Understanding Real Self-Care and Its Connection to Systemic Issues

Real self-care goes beyond surface-level activities like meditation or bubble baths and recognizes the importance of addressing systemic issues. It acknowledges that individual self-care alone cannot solve larger problems like inequalities in healthcare or workplace discrimination. Faux self-care, on the other hand, refers to activities that are marketed as self-care but do not challenge or disrupt the status quo. Setting boundaries and dealing with guilt is the first principle of real self-care, allowing individuals to make space for themselves and prioritize their own well-being. Developing self-compassion, paying attention to inner self-talk, forms the second principle. Getting clear on personal values, making difficult decisions, and aligning one's life accordingly is the third principle. The fourth principle highlights the power individuals gain from practicing real self-care and emphasizes the need to use that power to push for change within communities and systems. Real self-care is a communal act that requires taking care of oneself in order to have the capacity to contribute positively to the collective.