Self-care 101
Published:Monday | February 13, 2017 | 12:00 AMKrysta Anderson
So many of us use our time to take care of just about everyone in our lives that we oftentimes neglect the most important person - ourselves.
Outlook has decided to break the silence of self-care, debunking the myths associated with it so you can actively make it a part of your daily, weekly or even monthly regime.
According to writer Audre Lorde, "Self-care is not about self-indulgence, it's about self-preservation." As radical as she might have sounded, there is actually some truth to this. While there truly is nothing wrong with indulging in yourself every now and then, self-care means so much more than that. Self-care is a way of finding quality time to gather your thoughts and focus on your personal dreams and aspirations. Here are a few pointers as it relates to self-care:
1 Self-care is not selfish. Not because you are taking time for yourself means that you are being inconsiderate of others. In the same way that you devote time to others, you should devote time for yourself.
2 Self-care is also about respect for oneself, and not tolerating disrespect from others. Respect yourself first. It is also significant to note that negativity from others thrown your way should be prohibited in your book.
3 Self-care is the power to say no in an appropriate manner, and yes without feeling that you need to please others. Being a 'yes-man' or 'yes-woman' cannot be a part of self-care. Find respectable ways to let people down gently, if it is that it will compromise caring for yourself. And if you are giving of yourself and your services, do so not for the praises, but for the love of helping others.
4 Self-care is addressing your own physical, mental, spiritual and emotional needs. You can only love others by loving yourself first. You can only care for others effectively if you have first learnt how to satisfy your needs properly.
5 Self-care is spending time with people who like and respect you so we can remain emotionally stable. Surround yourself with like-minded positive people. That way, there will be no need for 'woosahs' since they would fully understand you and support you.
6 Self-care allows us to act without fear of what others will think or have to say because our real satisfaction is evident in carrying out the act itself, rather than relying on the reactions of others.
So go ahead and show yourself some love.