I spent a long time rolling my eyes at "self-care" as a concept. It felt like a marketing word attached to things I couldn't afford or didn't have time for.
Therapy changed my relationship with it. My therapist kept asking me what I was doing to replenish myself — not what I was doing to relax (scrolling, collapsing), but what was actually restoring something in me.
Here is what I actually kept:
- A 20-minute walk in the morning before looking at my phone. Not for fitness. Just to arrive in the day slowly.
- A strict no-work rule on Sunday mornings.
- Cooking one meal a week with intention instead of treating food as just fuel.
- Telling at least one person per week something true instead of something convenient.
Here is what I tried and let go:
- Meditation apps (too structured, felt like another obligation)
- Cold showers (lasted 11 days, never felt anything other than cold)
- Gratitude journalling (kept becoming a to-do list)
I share this because I found it more useful to hear what specifically worked for specific people than general lists. What's on yours?