You Are Deserving of Self-Care

Erika Juarez
Unfiltered Erika
Published in
3 min readMay 20, 2020

Many of us are stuck in the mindset that self-care means putting on a $100 face mask, getting our nails done, indulging on all things, and we believe this because of social media and what influencers, celebrities, and companies push onto us. Truth is, we do not need to do any of that crap to feel better, actually — none of that will make you feel better or make you a better version of yourself. Yes, of course, it is nice to be able to buy these things, but it will fulfill this temporary happiness, but it will not fix the long-term issues you are having. Self-care is something we do to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. Learning how to do this is what will improve our mood and reduce stresses and anxiety and will teach us what we enjoy and what it is that we need more of in our lives. We must recognize the relationship we have with ourselves is the most important, because without having compassion and love for ourselves, there is no way to be able to take care of the relationships we have with our loved ones. I urge you to think about what it is that you do, that is considered “self-care.” Is what you have been or are doing helping you long-term? If not, then reflect, dig deep about what it is that you need to improve on, individually and in your relationships, think of how you can improve on these aspects about yourself. Also, learn to pamper yourself in other forms that are beneficial to your health that does not include an appointment to the spa. Now that we have that out of the way, I want to include a few myths that get in the way of you healing and taking care of your mental, emotional, and physical health.

1. Self-Care Is Only For Women

There is a big stigma on the whole concept of who self-care is for. Society believes self-care is made only for women. The suicide rate for men is higher than women because they’re forced to feel like their emotional and mental health is not important or that they must be strong by not seeking emotional help or guidance. Men, take care of yourselves, you deserve just as much love and compassion for yourselves as your mother, sister, cousin, aunt, or grandmother.

2. Self-Care Is For The Privilege

As I mentioned above, everyone has a right to practice self-care. It does not mean you have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to practice it. Self-care is about doing something that is going to help you better a better and stronger you.

3. It Is Selfish

Everyone needs to take care of themselves or else you will not be able to focus on the relationships around you. If you cannot love yourself then you will have a difficult time loving others.

4. You Do Not Deserve It

Many times we put ourselves in this vicious cycle of “I will take care of myself when I complete this task” or “I will make time for this once I get that promotion.” Everyone deserves time for themselves whether it is ten minutes a day or two hours. Take the time you need in order to heal and be a better version of who you already are.

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Erika Juarez
Unfiltered Erika
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Editor for

A weekly blog where I dive in on all things wellness, pop culture, and politics from a POC perspective.