Sure, we can have idea of what “self care” is for us – but what is it really?
If you’ve followed me on social media at all this week, you’ve probably seen that I went through a bit of a transformation. I got a cute new haircut that I’m in love with!
You’re probably thinking, “Yeah, it’s cute, but why is that relevant right now?” It’s relevant because this mini transformation got me thinking about the concept of self-care.
We’ve discussed it here before. It’s on my mind a lot, and I believe it’s on yours too.
This simple haircut reminded me that self care is not one specific act that makes us “feel good,” but rather, it’s bigger than that.
After some reflection, I realized that his new haircut (for me anyway) was a physical manifestation of some bad juju I wanted to release. It’s been a year since I’ve been recovering from a severe depressive episode, and right before it, I went for a bayalage look to be more “trendy” and “hope others would percieve me as a lighter person” at work because I’d been told I was “harsh” and jokes were made (at my expense) about me being a “goth.” My dark hair and pale skin is natural. If you look at the side-by-side pick below, you’ll notice that my natural dark roots are on display with the bayalage cut.
I’m ashamed to admit that I repeated those “jokes” myself just to ease the tension in the room, even though it killed me inside.
So, this week, “taking care of myself” meant giving myself the freedom to love my natural state. It meant going “back to black” and not worrying about what others thought of it. You see, the emotional side of that is what really mattered.
When my stylist turned the chair around after dying my hair, I actually breathed an audible sigh of relief! I recognized that girl in the mirror again! Finally!
It hit me then that this is, perhaps, what self care really should be. I was taking a step toward improving my emotional state and the way I felt about myself. I didn’t care about how much it cost. It was worth every penny to me. My soul needed it.
So, it’s my hope that you’ll take away the following after reading this blog: do whatever you have to to heal the emotional rollercoaster you’re riding, and don’t regret repairing it for a second.
Self care can be about relaxing your mind, but it’s also about reseting your body and your soul.
