Self-Care Awareness Month is dedicated to reminding us to take care of ourselves. It all started because self-care is majorly neglected in our lives and it helps us maintain positivity and boosts our self-esteem. It is also important for our mental and physical health because self-care assures that we stay sharp and healthy. Stress is a major factor in students’ lives today. According to a study conducted by Chadron State College, more than 40 percent of college students feel more than the average amount of stress. Self-care awareness month was created to help people take the time to get help or obtain tactics to help handle the stress.
Feeling Guilty
There’s a problem with self-care: it seems selfish. Because it feels selfish, we in turn feel guilty. However, if we don’t take care of ourselves, it is harder to take care of anything or anyone else. We have a tendency to put everyone else’s needs before our own which leads to feelings of exhaustion, frustration, resentment and guilt. We get frustrated as we’re exhausted and feel as we never have enough time for ourselves, but then we feel guilty because we start to resent all things we do and the people we do it for. We just have to remember that taking care of ourselves does not mean we don’t care about anyone else, or that we are selfish. It just means that we know in order to take care of everyone else, we have to set aside time for ourselves.
Self-Care Tips
Self-care takes on many different forms. Self-care can be purely physical. It can be as simple as scheduling a manicure or getting a massage. It can also be mental; for instance— you could schedule a meeting with a counselor or you could simply schedule thirty minutes to take a nap or relax. Self-care can include working out, as it is both physical and mental. There are other ways to care of ourselves. Instead of rushing to your car to get to school or work as soon as your alarm goes off, take a second to breathe, eat a good breakfast and spend some time mentally preparing for the day. Self-care is not meant to be a chore. It is, however, a way to help us in becoming healthier and happier.
30 Day Self-Care Challenge
There are dozens of 30 day self-care challenges that can help. The 30 day self-care challenges are there to help you introduce self-care into your daily routine past the month of September. In addition, the challenges can help hold you accountable and give you more ideas. Luxy Hair has one that ranges from hair care to telling someone you care about them. Popsugar’s challenge focuses on fitness, eating music and volunteering. Some challenges center solely on meditation. Others are all about listening to motivational speeches or affirmations.
In honor of Self-Care Awareness month, let’s take care of ourselves. Just remember, self-care does not have to be big acts. Even the “itty bitty” acts of self-care that might not seem like much, add up. So, celebrate the month and use it as practice to integrate acts of self-care into your daily routine.
