Self-care can sometimes seem like another thing on the to-do list, something that has to be earned, or a frivolous invitation to go shopping. Below I explain a new approach to self-care that allows us to invite moments of peace and healing into our daily lives.
The topic of self-care is something that is getting more and more attention, especially in these times. Often, when the idea of self-care is brought up, it is often with little explanation as to what self-care is and what it is not. When I first began my self-care journey, I was all over the place trying to figure out what self-care looked like for me. I would read blogs, watch videos, read books and while they were all great, I found myself left with a list of action items that soon felt very overwhelming. I understood why I needed to practice better self-care (I mean, do I even need to start with a list??), but did not have any idea of how I was going to go about it, and more importantly, sustain a self-care practice once I got started. Honestly, I did not have a clue about what my needs my self-care practice would meet. And, unbeknownst to me, I had a stigma around self-care. I come from a family and a culture where overworking is to be admired. You praise the person who is “always there for everyone”. And, in the event that you do take a day off, it quickly becomes filled with errands and to-do lists that never seem to get completed.
In order for me to develop a true self-care practice that worked for me, I had to first examine my own thoughts and hang-ups around self-care. I had to understand why I felt so guilty about taking time for myself, and why I thought self-care was something to be earned only once I completed tasks that were designed to mentally and physically exhaust me. I also believed that self-care was about consumption--buying things to “treat myself” and had no idea that my self-care practice needed to include creation--creating intentional moments of pause, so that I could tap into often neglected and unappreciated parts of myself. Before I could begin taking an intentional approach to self-care, I had to understand its value and meaning in my life. I needed to be thoughtful and honest about meeting my self-care needs. And thus, Thoughtful Self-Care™ was born. This approach allows us to be creators of a self-care practice that acknowledges and honors where we are in our healing journey. Through this approach, we define self-care as creating intentional moments of reflection that allow us to: identify our needs and through the use of honesty and compassion, grant ourselves permission in getting those needs met. Thoughtful Self-Care is about first setting boundaries with ourselves that recognize and respond to the signs our bodies and spirits give us. It's about increasing our understanding of where we are within our healing journey, and how to adequately prepare ourselves to be able to allow all that we desire to receive. Through simple steps and commitments, we gain momentum that allow us to sustain daily, weekly, and monthly practices. Click here to read more about Thoughtful Self-Care™ and learn how to develop your own practice.
Are you curious about how to more thoughtfully incorporate self-care into your healing? Join our It’s Dr. Tara community (click here) and let us know one way you're interested in deepening your self-care practice!
As always, Let's Heal Together.
-Dr. Tara
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