I recently saw a list of ideas for self-care on Pinterest, and it got me thinking about what a broad umbrella term self-care is. Sometimes it's eating a pint of chocolate ice cream and binge-watching your favorite movie, but most of the time, what I've discovered is that self-care (for me) is just a euphemism for plain, old "adulting".
Self-care, to me, is tracking my expenses and paying my bills. It's showering every day, but washing my hair every 3rd (curly hair doesn't like water). It is drinking 8 glasses of water, and getting my exercise. It's going to bed on time and getting 8 hours of sleep (and not falling asleep on the couch watching TV). It's meditating and doing my work and being kind to my present self and kind to my future selves and kind to my past self by not beating her up about stupid decisions or mistakes.
But mostly, it's about vegetables.
I'm so much happier when I eat my veggies, it's not even funny. It isn't even so much that I like the way they taste; I'm getting better at appreciating the bitter flavor of kale, chard and spinach, but I'd still rather eat a chocolate napolitana more often than not. Rather, I think my body just knows immediately whether I'm feeding it the nutrients that it wants or not. If I'm drinking plenty of water, I don't get headaches. If I'm not, I do (and I start playing with my hair). If I drink alcohol, my nose itches. When I don't, it usually doesn't also. If I eat too much sugar, I start playing with my hair (and maybe get a headache and get sleepy and need a nap). If I eat vegetables, I don't.
Self-care isn't about acting like a child. Self-care is about treating myself like an adult. Self-care is beautiful, and sometimes it's incredibly boring.
Self-care, to me, is tracking my expenses and paying my bills. It's showering every day, but washing my hair every 3rd (curly hair doesn't like water). It is drinking 8 glasses of water, and getting my exercise. It's going to bed on time and getting 8 hours of sleep (and not falling asleep on the couch watching TV). It's meditating and doing my work and being kind to my present self and kind to my future selves and kind to my past self by not beating her up about stupid decisions or mistakes.
But mostly, it's about vegetables.
I'm so much happier when I eat my veggies, it's not even funny. It isn't even so much that I like the way they taste; I'm getting better at appreciating the bitter flavor of kale, chard and spinach, but I'd still rather eat a chocolate napolitana more often than not. Rather, I think my body just knows immediately whether I'm feeding it the nutrients that it wants or not. If I'm drinking plenty of water, I don't get headaches. If I'm not, I do (and I start playing with my hair). If I drink alcohol, my nose itches. When I don't, it usually doesn't also. If I eat too much sugar, I start playing with my hair (and maybe get a headache and get sleepy and need a nap). If I eat vegetables, I don't.
Self-care isn't about acting like a child. Self-care is about treating myself like an adult. Self-care is beautiful, and sometimes it's incredibly boring.
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