Self-care is a series of actions we take to benefit not only our physical and cognitive health but our emotional health as well. This generally involves eating, sleeping, bathing, wearing clean clothes, relaxing, and a host of other activities geared toward staying healthy.
It is very easy to take self-care for granted as you may not think you need it daily or have the time to prioritize it. Do you feel that you have too many career and home responsibilities to think about self-care? Though it’s tempting to put a few things on the back burner, failing to incorporate self-care habits into your schedule, could lead to overwhelm and even a mental health condition.
Your self-care needs to be as much a priority as taking care of others. All of the excuses you make and overscheduling you do may prevent you from listening internally to the demands your body and mind are making.
Why not take a moment to examine the following five excuses that can keep you from self-care, if you aren’t careful. When you’ve read them, consider too, how therapy can help turn things around.
Excuse #1. “Taking Care of Myself is Selfish”
You may think that a perfect person is someone who only tends to the needs of others and rarely their own. The truth is that you can be there for other people, but still prioritize your own needs.
It is possible that you feel guilty just dedicating one hour to yourself. You may fret that you could fill in that time with something more productive or “important.” Try to remember that there will never be anything more important than your own health and wellbeing.
Excuse #2. “Sacrificing Self-Care is a Sign of Strength”
It is a myth that true virtue comes from always putting your own needs aside. That isn’t to say that other people don’t deserve care and attention. However, never attending to your own needs, will leave you too depleted of energy to help others.
For example, if you took a nap for twenty minutes after work, you would be more awake to help your child with their project or shop for family groceries. To be truly loving involves being there for yourself as well as for other people.”
Excuse #3. “I Have Not Earned Time/Space for Self-Care”
You could be thinking that good things should only come to you if you deserve them. Maybe all you did all day was go to work and then come back home. But, self-care does not need to be practiced because you earned it.
Every time you juggle multiple things all in one day means that you deserve some time to yourself. You could not have done more or better than the efforts you made.
Excuse #4. “I Just Do Not Have Time”
With such a busy schedule on your hands, you could be thinking that self-care methods are too time-consuming. If you can take the time to watch TV after a long day at work, you can fit in self-care.
When you think about it, self-care tactics can be as long as you want. The goal is to do what helps you relax and recharge. For example, write in your journal for fifteen minutes or go for a walk for half an hour. You get to set how much time you need for yourself.
Excuse #5. I Don’t Have a Choice”
When you are busy taking care of other people, you might believe that they are in control of your time and drive your decisions. Challenge that thinking. You are always in control of your life and you always have a choice concerning your next move.
Part of self-care is refusing to be powerless. Self-care empowers you to start in your own life.
How Therapy Helps with Self-Care
Therapy can help you see why you do not want to take care of yourself. If your resistance is related to trauma or depression, your therapist can help you learn to heal and move forward. You may also realize that, via therapy, you are in a codependent relationship or lean toward people-pleasing. Therapy can help with those realizations too. Whatever keeps you from self-care, regular therapy sessions can help you value and prioritize your core needs first.
Are you interested in learning more about the importance of self-care? If so, please read more about trauma therapy and contact me soon for a free consultation.
