September 2019
My Version of self care
by: kayla thomas
Self-care is more than just a bath bomb at the end of a long day.
When I think of self-care, what comes to mind is caring for myself in the same way that I care for others. I’ve always been taught that, in order to effectively support others, I must constantly do things that will advance their goals and increase their quality of life. Because of that, the way I care for others is characterized by me being intentional about doing things that will benefit them, and being a person who is intentional about elevating those I am in the presence of. With this image in mind, self-care to me is consistently choosing to be that person for myself.
Part of choosing to be that person for myself is implementing care tactics with myself that I usually reserve for other people. I now take time out of my busy schedule to check up on myself to ensure that I’m doing well. I am practicing being more understanding and empathetic towards my own feelings and situations instead of criticising things I did wrong. And I have made a habit out of encouraging myself to maximize the potential that I have been blessed with. Out of the list of people I feel the need to nurture, I have finally put myself near the top of that list.
Because being caring to myself is a 24/7 job, I have made lifestyle changes that will help me to constantly put myself in a position to thrive. I have changed the idea of self-care in my mind from a list of occasional actions to living a life that elevates my physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual health. Because of this, my version of self-care is staying close to God. My faith has always been the foundation of who I am. Having a close connection with God has confirmed my value and inspires me to step into my purpose. It is affirming myself constantly. In the same way that I try to elevate my friends around me, daily affirmations have caused me to become a good friend to myself too. Reiterating positive mantras to myself has caused the way I look at life to metamorphosize. It is eating healthy and exercising regularly - two things that can immediately improve my mindset. And yes, it is occasionally a bath bomb at the end of a long day.