Self-care helps people connect with themselves on a deeper level. Unfortunately, many women are living in a state of constant overwhelm, caring for others first. You don’t feel like you have time to enjoy a cup of coffee, let alone complete a beauty ritual each day! The truth is, any investment in yourself is an investment in your overall well-being. You need to differentiate between self-care vs. selfish behavior.
How Can You Tell the Difference Between Self Care Vs.? Self-centered Behavior?
It’s easy to neglect yourself in favor of an endless task list for your family or community. But you can’t give what you don’t have. You must answer the call to care for yourself every day. And carve out time for a full-rounded approach.
Think of self-care as a refueling process. Depending on your current stress, it should take place in the morning and at night (and sometimes in the afternoon if time allows). Self-care can make you feel more peaceful, capable, and resilient in the long run.
Related: Important Skincare Habits for Every Stage of Womanhood
An easy way to understand self-care vs. selfish behavior: self-care brings out your best and prepares you for the day ahead. But selfish behavior is a distraction.
How Can Understanding Self Care Vs.? Self-centered Acts Help You?
Your gifts and true purpose can shine through when you realize you’re worthy of self-care. Caring for yourself is anything but selfish! Your body is a temple and must be treated as such.
You become grounded, firm, and revitalized by taking extra moments. Proper self-care will maintain your energy and preserve a positive outlook—no matter your focus.
3 Ways to Exercise Self-Care That’s NOT Self-centered
Of course, self-care requires some time management skills. You don’t want your self-care routines to cut into other essential components of your life. (That’s when you cross the line into self-centered territory!)
Growing your self-care tool kit will help you experience new energy, confidence, and strength. Practice these self-care techniques—and ditch self-centered habits that can reduce your life’s delicate balance.
Eat Balanced, Nutritious Meals
Food is a powerful medicine… if you know how to use it. While processed convenience foods come at competitive prices (and often in attractive, long-lasting packages), the food your body needs is fresh and from the ground.
For example, vegetables are a great source of vitamins and antioxidants. The nutrients they provide increase blood flow and improve cell regeneration.
Shop for healthier options at the grocery store! Don’t get me wrong: sweet treats or gourmet dining is good for the soul now and then. But vegetables should be a daily ritual.
Pro tip: Be sure to stay hydrated with plenty of water. It flushes away unhealthy toxins and helps keep your skin smooth and supple.
Develop a Skincare Routine
A complete, effective skin-care ritual doesn’t take much time or energy, yet many women overlook it. Just a few minutes of washing, drying, and applying the right treatments for your skin type can have lasting benefits.
Check out the advantages of taking care of your skin!
- Look Younger
- Enjoy skin that’s more resistant to damage
- Feel better with less itching, irritation, or blemishes
- Experience more confidence
The trick is to choose products with ACTIVE ingredients. (Ditch the brands that overload their products with unnecessary ingredients, like perfumes or dyes.) Our Winter Collection boasts only the finest to combat cold, dry air and keep your skin at its best no matter how freezing it gets.
Related: The Best Ingredients for Your Skin Based on Your Skin Type
Why is skincare considered self-care vs. self-centered? Your body, mind, and soul are all interconnected. Healthy skin enables you to project. (When you FEEL better, you DO better.)
Manage Your Stress
It’s not selfish to say “no.” Often, women are eager to support and handle so many things every week. It can be overwhelming. How do you fit in time to care for yourself?
Whether it be school fundraisers, work projects, family obligations, or church events that flood your calendar (and your mind)… learn to say, “I’m sorry, I can’t make it this time.”
Your support system will be able to understand when you decline an invitation. After all, you can only fit so many activities in a day.
You may be surprised how supportive others are of your decision to say “no” now and then. Others may also follow your lead to better manage their stress (and busy schedules). There’s a positive ripple effect when you understand self-care vs. selfishness.
What Happens When You Cross the Line Between Self Care Vs. Self-centered?
Whether you’re neglectful or over-the-top with your self-care, it’s essential to step back and assess the balance in your life occasionally. You cross the line into selfish territory when self-care regiments distract from other responsibilities. But don’t feel bad! It happens to the best of us.
Some signs that your self-care practices have become self-centered include showing up late to important events, failing to care for others who depend on you, or becoming obsessed with your appearance.
Self-centered behavior can hurt your relationships and overall quality of life. Nobody wants to associate with someone unreliable or inconsiderate because they’re caught up in excessive pampering.
Take a step back if you’re balancing self-care vs. self-centeredness! Finding your balance is crucial.
When you support your soul, you allow natural beauty to shine through. Understand what self-care looks like to restore and renew yourself daily.
Please look at our Beauty Ritual Guide and Checklist for a full-rounded approach to self-care. Suggestions on a seven-day week of self-care. These are fundamental tools to help unstoppable women prepare for each day with grace, beauty, and confidence!