Rebellious Self Care

Are you ready to be a rebel? Will you live in self care?

Self care is a highly used term that has lost its luster in many arenas. I use self care as an umbrella term to describe whole person wellness and recovery, tending to basic needs as a way to cultivate and sustain vibrant living. The term might not be a favorite, what it represents is gold.

Self care is not always popular. It can feel rebellious, even dangerous, especially when many around me are not prioritizing their own basic needs. Meeting my needs can inconvenience others. Sometimes taking care of myself means going against the grain, even defying what others rule as necessary. Learning that my needs are not always going to jive with society at large, or those closest to me, has been an ongoing challenge and initiation. The truth is that there will be times when others are going to disapprove of me taking care of myself.

When wanting to be liked, approved of, cheered on and respected feels like a need rather than a want, doing what others will deem as okay has come before practicing vigilant self care. When I practice consistent self care, I benefit and the opinions of others become less important. This has seemed counter intuitive and intimidating to practice, yet experience shows that the more I take care of myself, the more I am able to authentically be with others. Being authentic leads to success.
Have you experienced this, too? Letting the fear of others’ opinions dictate what you will or will not do is a habit. Identifying what customized self care looks like in your own life will clarify how to better move ahead in holistic living.

A few examples of self care that may or may not feel rebellious include:

Standing versus sitting in a meeting.

Using designated lunch hour to walk outside instead of tending to extra paperwork.

Showing up to the massage appointment.

Rescheduling a trip to stay close to home and rest.

Saying “yes.”

Saying “no.”

Wearing a lipstick shade that’s not on your approved palette because it brings you joy.

Asking for help.

Receiving help.

Saying what you love about yourself out loud.

The examples go on and on.

When self care feels rebellious, it might just mean you are on the right track. Have supportive structures in place to stay accountable and explore how self care might feel rebellious without being dangerous. There is definitely a difference and having a coach or therapist by your side will provide valuable perspective in this process. To know what self care means for you in any moment, take a moment to check in with yourself. Ask these questions to decide whether to move ahead with a self care choice or to hold back:

If no one was going to judge me, what would I choose now?

What does my body need right now?

What does my creative self need right now?

Am I hungry, angry, lonely or tired?

What do I need to do next in order to empower myself and those around me?

What example am I leading by right now? 

Create your own self care blueprint with the questions above and continue adding to the list. Knowing the self and what it needs to be healthy and live optimally comes with attention and awareness. Go ahead, be rebellious. Practice self care.

In the Flow,
Darcy