Self-care is the practice of taking care of yourself. It is meant to not only refresh your physical state but also help rest and relax your mental state. But one thing that I believe needs to be noted is that there must be a balance between self-care and being selfish. One must learn how to take care of themselves while also balancing their other responsibilities.
It is important for one to differentiate between being selfish and taking care of oneself. Being selfish means having a ‘me, me, me’ mentality where you only think of your own needs and have very little consideration for others. Being selfish also means that you worry about how much you can get for yourself, and this can be at the expense of others. Self-care focuses on taking the time to refresh or rejuvenate your mental or physical state to become a better person for other people. This way you won’t be angered or frustrated as easily. Being able to engage in self-care instead of being selfish means that you still care for others. You just want to ensure that your own energy and strength are in check so that you can then take care of others.
In order to help you understand how to balance the difference between being selfish and taking care of yourself, as stated above, you must learn the difference. This is not to say that you should not invest in your own self-care. It is important to take some time for yourself, whether it be reading something soothing or treating yourself to baked goods; you have to take time to replenish your mental juices. Otherwise, you may become drained and exhausted. This is just a reminder to be aware of your responsibilities in life while also taking care of yourself. It may sound difficult, but putting it into practice is actually quick and easy.
Below are some examples of differences between self-care and selfishness provided from Tavco: A Behavioral Health Blog:
- Self-Care: Getting adequate nightly rest
- Selfish: Sleeping excessively to avoid responsibilities
- Self-Care: Creating and enforcing healthy boundaries
- Selfish: Saying “no” to every request for help from others (without a reason)
- Self-Care: Making time for relaxation and meditation
- Selfish: Isolating yourself and ignoring loved ones
Although it can be hard sometimes to get back into the swing of things, people have to learn not to over-treat themselves. That will be overriding the idea of self-care and ruining the fact that it is supposed to help them become better people in general.
Links:
https://www.wecaremoreohio.com/blog/understanding-selfishness-vs-self-care