Women face a lot of hurdles when it comes to taking care of ourselves. And one of the biggest hurdles is the stories we tell ourselves about self-care and why we can’t do it. In this post I’m going to share what I see as the five biggest myths that block of from the self-care we deserve, and how they just aren’t true.
I hope this gives you some ideas on how you can debunk these myths for yourself and start caring for yourself just as much as you care for others around you.
Myth #1 – Self Care is Selfish
This is probably the most insidious of all the self-care myths, so let’s just get it out of the way right from the start.
Self-care is NOT selfish!
Taking care of yourself and making sure you’re healthy in body, mind, and spirit means that then, and only then, do you really have enough energy to enjoy your own life and take care of others around you. Whether it’s family, friends, or community members that you’re helping and caring for, if you’re not caring for yourself first, you really aren’t giving them the best you have to offer.
Myth #2 – Self-Care Takes Up Too Much Time
Another reason we tell ourselves we can’t practice self-care is that we don’t have the time for it.
Not true.
Your self-care routine does not have to take hours our of your day and be so complicated that you dread it.
Should you set aside time for yourself each day? Absolutely.
But that self-care can be as simple as a quiet cup of tea in the morning. Or a few minutes to write a line in your journal. It can even be as simple as picking up a treat for yourself at the grocery store. (Personally, my favorite is a bar of dark chocolate with raspberries.)
Keep your self-care simple and it will become second-nature in no time.
Myth #3 – Self-Care Is Whatever Makes Me Feel Good
Be careful with this one, because it’s a bit of a slippery slope. Not everything that makes you feel good is really good for you. For example, drinking your troubles away might make you feel good in the moment, but it’s not really taking care of yourself. Same goes for all that ice-cream you might have in your freezer… Believe me, it’s not the answer to your problems. See what I mean?
The trick to good self-care is finding things that make you feel good AND keep your health and energy up.
Which brings me to the next myth…
Myth #4 – Self-Care Costs Too Much
Answer me this… How many times have you wanted to do something for yourself, but you’ve talked yourself out of it because you think self-care is way too expensive. It all comes from putting other people first and not thinking you deserve to have what you need. I do this all the time and it’s a very hard habit to break (more on that in another post).
Back to busting this myth… Self-care does not have to cost an arm and a leg. You don’t need to buy pricey gourmet food or join a fancy gym to take care of yourself well. You can cook good, wholesome meals at home, go for walks outside, and find other inexpensive ways to practice self-care.
For example, one of my favorite self-care treats is a cup of tea and a good book. My tea is about $3 a box at the grocery store, and my books are often free or 99-cent kindle books. And the half-hour that I take for myself to read and enjoy my tea is my favorite part of the day.
Myth #5 – Self-Care Has to Be Perfect
The final myth we’re going to tackle today is the one that says our self-care has to be perfect or it’s not worth doing.
I just have one question for you… Perfect for who?
The only person your self-care has to be perfect for is you!
You don’t have to tailor it to fit someone else’s idea of self-care, whether it’s your friends, family members, or the latest ideas in that magazine you picked up. Your yoga pants and mat don’t have to match, and as we’ve already touched on, you don’t have to create some complicated routine that makes you dread your own ‘me time’.
Self-care is just that… you taking care of yourself, and doing what makes you feel good and gives you the energy and the sense of well-being that gets you through your days.
Wrapping Up
I hope this has shown you how easy it is to debunk some of the more common myths of self-care that are floating around.
Set a goal to eliminate these myths from your mindset and really start rocking your own self-care practice!
You’re worth it!
What’s your favorite way to practice self-care? Share in the comments below…