Prioritizing self-care consistently can get difficult at times, especially when we’re wrapped up in work, personal, and daily responsibilities. We live in a culture that praises hard work at the expense of one’s physical and mental health. We are expected to give our all without rest, and push through the pain. For women in particular, we’re expected to put everyone and everything before ourselves to our detriment. I understand that caring for and about others is necessary, but when your own health and well-being is severely neglected, it becomes destructive.
There are definitely many things that anyone can and should do to preserve themselves in the face of adversity and extreme stress. It’s so important to find what works best for you and to apply it. What I’ve noticed from my experience is that there are foundational things that need to be established in order to maintain our self-preservation.
- Prioritizing overall health maintenance.
If you feel unwell, check-in with yourself. Have you been getting enough sleep? Drinking enough water? Eating well enough? Getting enough amino acids and vitamins? If you’ve been maintaining your general wellness and you’re still feeling unwell, it’s probably best to seek medical attention. Even if you’re doing “everything right,” getting a check-up can help reveal potentially life-threatening issues you wouldn’t have otherwise found out about. It can be difficult, especially given the uncertainty surrounding comprehensive healthcare for many people in the United States. Always be on the lookout for any programs or opportunities that offer low-cost insurance or free check-ups; that’s something that I had to do. A few years ago, I got a part time job as a substitute teacher after being out of work for several months. The position didn’t offer any insurance, so I had to use a resource called Pivot Health. They offered short-term insurance, so I used them to get check-ups when I wasn’t feeling well until I could get a full-time job with more established insurance.
- Do things for yourself that will genuinely benefit you.
Sometimes you have to take the time to be introspective and evaluate whether the things you give time to actually edify you. Oftentimes I think about the concept of opportunity cost in economics. You may think you can do everything and be everywhere, but according to that concept, when you devote time to one thing, there’s always going to be less time to devote to other things that you want to do. For example, social media can be very addicting, and I noticed that it is one of those things that I honestly struggle to regulate. I find myself up very late on Instagram, Clubhouse, TikTok, or Facebook. I’ve had to deactivate some of my accounts just to keep from falling down those social media rabbit holes. As a result, I neglected other parts of my life and things that I enjoy doing like reading, writing, drawing, coding, listening to music, being outside in nature, etc. As adults with full-time jobs and limited time, it is crucial to learn how to prioritize what keeps us healthy; mentally and physically. Once the essentials are taken care of, it becomes easier to enjoy all the fun and exciting things you want to do.
- An established and unconditional support system.
A constant and unwavering support system, especially during times of mental distress, has been shown to help people recover and heal more effectively. Having people that want the best for you, are honest with you, cheer you on, and allow you to be yourself without judgment, helps relieve some of the burden that comes with navigating through the demands of life. Connections to people also means connections to information and resources that you would not have otherwise considered or sought out. Part of self-care is also being honest with yourself and recognizing that you don’t know everything, you can’t do everything, and you need assistance. It doesn’t make you weak, it makes you resilient.
While there are many ways that someone can practice self-care, I think these are some of the most foundational components that can be applied to one’s life. It all goes back to maintaining your physical and mental health in a way that is specific to you and your life’s circumstances. If you’re unwell, it will be difficult to help someone else through their pain. It is okay to seek healing for yourself. We won’t always get self-care right or perfect all of the time, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to try again and try different ways that will work for you and those around you.