Self-care is the best care.
From time to time, we all may long to be taken care of. It can be comforting to know that someone has your back, that you matter to someone.
Some of the time, our hopes or expectations are met. Kind and loving folks in our lives show they care in word and deed.
Other times, we don’t get the level of caring we may feel we need. We may feel slighted or disregarded, like we just don’t matter enough to others.
Often this type of feeling may be familiar from earlier in our lives. It may seem like lack of caring by others is a feature in our life story.
And this likely will continue to feel true until we learn that this type of emotional wound can never be filled by someone else in the present day. Instead, it is a signal to up our level of self-care, to give ourselves what we feel we need.
We may need to eat better, exercise more, cease continual self-doubt and recrimination, or make time to simply feel love and/or acceptance for ourselves. Whatever it is we feel is lacking, we can usually fill the void by loving ourselves in a practical way.
That’s not to say we shouldn’t accept help and caring from others. It’s wonderful to accept the gift of another’s love and to offer them the opportunity to proffer it.
It is to say we cannot expect others to fill our every need and desire. We need to take care of ourselves first and foremost.
Today’s message reminds me that self-care always comes first. When I shower myself with loving care daily, I feel more fulfilled and healthier and I have more to offer others, too.
Please reflect and share. How good is your self-care?