In honor of Valentine’s Day, let’s talk about self-love and self-care. Some feel this is an indulgent waste of time, but it’s not all spa-days and bubble baths. In reality, self-care is about taking care of yourself, investing in your physical and mental health, so that you can show up as your best self. It is actually very similar to the way we care for our children. It’s about setting strict boundaries, scheduling, and planning ahead. It’s about eating all your vegetables and going easy on the sweets. It’s about brushing, flossing, and seeing the dentist. It’s about getting plenty of sleep and exercise and not too much screen time. It’s about learning to say “no” to the things that we want in the moment so that our future selves will thank us later. Sometimes, we may tell ourselves that love means saying “yes” because we want to make ourselves and our loved ones happy. Yes to fast food, yes to dessert, yes to a late-night Netflix binge when you have to get up early tomorrow. But as parents, we know that sometimes the best way to show our love is to say “no”. Are you setting rules for your children and then breaking them for yourself? Are you always putting your own health at the bottom of your list of priorities? This Valentine’s Day, don’t forget to show yourself some love by making those healthy choices and maybe even investing in a Direct Primary Care membership for yourself and your family. Self-care: it’s a lot of hard work, and it’s not always fun, but it’s the best way to keep your mind and body healthy.
