Why you should prioritize self-care and relaxation and the key benefits
In today’s world of hustle culture and burnout, self-care and relaxation are two of the commodities that every person should be prioritizing in order to be living their best life- successful, happy and fulfilled. And yet, so many don’t take the time to do so. Self-care has become labeled as a frivolity, something that only those with not much going in their lives can afford to take time to do - it has been portrayed as facemasks and bubble baths and massages, when in fact, self-care in itself is so much more.
Prioritizing self-care and time to relax is not selfish. It is, in fact, an absolute necessity for longevity and enjoyment in life. No longer can we push through life trying to keep achieving and achieving, without giving thought to how we feel or what we truly want to do. No, I’m here to help you to see that allowing the time and space to relax and take part in self-care will benefit you so much more in the long run.
The benefits
Far too often, we push ourselves down to the bottom of our to-do lists. We’re always looking after other people, working, cooking, driving, washing clothes, looking after kids - we barely have time to think about what we want for dinner, let alone what we could do to show ourselves a bit of love and self-care. But in doing so, we could be causing detrimental effects to our mental and physical health.
Self-care can help with so many different parts of your life, not least in managing your stress. my videos and the products I sell are here to help you to slow down, to live intentionally and to relax as much as possible, and this is what self-care does too. I have some amazing things on my Cozy Corner site that can help you with self-care, from essential oils, to cozy towels to mood lighting and crystals to help you meditate. I am passionate about helping people to create calm environments because I know that having a calm and peaceful environment will help to create a calm and peaceful mind.
When you are in a state of relaxation and you know that you have taken the time to look after yourself and your mental wellbeing, you are better able to be there for others in a truly meaningful way. The old saying goes that you can’t fill from an empty cup, which means that if your energy levels, as well as your levels of self-worth and self-love are low, then you’re not going to be able to help lift others up when they need it. By taking the time to replenish your energy levels and sense of self, you’re actually being anything but selfish, because you’re honoring your own boundaries and signaling to others that it’s ok for them to do the same. If we could all do this, we’d all be better able to communicate our needs and wants without fear of recrimination or isolation.
As well as this, taking the time for self-care and relaxation will lead to a decrease in anxiety and feelings of depression. Why? Because you’ll not only be feeling better in yourself because you’re giving yourself the time and space to address issues or concerns in your own mind, without simply pushing them down to deal with other people’s, but you’ll also be better able to prioritize your life and get rid of overwhelm. So many feelings of anxiety can come from a sense of overwhelm because in today’s world people take on too much at once, so by prioritizing time for relaxation and self-care - of which time management is a really important part - you’ll be able to assess and address any areas in your life that are causing you to feel a certain way. Once again, self-care is not selfish, in fact, it’s incredibly important and necessary.
What is self-care?
As mentioned, I don’t believe self-care is just about hot bubble baths and face masks, although these are really beautiful ways to do it. Self-care comes down to how you look after yourself and this can include so many varied aspects of what makes up a whole life, but some of the most important are:
- Drinking enough water
- Eating a balanced diet (with bits of everything you want)
- Setting boundaries and sticking to them
- Exercising
- Learning to say no
- Self-development
These are just some parts of self-care that can often be overlooked. Self-development, for example, is such a crucial part of self-care that many would think wasn’t important, but taking the time to learn and grow, whether it’s through reading books, watching YouTube videos, listening to podcasts - however you like to get your information - is a hugely beneficial act of caring for yourself. I know many of the viewers of my channel love to pop on one of my videos and work or read as it plays in the background, as it helps them to not only feel comforted while working on themselves, but also helps them to feel relaxed at the same time.
Learning to say no is another part of self-care that many people don’t often discuss, but is a part of setting boundaries. If we’re always saying yes - to extra work, to going out with friends, to having a call with your mum - then you’re eating into the time you have for yourself. Schedule in your self-care time as you would your work or your exercise time - make it concrete and don’t change it. Yes, some people might think you’re strange for scheduling time to relax, but if it’s the only way you know you’ll make it happen, then go for it!
And this isn’t just to benefit your mind, there are huge physical health benefits that come from relaxing more, including lowered blood sugar, improved digestion, reduced muscle pain and the reduction of stress hormones. Living in a permanently un-relaxed state isn’t healthy for body, mind or soul, and I’m a big believer in taking the time we need to recharge our batteries so that we can live life to the fullest, however that might look for you.
We can’t go through life running on empty and burning the candle at both ends, eventually it catches up with us, so take a leaf out of my book - I aim to help people with creating cozy, relaxing spaces and a place to come to get away from the world and focus on themselves for a bit. So, come relax with me when you need to find some space to chill and take care of yourself.