking care of yourself is not selfish. Is showering selfish? Don’t you do that every day? That is taking care of yourself, right? So self care in the form of making sure you eat healthy, exercise (mostly) regularly and get enough sleep is important too. These are only the first steps, and ones I think most people can agree are important in taking care of yourself.

Taking Care of Your Mind Matters

It’s the mental health part of self care that I think a lot of people find challenging to wrap their mindset around. Because now we are moving away from taking care of your body to your mind by doing things that are relaxing or of interest to you. Such as taking time out to spend with friends, or to have a bath. I find people don’t think this is as important as eating well and taking a class at the gym. This is where I hear people saying, I don’t have time for that, or my kids won’t let me take a bath (as in they’ll be banging on the door screaming for you) and for me, this is a rejection of taking care of your mind and emotions. You need the time to do things you enjoy. It’s not that different than the shower you take every day.

Make the time to do something you love. Your kids have play dates, so you should too. Get together with girlfriends, and also be sure to build in me time. Whether it’s taking that bath, or reading a book, take time out for yourself. It re-charges you. Allows you to unwind, reflect, experience pleasure in a simple way. Think of it as re-charging your mental and emotional batteries. Or resetting yourself so that you continue to have the energy to be the most productive you can be.

Benefits of Self Care

You will reap so many benefits from practicing self care. You will gain a lot of self knowledge. Meaning, you’ll learn a lot about yourself. Practicing self care will help you learn what you enjoy and what you are passionate about. Knowing what you enjoy and what you are passionate about can inspire you to change your lifestyle or even career path. Or it may simply help you reconnect with a passion or hobby you had previously abandoned. All of this can lead to a healthier, happier you.

Another benefit of self care is better productivity. When you start putting yourself first and start saying no to things that overloading your schedule and draining you emotionally, you are productive in the things you need to do, and enjoy your life more overall.

Improved physical health is another benefit of self care. If you are not overextended or stressed, you will suffer from colds and other viruses or bacterial infections. Plus, reducing stress is known to make you more

Along with gaining self knowledge, you’ll also be giving yourself a boost in self esteem. Making time for yourself, engaging in activities that you enjoy or are relaxing sends a message to your sub conscious that essentially says you matter and your negative self talk decreases.

Do you practice self care? What benefits have you gained from this practice? Share in the comments below xo