I have been reflecting on what “self care” truly means to my clients as of lately. Self-care is a term that is used so often and I believe that considering what each individual is going through, this can look different for all of us. Self-care is the definition of taking care of ourselves in all aspects of our lives whether this means physically, spiritually, mentally, or emotionally. This is a very important aspect to one’s preservation of their own mental health and is needed to harness peace in the potential chaos of our daily lives. When we think of self-care things like going for a walk, taking a bubble bath, and binging our favorite Netflix series comes to mind. But I have found that lately I have been asking myself, is this all that we can do for self-care? Let me explain.
I have realized through challenges that I have faced personally or ones that I am working through with my clients, that staying disciplined on what we are wanting to change is key to seeing progress. The term self-care comes to mind when I say this because a huge aspect of caring for ourselves is making the harder, yet healthier choices for our lives. So not only do we need the down time or relaxation, but sometimes we need to care for ourselves in a way that requires firmness and dedication. We have to remember that we are deserving of the change that we are seeking to achieve and in order for that to happen we have to motivate ourselves to stay on track. Now this does not mean that you should quit the new Netflix series that you just started or skip out on that weekly Starbucks coffee you treat yourself to. However, this does mean that sometimes we need both types of self-care in our lives to become the individuals that we not only know we can be, but deserve to be.
What is something that you could be more disciplined in for yourself? Is it sticking to healthier boundaries with loved ones, maintaining an appropriate work/life balance, or taking care of your physical health more often? I challenge you to think of a goal that you have set for yourself before but for some reason have not quite yet achieved. Reflect on what has gotten in the way and how you can help yourself achieve the change that you desire to have. What are you in control of and how you can help yourself become un-stuck? The reasons that you come up with may be partly due to life circumstances that are out of your control. Stay focused on what is in your control. What can you do on your end to implement your “self-care” towards achieving this goal that you are so deserving of?
“Discipline is the strongest form of self-love. It’s loving yourself enough to do whatever you need to do and to give yourself everything you have ever wanted.”