Why Self Care is So Important to Your Well-Being

Self care has always been such a funny word to me. I always thought it implied laziness and selfishness. I’d read articles from women who took long weekends away alone to regroup . It always seemed indulgent and selfish.  I’ve been through quite a lot in the past few years and I’ve always managed to suck it up and keep going.  Why was that so hard for other people? What was so exhausting that they had to just completely shut out everyone else and treat themselves?  Why did they take self care to the extreme?

Why Self Care is So Important

I am slowly coming to realize that self care is something I should be giving more thought to.  My self care consists of getting a pedicure and haircut a couple of times a year. I have my summers off of work, thanks to being an educator. I learned a few years back to just say no to things that don’t bring me joy. I’m not a constantly busy person. Besides going to work each day during the school year, my life is pretty mundane and quiet. So what has made me realize that I should be paying even more attention to myself and my well being?

My life was changed last year when I had double bypass heart surgery.  Recovery was long, but also frustrating. When my three months of  recovery were over, it became my mission to completely bounce back. It was as if I had something to prove to the world and everyone around me. See? I’m OK! I can still do everything I want to do, and then some! I made it my mission to hardly sit down at work during the day because that would just look like I couldn’t handle it.

Reality Check

The reality in all of this is that the faster and better I thought I was doing things, the slower I was actually moving. More time was required in the mornings to get ready for my day. Never sitting down and booking it down the halls at work left me with swollen ankles by day’s end. I have gained 14 pounds since my surgery, partly due to a new medicine and partly due to inactivity. I have no outlet for work stress.  I’m not taking any time for myself.

Thankfully, I have this entire week off from work to practice a little self care. I won’t ever be the type who takes off from her family for a weekend alone, but I can see where I need to make small changes.  Daily as a way to maintain the health of my heart and as an outlet for dealing with stress is important.  I need to just take a seat sometimes and back away from time sucks like social media. Instead of trying to clean the house in one day, I need to do one chore around the house daily.  I need to drink more water. I need more long, hot baths and reading on my Kindle during the upcoming colder months.

But most of all, I need to give myself permission to be a little self-indulgent, and that’s a hard.  It feels selfish.  However, I know it needs to be done.  My health and sanity depends on it.

Photo: m van den Dobbelsteen