I was recently on a coaching call with a newer client when she shared that the day prior, she was out of the office for a “radical self-care” day. I was immediately drawn to this concept and asked more!
This client’s aunt is a role model in this: She dedicates at least one day per quarter to taking care of herself and supporting her own internal peace.
I’ve been thinking about the concept of radical self-care day since then, coming up with ways I can incorporate it into my own life. And, into yours! I’ve started using this concept with some of you during our conversations and have been inspired to hear about what qualifies as radical self-care for you.
While this concept may look different for each of us in practice, I’m certain that we all could use an investment in radical self-care right about now. This is a time of incredible uncertainty and turmoil, of budget challenges and being continually asked to do more.
Perhaps the most radical part about self-care is that it requires we invest in ourselves even when it’s inconvenient; even when it means drawing a boundary and saying “no.” Drawing boundaries with our work, our families and partners, and other obligations is not easy. Freeing ourselves from guilt for doing so can be even more difficult. But it’s essential for our own wellbeing and to prevent burn out, and if we neglect ourselves, that will manifest in ways that won’t be convenient for others either!
My hope today is simply this: To remind you that self-care isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. We must invest in ourselves. For me, on some days, it is as small as mindfully enjoying a scoop of ice cream or walking to our mailbox and enjoying the sun (rather than looking at my phone). With more intentionality, I have added it to my daily workout, time on a Saturday when I sneak away to read a good book, or time in the evening to catch up with my husband.
I believe strongly that when we share how we make time to care for ourselves, we help others believe that they can invest in themselves too. So, my hope today is that you will share what your radical self-care looks like, and how you make time for it!
And if radical self-care is an activity that you, like so many, struggle to make time for, please do yourself the favor of imagining it:
What would radical self-care look like for you? When you close your eyes and imagine yourself relaxed, or happy, where are you and what are you doing?
And what would it look like to make time for this? What would you have to say “no” to or deprioritize to make space for yourself?
As we head further into spring, a season of renewal, please remember that you must care for your own renewal. Your own wellbeing. No one can do this better than you!
