What is your perception of self-care?
This term has become so popular these days that many people are trying to come up with the best interpretation of it. They share tons of tips and tricks on how to practice self-care, but they often fail to mention one of the most important ingredients for nourishing your wellbeing.
So, what’s one of the essential elements of one’s self-care process?
Undoubtedly, meditation, physical exercising, and adopting a wholesome diet are things that work wonders for your health. But there is something much more valuable for your mental state than eating clean and going to the gym three times a week. It’s the people you surround yourself with.
Your circle of people speaks a lot about you. It influences your life on levels you don’t even know about. Your friends and family can contribute to your mental and physical health in ways you don’t even apprehend. They can inspire you to embrace your personal growth, motivate you to turn in your best self and push you towards success. But they can also crush your dreams and shatter your whole reality if you let them. That’s exactly why carefully choosing whom you want to be around is a crucial part of your personal self-care journey.
Self-care is about being selective about the people you keep around.
As Candace Bushell, iconic American author, once said, “Better alone than badly accompanied.”
When it comes to choosing the people around you, you should always consider whether they will bring value to your life. Having a few honest, kindhearted, empathetic friends is worth much more than being surrounded by tons of people that do nothing but drain your energy.
It’s utterly absurd to voluntarily give away your precious time to individuals who don’t deserve a single second of it. Practicing self-care is mostly about being at peace with yourself and feeling good in your own skin, and these are things you cannot do if someone is messing up with your mind.
Once you realize that, it’s time for you to ask the important questions. How can you feel good about yourself if you’re wasting your energy on people who don’t appreciate you? How can you practice self-care when your headspace is occupied with negative thoughts triggered by the way someone in your circle treats you?
Hopefully, when you finally answer those questions, you will understand the real significance of the phrase: “Quality over quantity.”
No meditation or workout plan will make you feel as good as cutting the toxic people off of your life.
The moment you set yourself free of the ones that do nothing but make you question your self-worth, you will see the tremendous impact others have on your whole life. And at this moment, you will finally process why it is so important to carefully choose the people you spend your time with. You will understand that these people need to be trustworthy, reliable, and loyal. They should always be there for you, lift you up, and be happy to see you grow. They should believe in you and encourage you to do whatever it takes to make your dreams come true. These are the kinds of people you need to be around.
Embracing self-care means having full self-awareness and knowing what’s best for you.
It means being selective about the individuals you allow into your orbit. Moreover, it means being mindful of the way these people help you shape up your future. Anyone who doesn’t bring value to your life is just not worth it.
