Self-Care

Self-care has been a buzzword for a few years now. Most people are aware of the term at this point, with various articles online discussing how to practice it. As you might have already experienced first hand, often the suggestions that tend to show up are a list of activities like bubble baths, yoga, eating a treat, and going on vacation.

Now in fairness, all of the above could count as self-care activities, but the focus on specific activities misses the point a little. I would describe self-care as the intentional actions a person takes to look after themselves in both the short and long term. 

Let's unpack this definition further. Looking after ourselves can take many forms, but some of the key ways are listed in what is known as the Seven Pillars of Self-Care. These pillars include: having knowledge and health literacy, maintaining our mental well-being, physical activity, healthy eating, risk avoidance, good hygiene, and a rational use of products and services. These pillars can look a little different depending on the individual, but the core concepts offer some wonderful guidance. Now that we have a loose concept of how self-care can look, let's next examine how short- and long-term considerations may come into play. 

Short-term ways of looking after oneself would entail activities that would offer ways to meet immediate needs and "recharge one's batteries." How each individual recharges their batteries is unique to them and their situation, but it could involve engaging in activities that the person finds to be fun, relaxing, pleasurable, interesting, restful, or creative. These short-term activities are essential to incorporate into our lives on a regular basis, as they help us meet our needs and maintain our mental and physical health in the process. Self-care can also entail our mindsets and how we speak to ourselves, particularly by showing ourselves self-compassion, encouragement, and giving ourselves grace. From the above pillars, much of what I've discussed so far focuses on our mental well-being when we consider standard self-care activities, particularly in the short-term arena.

But a core concept that sometimes gets missed during conversations about self-care is the consideration for long-term health and wellness. Going back to the seven pillars described above, it's clear that self-care requires a larger approach to health and wellness that extends beyond feelings of well-being in the moment. This means ensuring your future self is also more likely to get their needs met appropriately and that you aren't harming your future self's well-being when caring for your present self. If we only focus on the short-term without noticing the implications for our futures, we are not truly looking after ourselves.

Self indulgence can feel good in the moment, but it is not self-care. If we spend money beyond our means, regularly choose unhealthy foods, have an inactive lifestyle, drink alcohol or use drugs excessively, or skip out on our responsibilities, we are not practicing true self care. We are are not considering our future well-being in these cases and we are hurting our future selves.

Incorporating long-term considerations of self-care can sometimes even mean short-term discomfort, as we do the work to set ourselves up for a better tomorrow. This work might look like setting boundaries, building new habits, helping ourselves grow through education or employment, going to therapy, saving money for the future, taking responsibility, going outside of our comfort zones and limiting our unhealthy activities or decisions.

Now this does not mean we should never have a lazy day or treat ourselves a little. It's absolutely natural to want those moments where we are recharging our battery or giving ourselves a mood boost by doing some of these things. By all means, there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing these things every once in a while. Furthermore, showing ourselves kindness in words and actions can be done to support our short-term well-being while still caring for our long-term health as well (in fact, in most cases doing so would benefit our long-term selves all the more).

What I am advocating for here is a balance - a consideration where we can enjoy short-term ways of caring for ourselves without forgetting about our future selves, and also taking actions when we can to set ourselves up for an even better future.

Take some time to consider how many of the seven pillars of self-care you regularly address. Consider how you care for yourself in the short-term and long-term and notice if there are any conflicts between the two. How might you be able to care for your present and future self a little more intentionally?