Before college, I had hardly known what “self-care” really meant. Like most, I had always thought that self-care was taking a hot bath and doing a face mask. It wasn’t until recently that I realized self-care wasn’t so black and white, and throughout most of the day you are doing little acts of self-care for yourself without even realizing it. I am not going to disagree with the fact that a good self-care night really does involve a steeping hot bath with lavender scented bubbles and a face mask and maybe even shaving your legs.. But what if you are the type of person who needs self care everyday? Perhaps you struggle with your self image, or you have a stressful job that requires you to decompress every day. Unfortunately, it is not likely you have the time or energy to take a hot bath and do a face mask every night. That just isn’t logical. So what else can you do as acts of self-care to truly remind yourself and your body that you deserve a break, even if it’s just for a second?
I had seen a TikTok recently, and yes I know, it is sad that I am coming to a realization based on a 30 second video I saw on social media, but it did make me realize that self care comes in all shapes and sizes. Whether you are in school, working, or maybe even both, your days can become overwhelming, and it is important to incorporate small acts of self love to power through your day. The video really emphasized the fact that sometimes you are doing little acts of self-care, without even realizing it, and that is a beautiful thing. Here are some acts of self-care that we do on a daily basis without even realizing:
Brushing Our Hair: Most of the time when we roll out of bed and start to get ready in the morning, we reach for the hairbrush without even considering it. Even just the act of brushing our hair and relieving all the knots is in some way, shape, or form taking care of yourself and our image.
Applying Chapstick: During the winter, our lips get chapped. They burn, crack, maybe even bleed. The natural thing to do is apply chapstick, to relieve the symptoms we may feel from chapped lips. This is one of the purest forms of self-care we can really do, and most of the time we do it we don’t recognize it as self care. It is just chapstick, what’s the big deal? It is a big deal, because even though it is a tiny gesture to yourself, you are taking care of yourself, and that is the definition of self-care.
Drink Water: Yes, you read that correctly. Drink your water!! It is as simple as that. Drinking water is the most important thing you can do for yourself throughout the day. I am sure most people wouldn’t classify drinking water as self care, but I do. Water helps the mind, body, and soul feel better and stay calm. Next time you feel overwhelmed, try drinking a big cold glass of water and feel the tension leave your body. It can truly help keep you more leveled.
Some days even self-care can be draining. But self-care doesn’t always need to be an extravagant ordeal, maybe it can be as simple as drinking your water, brushing your hair, and applying chapstick. It is important to take care of yourself, but sometimes it is hard, and that is why small acts of self-care can make all the difference in your day.