“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world."

- Lucille Ball

The Importance of Self-Care and Healing

What is self-care? Debunking popular myths

The Value of Self-Care: A Guide

We've all heard of self-care. As an idea popularized in the media, it's become synonymous with "treating yourself" while spending evenings online shopping, glass of wine in hand. Although moments of enjoyment are certainly important, true self-care is not about distraction.

 This article dives into the importance of self-care as reflection, introspection, and emotional healing--- keep reading for the breakdown.

So What Exactly is Self-Care?

Medium highlights the nitty gritty side of self-care as the “ugly task of doing what needs to be done” in alignment with our feelings and intuition. Far from the superficial endeavor it’s painted to be, self-care is about showing up for yourself in the ways you need. Think of it like self-parenting; it could look like making yourself eat your greens, go to bed early, or track your mood changes.

Necessity, Not Luxury

When we think of self-care, we imagine spa days, mani-pedis, and expensive facials. This rhetoric of luxury confuses the true meaning of self-care, as such extravagances aren’t accessible to everyone. True, a candle-lit bath accompanied by a face mask is a relaxing ritual that could be considered to be self-care. But there are endless other ways that people can care for themselves. A short meditation can be powerful if you only have ten minutes to spare.

 To understand where you need to focus your efforts, take a moment to connect with your energy bodies. Ask yourself, “What do I need right now?”

Physical Self-Care

Maybe your physical body needs attention and rejuvenation. Listen to your intuition and drink more water, go for a walk, or perhaps complete a yoga workout. Whatever you do, it should not be a chore but a grounding practice of self-love. (Tip: eating root veggies will help you feel grounded in your body.)

Emotional Self-Care

Feeling overwhelmed or emotionally exhausted? Adjust your self-care plans accordingly! Use journaling as a tool for emotional self-care, freeing you to ‘brain dump’ all the negative feelings you have trapped in your consciousness. Feel the weight lifting as you dedicate some time to nurturing your emotional self.

Takeaway

This article by PsychCentral debunks more self-care myths and discusses how narrow perceptions of self-care can add feelings of guilt to moments of rejuvenation. Healing comes from showing up for ourselves, doing shadow work, letting go of negative attachments, unlearning toxic cycles, and releasing limiting beliefs. If you want to care for yourself, it’s to get introspective, not distracted. Want to join an inspirational community of self-care masters? Check out Home, Hearth, and Healing for support and guidance.

Hear the full conversation on Episode 35 of Light Up Your Worth with Van Nguyen.

Are you ready to make the leap into your own spiritual healing and personal development? It’s easy to experience your energetic healing by visiting our Light Up Your Worth home page.