For me, self-care is defined as taking care of yourself and your basic needs.  Most people haven’t stopped to think about their basic needs in a long time.  So many other things get in the way, like issues at work, kids, bills, caring for parents, and so much more.  It’s easy to get caught up in everyday issues and forget to take care of ourselves.  Let’s take some time to talk about the basic self-care tasks.  We have talked about this before but it’s worth covering often.  In this discussion, let’s start with personal care. 

Managing your personal care is important for your health and well-being.  I remember when my daughter was born.  I was feeling so overwhelmed as I transitioned into motherhood, the one thing I did (or tried to do) was take a shower every day.  For me, a shower helps me start fresh.  I shower in the morning before I get going with my day to “wash” away the issues from the day before and start fresh.  I know that for me, showering every day helps my emotional and physical well-being.   For some, the shower might come before bed at the end of the day.  Sometimes, it’s a quick rinse and other times it’s a full wash of hair and body.  Make sure that you clean up every day, even if it’s not a shower. 

Part of self-care is also managing your smile.  Don’t underestimate the benefits of taking care of your teeth.  We lose our baby teeth, but once we have our adult teeth, we don’t get any more.  If you don’t take care of your teeth, you have to buy new ones, and they are really expensive.  Taking care of what you have is so important.    Getting a simple toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste can help maintain your smile, and I would even say, a sense of self-worth.  Many people struggle with dental issues, making it hard to smile and feel good about their smile.  Your smile is one of the first things that people see, so make sure you are taking care of your smile.

Now that you are showered, with brushed teeth, let’s talk about clothing.   Re-wearing clothes is common for many people, but there are things to remember.  We are not aware of some of our smells.  When we are used to smells, they don’t register for use as they do for others.  I will share a story.  A few years ago, I was selling an RV.  I showed it to a couple, who decided to purchase it.  I cleaned the RV well before they came to pick it up and they noted that they were glad I took the time because the unit didn’t have a dog smell anymore.  I was embarrassed but had to acknowledge the smells that I didn’t notice other people did.  The idea is to wear clean clothing every day, but if you have to wear clothing more than once, be aware of how many times they have been used. 

So now that you are clean, with clean teeth, and a clean outfit, how do you feel?  Do you feel better about the day?  Please know that I am aware that not everyone has the luxury to get to this point every day, but if you can it’s worth trying.  The idea is to help you feel better about the day, and yourself.  You are important and deserve to start the day clean all over, and ready for anything.

The idea of self-care is to make sure that you know you deserve to start the day with confidence, ready for whatever comes.  Starting with the basics can help you work on other areas of your life.  Building confidence and self-esteem through self-care can be helpful as you work on your future.  Self-care is definitely a part of being happy, for life.