We all agree that self-care is important, even critical. Yet self-care often feels elusive and unattainable.
Why is it so hard to take care of ourselves most of the time or all of the time? I started thinking about this recently. I go to acupuncture once a week, get a massage every 2 weeks, exercise regularly, and meditate a couple of times each week. I am the poster child for self-care, yet I still feel like I could be more balanced.
Self-care feels like a goal that cannot quite be reached. Balance sounds like something that other people have. Why do we strive to achieve something that sounds amazing but does not seem possible? I think about my children and their daily pressures, politics, the environment, social media, and many other stressors that we face on a daily basis. There are so many things that impact us. Everything feels so complicated and overwhelming.
I often wonder if balance is even possible in the world we live in? Perhaps this is the true problem. We allow ourselves a break or a reprieve but we know what is waiting for us once that break is over. We know that the stressors are still sitting there waiting for us. I have never been an escapist. I was always one to try to make a change, however, lately I have felt more like running away. I crave solitude and peace. I want people to be kind to one another and to work together to solve the problems facing our society and our children. I am an optimist at heart but lately I feel so disheartened.
Maybe self-care is about finding our way through this ever-changing world in the most positive way possible. Finding joy as much as possible throughout each and every day. We all get to decide what self-care means for ourselves. If we redefine self-care, it might not be so elusive after all.
-Rachel