Why focus on self-care?

In our society, we are taught that we must live to work, push through pain, and sleep when we die. Illness is normalized as a minor inconvenience and chronic health conditions are treated reactively through medication and risky procedures. Even workplaces with the best of intentions have structures in place that are outdated and toxic for marginalized bodies. If you’re paying attention to the resulting health crisis of our collective condition, you should be alarmed. Over the last few years, under the weight of the pandemic, while balancing childcare, working from home (for those fortunate enough to do so), and a myriad of other responsibilities, I realized that everyone was struggling, but women, in particular, were stressed and burnt out. Despite awareness of the problem, many struggled to find time for self-care.

At one point in 2021, over consecutive weeks, I heard story after story of health diagnoses among women who had put themselves on the back burner. As I watched the news, assessed data, and studied mental health research in graduate school, I found that all sources supported this same phenomenon. While “self-care” is trendy on social media and everyone seems to know that it is important, there is a disconnect between people understanding what self-care actually is and practicing it on a consistent basis.

Saving ourselves in lieu of systemic change

Acknowledging the need for equitable systems and access to resources to ensure well-being, I advocate for the use of self-care as an additional tool to manage life’s stressors, improve quality of life, and extend one’s life expectancy. Given inequities in social determinants of health such as income inequality, housing discrimination, and medical prejudice, I believe that it is imperative that women are proactive and intentional in caring for themselves to create protective barriers whenever possible. I believe that radical self-care is a way to rebel against the systems designed to extract from and deplete us. By first investing in your own well-being, you preserve your health and have the option to give to others from your overflow. As humans, we need other people and self-care serves as practice for interpersonal relationships, thereby enabling you to build a community that further sustains you.

Understanding how difficult it can be to change deeply engrained habits, shift unhelpful mindsets, and challenge status quo, I am a cheerleader, advocate, and champion for women seeking to change their narrative.

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