Usually when the words “self-care” come to mind, people think of boujee activities such as getting a mani/pedi, a massage, facial, or whatever else a spa may offer. Others may see it as a reason to indulge in a Netflix binge and indulge in their favorite snacks and wine with a group of friends. A common theme in the trend of engaging in such activities is that they are activities that normally occur while a person is stressed, overwhelmed, sad, or feeling gloomier than usual.
Self-care, for some wild reason, also seems to only be common among college students and young adults. Most college students are always stressed and tired. However, we are not the only ones among the always-stressed, tired, and maybe hungry. We can’t forget our younger siblings who may be going through elementary, middle, or high school troubles. We even have to remember our parents, grandparents, guardians, etc.
This raises the question—why can’t we work to make self-care a lifestyle as opposed to a crisis-relief method? We all know that the stress and tiredness doesn’t stop after graduation. We were also stressed before we started college. So why not take the small steps to create a lifestyle revolving around self-care? The way that we schedule spa days and Netflix nights, should be the same way that we take those smaller, extra steps to enhance our quality of life, every day.
This can be drinking enough water, making sure your first meal of the day is your best/cleanest meal, or using a planner to get organized and prevent stretching yourself too thin. Maybe unfollow toxic social media pages. Or even just thinking positive thoughts throughout the day and having an overall positive mindset. We have to stop waiting until we are at our boiling points to remember to put ourselves first.
This year, I challenge everyone who reads this to take a step back and truly think about small-scale ways that will ensure that you’re taking care of yourselves. Teach your younger ones that constant stress isn’t healthy or cute. It’s dangerous. Remind your older ones that life has more to offer than work and politics. Maybe call it…life-care!
But of course, prolonged naps, spa trips, and Netflix binges will never go out of style. So don’t forget to keep doing those too.