Owen Rush
CONTRIBUTOR & LOVE EXPERT
Self-care is a word we have seen on social media for a while now, with talks of face masks and taking time to unwind and relax. While this is true about self-care, there is more to it than lighting candles, essential oils and face masks. With the holiday season here, the stress of classes, Covid-19 and life in general, it is important to talk about what self-care is and how to practice it.
Taking time for yourself
One of the simplest and most impactful ways to practice self-care is to take time for yourself. With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, people sometimes forget to take time for themselves. Self-care is taking time to simply “treat yourself” with reading, journaling or even going to the nearest Starbucks and ordering your favorite latte in peace.
Even the queen herself, Beyoncé practices this method of self-care. In her latest campaign for Ivy Park, she mentions how she tries to take five minutes every day alone to take a bath.
Knowing your self-worth
Another part of self-care is knowing your worth. Knowing your worth is important because it allows you to not slack on your own needs. When you put yourself first, you do the little things such as remembering you are worthy regardless of what life throws at you.
Knowing that life has its ups and downs, you are everything you need no matter what happens. Listening to a good playlist or watching a good movie such as “Legally Blonde” can make you feel empowered.
Setting boundaries
Another important way to practice self-care is to set boundaries. Boundary setting applies not only to yourself, but it is also important to set them for people around you. The act of setting boundaries is knowing your worth and not letting other people cross the boundaries that you set. Boundary setting is knowing what you will and will not accept from yourself and what you will not tolerate from others.
When you set boundaries you are able to reclaim your time, in the wise words of U.S Representative Maxine Waters. If you know that a relationship in your life is not serving you and you are being pushed outside your boundaries, reclaim your time, look at that relationship and make adjustments.
Lastly, it is important to acknowledge that self-care is different person to person. These tips are not concrete and will look different for your life. These tips are easier said than done as well. Mastering these skills of self-care is not going to come overnight. One of my friends said this best: “self-care is watering my own soil in whatever way it looks like at the time.” Listening to yourself and knowing what you want in life is a great way to start.
