How self-care can help you take charge of your mental health

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We live in a world that is go, go, go. More places. More people. More work. More color-coded bullet journals. More followers. More likes. More accomplishments. More. More. More. 

Sometimes, when expectations are high and there is so much pressure to be over-programmed and on the move, taking time to connect with yourself is the last thing on in your jam-packed to-do list. When you are stretched too thin, spending time on yourself may seem like the lowest priority. And, when work tasks, family commitments and life in general pile up without a break, it can create a tornado of stress and anxiety.  (ICYMI: burnout is real.) So, taking time for yourself is anything but selfish. In fact, a study by the American Psychological Association found that self-care can be a useful way to mitigate stress, reduce anxiety, and increase self-compassion. So, take a minute (or a few) for yourself and give yourself some Fab Five grade self-care. 

Self-care is far more than simply spa nights and taking an extra nap. Self-care can be checking in with yourself to notice how you are feeling, it can be pushing yourself to get involved in a new community, or it can be prioritizing a morning routine that sets you up to crush the day.

Finding what works for you is key. Self-care is everywhere and is for everyone. It is in the way you show yourself love and compassion and in the way you check in with the people around you. As icon and activist Audre Lorde famously asserted, “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation.” In a big, beautiful world that can also sometimes pull us in too many directions, self-preservation can be the key to thriving as your best self. 

Self-care is also different for everyone, because everyone is just that—different. Find what works for you and ditch what does not fill you up; no rules, no judgement, just straight up you time. Science says that self-care could help mitigate symptoms of burnout. So, find what you like and take the time for yourself—you’ll thank yourself later. 

This is your life. This is your time. Invest in yourself. Do the things you need to do to be the best you possible. You need it. And, the world needs you.