When you think of self-care, the first thing that comes to mind most likely involves spending money. As a society, multiple industries have turned the idea of self-care into something capitalistic. Businesses want you to think you have to go to the spa, take a cruise, or participate in retail therapy to truly take care of yourself.
That gets away from the very core of what self-care is and how it can benefit your physical and mental well-being.
In reality, self-care can be used as a form of radical activism. In today’s world, everything is focused on the daily grind and how much “hustle” you have. Taking the time to pause and reset, even if that means doing something small to relax, serves as a counter-cultural exercise in resisting societal ideas of happiness and success. Let’s take a closer look at what self-care really is, why it’s so important as an activism practice, and how you can incorporate it into your life.
Why Self-care Is Important
There’s no denying we live in a stressful world. Over the last few years, we’ve faced the uncertainty of a global pandemic, political discord, and social unrest. While self-care isn’t going to solve the world’s problems, it can make it easier for you to cope with them and find the strength and energy to take action when it’s needed most.
Self-care looks different for everyone, but it should include things you can do each day to refocus, unwind, and rest. Some of the easiest ways to practice self-care in your daily routine include:
- Exercising;
- Cooking;
- Journaling;
- Yoga;
- Meditation;
- Mindfulness.
Self-care can even include mindful eating. Everyone has to eat, so why not make the most of those moments in the day by being intentional about the foods you prepare and how you consume them? For example, there are certain foods that can improve your mood, including:
- Foods with Omega-3 fatty acids, like fish or flaxseeds;
- Whole grains, like oatmeal or brown rice;
- Foods with probiotics and prebiotics, like kefir or bananas;
- Nuts and seeds, like almonds or pepitas.
By choosing to eat healthily and focusing on how your meals benefit your mind and body, you’ll adopt an attitude of gratitude as well as a greater sense of inner strength.
While self-care is incredibly beneficial, it’s important not to overdo it. You can use self-care as a tool for radical activism to keep yourself educated, energized, and well-rested. But, don’t get caught up in the capitalism of self-care by buying into marketing schemes and stereotypes. Instead, focus on rest, relaxation, and de-stressing. You don’t need to spend money, join courses, or post about your self-care routine in order to reap the benefits.
Self-care as Activism
It might seem silly, at first, to consider self-care a form of activism, but it goes against almost everything we’re being marketed today. It allows you to take a stand against the status quo, and take care of yourself and others in the process.
Self-care is becoming such a popular cause that there are actually groups across the country using it as their greatest form of activism. One of the best examples of this is The Nap Ministry. Founded by Trisha Hersey. She began the organization as a way to showcase rest as resistance. The Nap Ministry focuses on helping people get enough rest and teaches them how to take care of themselves while pushing back against a system that pushes grinding and hustling every day.
Women, especially, can look at things like successful business people as false idols. A lot of that has to do with the gender pay gap. American women still aren’t paid as much as their male counterparts, causing them to work more hours, push themselves harder, and increase their risk of burnout. Even if you do make as much as others in your career, you might feel the need to “prove” yourself or stand out just to get noticed and valued.
Self-care helps to fight back against those thoughts. It allows you to focus on what you truly value and work toward those goals, instead.
The Importance of Self-Care for Minority Groups
Women often have a hard enough time climbing the corporate ladder or receiving equal pay. There are also fewer women in leadership roles than men, though that number is starting to climb.
Those numbers are even smaller for women in specific minority groups, including BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ community members.
Take a look at Instagram and search the hashtag #selfcare. Or, try searching #selflove. You might not be thrilled with what you find, especially as an individual in a minority group. Often, you’ll see women promoting beauty and haircare products — women who likely had a team of stylists and makeup artists helping them look flawless — and representations of what people and businesses think the ideal American woman “should” look like.
That’s why reclaiming self-care as a feminist or as someone in a minority group is so important for both the present and the future. Using it as a form of radical activism will help to inspire young women across the globe to rest, fight back against the hustle, and seek more accurate representation in the media and online.
Self-care isn’t selfish or lazy, and it was never meant to be a marketing ploy. It’s time to reclaim it, re-invent it, and use it as a way to educate and energize yourself and those around you for the greater good.
