Self-Care is the conscious practice of taking care of yourself without the aid of medical professionals. It is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain. We could self-care in various ways, such as time management, financial self-care, setting healthy boundaries, emotional intelligence, taking a walk, reading a book, meditating, yoga, going to the gym, saying no, and walking away from toxic relationships, social media platforms, or people.
The World Health Organization defines Self-Care as:
Self-Care is what people do for themselves to establish and maintain health, and to prevent and deal with illness. It is a broad concept encompassing hygiene (general and personal), nutrition (type and quality of food eaten), lifestyle (sporting activities, leisure etc), environmental factors (living conditions, social habits, etc.) socio-economic factors (income level, cultural beliefs, etc.) and self-medication.
Self-care is not the same thing as becoming selfish or being self-indulgent. It involves working on yourself, your mental health in order to have something to give. You can not give what you do not have, it is about recharging your internal battery and keeping yourself centered.
Here are some great quotes on self-care: