When I hear the term self-care I automatically envision myself relaxing at a luxurious spa with cucumbers over my eyes, laying in a mud bath from a natural hot spring. Unfortunately, I have never actually been to a spa, although I definitely plan to treat myself to a fancy spa day when I am no longer a broke college student! Nonetheless, self-care to me has almost always involved spending money whether that be $5 towards a bubble tea, or a bit more on a new shirt or iPhone accessory. The same rings true for many of my friends, particularly my best friend, Sara, who takes multiple trips to the mall every week in the name of self-care and in the spirit of “Treat yourself.”
And you absolutely should treat yourself, right?
You, hardworking YOU, deserves that brand-new item you’ve been eyeing or those concert tickets you’ve been contemplating for weeks. However, it is important for us to understand that engaging in self-care does not require you to spend this week’s pay check. In fact, self-care does not require you to spend any money at all.
Yesterday, for APA’s Active Week 2019, employees were given the opportunity to go to the U.S. Botanic Garden for about an hour and a half in the morning. Eight of us set off at 9:45 am on a mile-long walk to the garden and were back a little bit after 11:00 am. This was my very first time at the Botanic Garden and it did not disappoint (except for the fact that the Butterfly Garden included no actual butterflies but that is a conversation for another time). I have always loved flowers ever since I was a child and the Botanic Garden offered an impressive array of flowers and plants found all over the World. The excursion gave each of us a chance to get away from our desks for a bit during the work day, and the views on the walk there as well as at the actual garden itself were a huge bonus. It was a great experience and I plan to go back and visit soon.
Orange Marmalade Firecracker Flowers at the entrance of the U.S. Botanic Garden
The excursion to the Garden was something I didn’t know I needed but I came back feeling refreshed and content. I was ready to get back to work after the short break and I didn’t realize until after that I was practicing self-care. The term itself is defined as any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. Self-care seems easy enough, but it is often forgotten and overlooked, especially when life gets busy. There are numerous benefits of self-care including better physical and emotional health, improved mood, and reduced stress and anxiety, to name a few. Self-care also combats burnout which can occur when you exert all your energy towards taking care of others, while neglecting yourself in the process. So, in conclusion, engaging in self-care is extremely important to live your best, most meaningful life. Although you may not necessarily be able to take a walk to the Botanic Garden, do something that makes you happy, whether that be taking a quick a walk, getting an extra hour of sleep at night, spending some time with a friend, or a taking hot bath before bed. Make sure to check in on yourself, find time to unplug, and take the time today that will have a positive impact on you going forward. Treat yourself!
Sources referenced:
Not sure where to start on your self-care journey? Here are some helpful links:
Sydney Wade is a rising college senior attending school in Austin, TX. She is originally from Maryland and spent this summer working as an intern for APA’s Early Career & Graduate Student Affairs.