One of the biggest hurdles to engaging in self-care for many of us is the idea that taking care of ourselves is selfish. This simply isn’t true. Prioritizing your own well-being maintains your health and gives you energy for enjoying your life and helping others. This isn’t the only falsehood floating around about self-care. Read on to discover some other common myths and to bust them once and for all.
Self Care Is Expensive
Online articles and magazines may have you believe that self-care needs to cost an arm and a leg. This simply isn’t true. You don’t have to buy expensive organic food or join a pricey gym to take care of your health. There’s no need to go on extravagant vacations when you need to getaway. Instead, you can seek out simple and inexpensive ways to recharge. We’ll talk about some examples in a future article.
Self Care Takes Too Much Time
Caring for yourself doesn’t have to involve a complex routine. Yes, it’s good to set aside time for yourself. However, that time doesn’t need to be extensive. Having a nice cup of tea for a few minutes of reflective silence in the morning counts. So does picking up a nice bar of dark chocolate for yourself while you’re at the grocery store. Keep it simple if you need to.
Self Care Has to Be Perfect
Self-care doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t need to fit anyone else’s expectations. There’s no need to follow the latest self-help guru to the letter or make sure your workout gear is coordinated. You don’t have to indulge in any specific routines. Any small act that’s purposeful and that puts your needs at the forefront is self-care.
Self Care Can Be Anything That Feels Good
It is important to be aware that not everything that makes you feel good is self-care, though. For example, buying yourself a new pair of pants that fits your budget and makes you feel great is self-care. Going on an online spending spree that eats up your rent money, however, is unhealthy. You also want to avoid things like drinking your troubles away and drowning your sorrows in the whole gallon of ice cream. You get the idea.
These are some of the more popular myths out there about self-care. Don’t let any of them hold you back from taking care of yourself and putting yourself first.