One of my favorite things about my journey of self-discovery and self-care is the process of finding the best version of myself. I’ve been writing this blog for about a year now, and as I continue writing, I continue learning more and more about who I am and what I need.
I started writing this blog when I was fairly new to self-care. I still saw it in a very confined space that included things like skin-care, spa days, going for walks, or basically anything somewhat superficial that’s supposed to be relaxing. I didn’t quite understand how self-care can connect with pretty much anything going on in life. I also didn’t realize the respect and love I could have for myself until I started practicing self-care.
This year alone, I’ve seen myself grow in so many ways. I’m much more calm and level-headed than I used to be, I try not to let little things get to me, I’m more productive and proactive, and, most importantly, I’m more self-forgiving. Before I started truly practicing self-care, I was really hard on myself. I held myself to an impossibly high standard, which, of course, only set me up for failure. I’d pile so much on my plate, and when I inevitably made a mistake, I couldn’t forgive myself. Through my journey with self-care, though, I’ve learned how to work through some of the perfectionism and fear of failure that made it so difficult for me to forgive myself.
Of course, I still have plenty left to learn and plenty of room to grow, but as I continue this journey, I find myself looking forward to facing—and eventually overcoming—new obstacles and challenges. I find myself wanting to become better, to become healthier, kinder, and more loving. Before practicing self-care, I was just living for tomorrow. I never really cared about the long-term effects of my lifestyle because I honestly don’t think I ever actually cared what happened to me. After a full year of incorporating self-care into my routine and working on improving my mental wellness, I’ve developed a strong sense of self-love and self-respect for the first time in my life. Self-care is deep, emotional work that has made me realize that I deserve to love and respect myself, and I deserve to take care of myself.
I wrote a blog post a few weeks ago about taking care of our bodies and listening to what they need. The same is true for our minds. We only get one brain and one body. We get one self, and it’s never too late to start taking care of it.
From setting boundaries to letting go of control, from taking breaks to challenging myself, my journey with self-care has helped me become a better version of myself. The beautiful thing about being human is that we’re inherently flawed, so that means there’s always room to improve. This journey is a lifelong one, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me.
As always, stay safe + stay healthy.
Xo,
Kayla W.