What is Self Care?

In this post, I would like to start a conversation about what self care means for myself and others. I would like to share with you some of the ways that I, and close personal people in my life, engage in self care. I would also like to invite you to share your own thoughts and tips regarding self care.
When I have searched on Pinterest or Google ideas for self-care, the images that usually pop-up are images of a warm bath with bubbles, a book, and a glass of wine. Images of sitting by a fire in a comfy chair while reading a book, or sitting on a beach staring out at the calm waves while watching the sunset, or even meditating while sitting on the floor surrounded by a salt lamp and some plants. These are good ideas however the reality is that not everyone has a beach in their back yard or front yard. Not everyone enjoys the calm sound of waves. I personally enjoy the sound of waves violently crashing against the rocks. I also do not like to drink wine or sitting on the floor although that is more because of all the Corgi glitter that is constantly decorating the floors of my home no matter how often we clean after them.
For some, self-care can be a grounding technique as we sometimes tend to get lost in our thoughts or fret about the neverending To-Do lists of our lives. There are so many activities you can do at home that can help with grounding. The piece to remember is that some activities engage our different senses and we tend to gravitate towards some senses more than others. You just figure out what works for you
It is okay to engage in small doses of self-care on your breaks while working or at home. Sometimes we need 5-10 minutes to read a chapter or watch a video. 10-15 minutes to go for a small walk and stretch our muscles or help process thoughts that may have either been triggered by our own stressors or we may be having trouble figuring out. We can also create a routine that can help with keeping things separate like rocking out while in traffic so when we get home we can be fully present for ourselves and our loved ones. One of my close friends from the military would always shower and change into pajamas as soon as she got home from work everyday. It is important to remember that everyone has their own ideas of what self-care is and/or what it should look like. Give different things a try and see what works for you. Slowly, you will develop your self-care routine.