Stories Along The Way

Self-care? If I’m being honest, for me, self-care has been almost nonexistent.

You will probably never hear me say, “I’m going to the spa,” or that I’m treating myself to some expensive outing. That’s just not me. I don’t go to massage parlors or spend a lot of money on things that are supposed to make me feel like I’m taking care of myself.

For most of my life, I’ve been more concerned with taking care of everyone else. Making sure everyone is okay. Being there when someone needs me. Putting other people’s needs before my own. Somewhere along the way, taking care of myself became something I rarely thought about.

But lately, I’ve started to realize that maybe self-care doesn’t have to look the way we often imagine it.

For me, self-care has been writing on my blog.

It may seem simple, but writing has given me a place to express myself. It gives me a chance to think, reflect, and work through some of the things that life throws at me. I can put my thoughts into words instead of keeping everything bottled up inside.

When I write, I get to slow down for a little while. I get to think about where I’ve been, where I am, and sometimes where I want to go. There’s something about putting your thoughts into words that can make things feel a little clearer.

So, is my self-care even real?

I think it is.

Maybe self-care doesn’t have to be a spa day, a massage, an expensive dinner, or some big experience. Maybe sometimes it’s simply giving yourself permission to stop for a moment and pay attention to yourself.

For me, right now, that looks like writing.

I’m not sure I ever thought of writing as self-care before. I just knew that I needed a place to say the things I think about, question, feel, and sometimes don’t know what to do with. Maybe that’s what taking care of myself looks like right now—not doing something extravagant, but finally giving myself some of the attention I’ve spent so much time giving everyone else.