Allowing Self-Care to Feel Like Self-Care

It can be easy to treat self-care like another item on your to-do list, especially when life gets busy and self-care practices feel like chores.

In the moments you find yourself living on autopilot, slowing down and taking a moment to pause and infuse intention into how you are tending to your mind, body, and spirit is essential to allowing self-care actually to feel like self-care.

The Power of Intention

Sometimes, all it takes to allow self-care to feel like self-care is just that: allowing it to feel that way. This can be as simple as taking a moment to pause and embrace the rituals that nourish you —with the intention of nourishment and grounding yourself — rather than crossing another item off of your to-do list.

Embracing Change

Practices that feel like self-care today, this week, or this season may not feel like self-care at other times. Perhaps, right now, exercise feels healthy for your mind and body, whereas you may be craving more stillness and rest during a busier time of life. Or maybe journaling and meditating in the morning is helpful for you today, but in the future, you feel that you are forcing the routine and need to take a break from it.

Caring With Compassion

When you do not know what you need, it can be helpful to ask yourself: What is the most compassionate thing I could do for my mind, body, and spirit today?

You can use your answer(s) to dictate how you nurture yourself that day and in each moment.

Permission to Take a Break

If you sense that you are practicing self-care because you feel like you have to, allow yourself to take a break. Maybe self-care today or this month means not doing the self-care routines you have been doing. Instead, self-care can mean existing in whatever moment you are in and being mindful of what you need.

Self-care is one of the most self-healing things we can give ourselves. In the same breath, it can be challenging to know what this looks like for you as you begin your journey to recovery from mental illness and substance abuse. At Avalon Malibu, we recognize this challenge and are here to support you as you define and cultivate what taking care of yourself with compassion and care looks like, feels like, and means to you. To learn more about holistic treatment options, call us today at (844) 857-5992.