Indigo jones

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Over the past year or so, there has been lots of buzz about self-care. It is portrayed on social media as a personal indulgence with photos of influencers laying in bubble baths, perfectly pedicured toes poking out of the foam, glass of rosé clasped in a perfectly manicured hand, and $100 sheet mask on their face. Later, we may glimpse the post-mask application of expensive serum, followed by a night cream made from the placenta of a rare goat, eye cream, and lash enhancer. #metime

Or maybe it’s the “much needed” girls weekend, always at a (comped) high-end hotel, fueled by fancy cocktails and #OMGsomuchfood. Or a low-key take of an expertly rumpled bedscape, with a requisite pile of fluffy pillows, an impeccable cheese plate, and more rosé. #netflixandchill

But for the rest of us mere mortals with real-life responsibilities, the concept of self-care looks a bit different.

Generations of pre-millennial women have been programmed to put family and career obligations at the top of their list, placing their own needs at the very bottom. Sometimes self-care takes on a more mundane persona, with attending to one’s basic needs being as good as it gets. This really hit home for me this week, when a work obligation had me at 18 hour days, scrambling to keep up with the requests of a very demanding group. At 4:30 one afternoon, when I hadn’t yet taken a sip of water, let alone eaten anything since my 6 a.m. start time, it occurred to me that sometimes self-care is simply making sure our basic biological requirements are met. There is a reason why the airlines request that in the event of an emergency, you put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. We aren’t any good to anyone else if we treat ourselves so poorly we can’t function properly. Healthy eating, exercise, and a good night’s sleep shouldn’t be seen as a luxury, it should be a necessity. Sure, sometimes we all have to do what we have to do. But on a regular basis, we shouldn’t have to be so run down that we make ourselves sick before we step back and take a break.

Although a #sponsored bubble bath at a chic spa sounds glamorous, and being waited on hand and immaculately pedicured foot would be even better, in my world, a 20-minute power nap and a cup of tea will have to suffice. #reality

Tags: health and wellness, influencers, reality, self-care, taking care of our health, well being

This entry was posted on March 1, 2019 at 11:58 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.