You Need A Weekly Self-Care Routine ASAP
Let's talk self-care people.
I define self-care as time by yourself, where you are a priority, and you spend time loving on yourself.
The closer I get to 30, the more I understand how important self-care is. I'm not a teenager anymore. I'm a grown woman *cues Beyonce Grown Woman* and with being a grown woman comes adult-ing, which includes taking care of yourself to preserve your sanity and vanity.
Let's rewind a little bit...
In college, I didn't have classes on Fridays so Thursday nights were my favorite because I could unwind and settle into my 3-day weekends. I had a Thursday night routine that included a good meal, a candle lit bath, and an r&b and soul playlist. These nights usually ended with a movie or a book. This was the start of my obsession with candles and my self-care routine. At the time, I didn't define it as self-care but now I understand why this routine was/is so important. I'll be honest, I had abandoned this routine when I graduated and have made it a priority to get back to it.
We deal with so much daily and weekly that self-care should not be an option, but a priority.
The big question now is, how do you practice self-care? The simple answer is Do. You. Boo. *in my shameless Maya voice* This means do whatever makes you feel good. It could be cooking, dancing, yoga, a mani and pedi, reading, a massage, wine, a long bath, a shower, washing your hair, a skin care routine, etc. It can also be a combination of these things.
I know I originally defined this routine as alone time, but it doesn't have to be all the time. However, I think self-care includes learning how to enjoy your own company.
Your self-care routine should be a time to release negative energy, rebalance and replenish.
Remember how I mentioned I'm trying to make self-care routine again? Well lately, I've been focusing on a weekly beauty routine that includes the following:
- Listening to a playlist that includes KING, Lion Babe, Galimatias & Alina Baraz and similar artists
- Washing, Conditioning, and Deep Conditioning my hair
- Bliss body buff (Try Marshalls and Home Goods)
- Sweet Almond Oil as a cleanser or Aveeno Foam Cleanser
- A long shower with a body brush
- A sheet mask
- Carol's Daughters Sweet Almond Lotion
- A good meal
This results in about 2-3 hours of time completely by myself where I love on myself. I think this definitely qualifies as self-care. I'm also thinking about starting therapy. Myleik of Curlbox has a great podcast about therapy. Just FYI, therapy is not something to be ashamed of. I actually think more people should embrace it.
Now, I want to hear from you guys! Do you have a self-care routine? What do you do? Why is it important to you?