4 Reasons why You Should Start a Self-care Routine

No one knows you better than you know yourself. Even if you explained every detail to someone else, they would never know you the way you know you. Your experiences are unique too. This means no one can take better care of you than you can.

Picture this; two women are pregnant at the same time. One of them experiences extreme morning sickness while the other one feels nothing at all. At the labor ward, one goes under the knife, and the other gets a vaginal birth.

You see, you are on your own in this life. You are the one who knows what makes you tick. So, never compare yourself with another person. What works for you might not work for another soul out there.

It would help if you took self-love, better known as self-care, seriously. Your life depends on it.

Self-care, as the name suggests, is taking care of yourself.

Why? Because, if you don't take care of yourself, no one will. Self-care is what you have to do to revitalize yourself and steer clear of burnout.

Like you would cross oceans and rivers to take care of a loved one, you must learn to take care of your demands. It’s saying to yourself, “I am worthy of respect and love too.” It means showing up for yourself.

Do you know you don't have to spend much on a self-care routine? Yes, you don’t need all those fancy products you all over online shops.

Here are some of the cost-free practices you can engage in to help you stay energized.

• Spending time outside
• Setting Healthy Boundaries
• Turning off technology during your morning tea or coffee
• Practicing gratitude
• Recalling positive memories
• Unfollowing social media accounts that Don't help you

Let's now look at the benefits of self-care self-care.

Now that you know some of the self-care practices whose cost is close to none let's look at the benefits of self-care.

It nurtures a spirit of gratitude.

Have you discovered that you become mean and grouchy when you are tired? You murmur you grumble and lack nothing to smile about when you feel exhausted. However, if you could only take a short break and rest just a little, you would feel better.

Instead of complaining about the things that are making you tired, you become grateful that you have them in the first place. When you take care of yourself, you’ll never have a dull moment in your life.

Next time you catch yourself filled with negativity, take a massage, meditate, take a walk in the park, and your soul will rest, and you'll be more at peace.

You'll not look at the things you don't have on your plate; you'll be thankful for what you have already.

In other words, you don't need more to be grateful; you need to be more grateful.

It prevents burnout

Have you seen it? It’s like the world has gone crazy. It seems as if everyone is on a wild goose chase searching for elusive riches and accolades. Your schedule is jam-packed. Even getting time to rush to the restrooms is a significant problem. You rush as if your house is on fire.

Come on, man! It would help if you slowed down. Take some time and enjoy your coffee. Feel its burning effects as it goes down your throat. Take some time to chew your food. The world will not end if you don't complete everything in your to-do list.

If you continue working like that, you will burn out.

 You’ll hate your job and everything around it.  You become irritable, frustrated, and angry.  You become like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Something insignificant sets you off, and you curse everything on your way.  You’ll be unproductive.

 If you take short breaks in between tasks, you become more productive, and everybody wins.

Enhanced self-awareness

If you practice self-care, you have to think about what you want in life critically. You'll know what you need to achieve at a particular time.

You can hear your inner voice telling you whether you have attained your goals in life. If you know where you want to go, then you'll perceive which way you need to take to get you there. You'll know without a shadow of doubt what your passion is and what inspires you.

Don’t be amazed if you find yourself switching careers

It helps to cultivate healthy relationships

The truth is; how you treat yourself determines how other people treat you.  If you neglect yourself, expect to be neglected by the people around you.

However, if you love and take care of yourself, you’ll have other people give you the respect you deserve. You’ll also extend love and appreciation to other people in your circle of friends hence better and healthy relationships.

When you have self-love, you’ll never depend on anyone make you happy. You’ll never look for anyone’s validation.

Take time and practice self-care. See how this boosts your confidence and keeps you smiling, always.

They say, “Smile to the world and the world will smile back at you”?

That can be true in your case. Just start now and keep a regular self-care