Self-care is a really important part of any person's mental health and wellbeing. It is something that should be prioritized in life and not neglected. Self-care has become a trend in recent years. This is great, as it is raising awareness and getting everyone to consider their health and wellbeing. However, it can also put a lot of pressure on people to complete things in a certain way or a certain timeframe and completely takes away from the purpose of self-care. Unfortunately, social media has a way of making people feel like they should be doing more in all areas of their lives. 

To ensure you are looking after yourself as best as possible, you should consider what self-care activities are serving you and which ones are not. To help you on your journey, here are some common mistakes people make, and you should avoid them at all costs if you want to experience true self-care.

Feeling guilty for doing things for yourself 

The first and biggest mistake you can make regarding self-care is feeling guilty for doing something for yourself. This can either stop you from doing anything for yourself by creating barriers, or it can take away all your hard work on your self-care as you are then just riddled with negative feelings about it. Many people believe doing things for themselves is selfish. But it is crucial to consider your wants and needs in life and take care of yourself. Try shifting your mindset to know it is okay to do things for yourself and continue to do them so you can learn new ways. 

Not treating yourself 

Treating yourself is a really important part of self-care. You shouldn’t need to restrict anything regarding looking after yourself and meeting your needs. It is okay to do more than meet your needs. For example, if you want a massage at the Foot Palace, then you should be able to treat yourself and do this. Don’t hold back!  

Not looking after yourself often enough

Self-care isn’t something you should schedule once per month. It is something that you should consider much more regularly than that. Eventually, you want to be doing something every single day for yourself. This could be 2 minutes in silence, going out in nature, walking through the park, cooking nutritious food, a good morning routine, and much more. Self-care isn’t always about hours at a spa. See how you can incorporate caring for yourself into your daily routine. 

Making self-care a chore 

In addition to adding it to a schedule, many people consider self-care a chore. This might be because they are not prioritizing it, they haven’t given it enough importance, or they are doing the wrong activities. Make sure you can seamlessly add something to your routine. You should also ensure you are doing activities that meet your needs. 

Self-care is a really important part of your health and wellbeing. Avoid these critical mistakes for true self-care!