2018 Has Taught Me Self Care

By Gaby Smith

Self-care is something that is very new to me. It came down to talking to a professional counselor to tell me that I need to take care of me.

I suffer with anxiety. My body feels like it’s constricting at 100 miles per hour, and I can’t breathe. If you walked up to me, you probably couldn’t even tell, but those close to me can.

I realized, it came from my constant battle of pleasing myself (by getting everything done for the day) and pleasing others. This isn’t realistic.

In 2018, I taught myself to make time for myself. Maybe it’s taking 30 minutes to sit on the couch and close my eyes. Maybe it’s taking an hour to read a book.

Make an appointment with yourself. Take an hour to go to the gym. You can even take an hour to watch TV. Write it in your calendar and make it official.

You’ll soon realize that you look forward to these appointments with yourself. These appointments with myself have taught me to be a better parent. I’ve been happier and less stressed.

I’ve learned how important it is to take care of myself so I can be here for my child and for my family.

Try it today!