Self-Care: Not a Luxury, a Practice
Recently, self-care has been reduced to a buzzword. When you hear the term “self-care,” your mind may jump to expensive treatments, reserved moments once you’ve finished your mountain of tasks, or even something you consider a luxury.
Real, genuine self-care is far from the popularized version. It’s the ongoing practice of caring for yourself and accepting that you are a human with limits, emotions, needs, and more. It means prioritizing your mental, physical, and emotional health regularly. Self-care isn’t extra; it’s essential.
What Is Self-Care?
Self-care means putting attention on your body, mind, feelings, and connections. Things like getting enough sleep, finding space to move, feeling secure, eating well, and handling your emotions are all examples of self-care.
Self-care isn’t about being flawless or working harder. Staying steady and consistent is what counts. What matters most is finding the inner push to take care of yourself—even when things get hard.
What Self-Care Is Not
Self-care is not selfishness. It’s not a reward for being productive, and it’s not something you have to earn by burning yourself out first. It’s also not about being narcissistic or not caring about others.
It’s important not to treat self-care like a luxury. When it becomes another chore to check off your to-do list, relaxation fades because it starts to feel like duty.
Why Self-Care Can Feel Hard
Comfort doesn’t always come easily to those raised on putting others first. Guilt can creep in, along with reluctance—even when doing something kind for yourself is exactly what you need. Rest can sting like delay instead of relief. Setting boundaries can feel risky when pleasing others has been protection. And reaching out can feel like isolation, not support, when you’re used to doing it alone.
What Self-Care Looks Like in Everyday Life
Self-care often shows up in small, practical ways, such as:
- Resting before you’re exhausted
- Eating regularly, even when you’re busy
- Saying no without over-explaining
- Reaching out instead of isolating
These small moments of intentional, habitual self-care can make a significant difference over time.
A Gentle Reframe
Even small things count when effort feels low. Doing “just enough” to match your mood and capacity can be extremely beneficial in the long run. Self-care isn’t always about constant improvement or doing more. Sometimes it’s okay to slow down, assess what you need, and meet yourself there.
How ShareWell Supports Self-Care
At ShareWell, we believe self-care doesn’t have to be done alone. Our free, peer-led support groups and co-working spaces offer connection, structure, and understanding—especially on days when caring for yourself feels hard to access.
Sometimes self-care isn’t another task. It’s being seen, heard, and supported by people who understand.
Because self-care isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about caring for yourself, exactly as you are. If you’d like support practicing self-care in community, join a peer support group today.
To view our sessions on self-care, click here.