Self-care

I've been thinking about self-care lately and it has created some shifts for me in my work hours and the boundaries I've set.  I think very often when we choose to care for ourselves and put ourselves first, an internal and external label of "selfish" tends to show up.  Merriam-Webster tells us selfish is being concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself.  I don't know about you, but I don't know anyone else in my life who is concerned exclusively for me.  If I don't focus on meeting my own needs and caring for myself, who else is going to do that for me?  

It hit me this morning that the antonym for selfish is selfless.  I can't think of a single therapy session I've ever had where I asked my client to care less about themselves or to give up their idea of self.  We as a society and culture have put this idea of giving without thinking of ourselves on a pedestal and it can easily create feelings within ourselves of guilt and shame.  

Self-care is not always all that fun or easy.  Caring for our own well-being very often looks like going to a scary medical appointment, choosing to be quiet and still rather than scrolling through social media, and saying no to people whom we love.  It is choosing to floss, getting up five minutes early so you're not rushing, and it is also resting and taking time off when you need to.  

I am working on being the best guardian of myself because I love myself radically and also so that I can show up to do my best work of helping and loving others.  It is in the act of loving ourselves that we choose to be both selfish and selfless.  

May you choose to love yourself radically today.

Peace to you on your journey,

Cassie