LIFE
When Self-Care Stresses You Out
Should the onus really be on the individual?
Meditate. Keep a gratitude journal. Do yoga. Sip tea. Practice breathing exercises before bed. Declutter. Exercise. Do what you love. Go to therapy. Cook whole foods. Take nature walks. Plan a vacation. Learn boundaries. Make time for friends. Make time for your relationship. Make time for your parents. Make time to see the doctor.
Make time for you.
You know what? F*ck off.
That’s what many Americans have been saying, or at least thinking, about the self-care industry lately—including me. This is especially prevalent around the holiday season.
While self-care is supposed to help us handle the stress of a system that increasingly places the burden of living on the individual, it might be doing the exact opposite.
I work 40 hours per week, sometimes more. I have a house to keep clean and healthy food to cook for managing a health condition. I need to make time for exercise, doctors’ appointments, nurturing important relationships, caring for my cats, and tending a yard. Oh yes, and I don’t even have kids.
Apparently, I’m not alone.
