Self Care September


Self-care…


Somebody somewhere who likes alliteration decided that Self-Care September should be a thing.

What a fab idea! Create an awareness of how important it is to invest in yourself and your mental well-being. Yay! Unfortunately though I think it may have missed the mark a little bit. I see loads of positive quote memes on Facebook and Instagram promoting hygge style, candle lit baths and walks in the woods. An idea of time to spoil yourself and take time for you. I completely support that and say go for it.


The issue I have is that sometimes (a lot of the time) self-care needs to go even more basic. It needs to start right at our basic needs. For a lot of people, especially those with children and others that have people that rely on us, self-care can be very difficult to implement. Amongst the rush between work and home, shopping, after school clubs and checking in on other family members, self-care takes a back seat.

When was the last time you ate? (While not working, or rushing back to your desk or check-out or whatever you do to bring in a wage?) Are you reading this while doing something else? Do you need to go for a pee? Did you say ‘yes’ to someone or something when you should have said ‘no’, because you didn’t want to let them down? That recorded episode of The Handmaids Tale’ will just have to wait now.


The point is, very often we don’t do the things to take care of ourselves because we are so busy taking care of everyone else. That bath would be a lovely end to a stressful day, but right now I really must catch up on the mountain of washing or load the dishwasher. (Wouldn’t a dishwasher be nice? As a side note, I only ended up with a dishwasher, because I told my husband he would have to start doing the dishes as I was snowed under with other stuff. Within 24 hours I had a shiny dishwasher installed. I love that he’s a problem solver. I still have to empty the flipping thing, but I digress)


During Self-Care September make time to do those things that you would make sure your children or loved one is doing. Are you getting enough sleep? Have you eaten today? Did you drink water? (No, the fluid in your gin and tonic doesn’t count unfortunately.) Are you going easy on yourself and acknowledging what you have achieved today, rather than the list of stuff you didn’t? Did you make it through the day in one piece? Well done you, sometimes that is all we can ask for…


Be kind to yourself and, if you have time, go for that leisurely walk through the woods. It is actually good for you, but get the basics in place first. That is real self-care rather than the veneer of self-care we apply occasionally to make ourselves feel like we are coping.

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