Self-care has become a trendy phrase that is undoubtedly overused on social media, but it is an important concept that we can all benefit from learning more about. If you google the definition, this is what comes up:
"the practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress."
Here's what I would add to it, as a therapy-loving illustrator who makes a lot of art on the topic:
Self-care is the practice of looking inward, asking yourself what you need, and honoring those needs. It is something we could all use more of, but it's not always easy to gain the tools, time, or money required of this practice.
It's strange that self-care is a privilege and not a god-given right, but that's how it feels these days. In our culture, we are not given many opportunities to check in with ourselves; to take a step back and look at things from a new perspective. Capitalism wants us to be productive over everything else, which makes it hard to make time for ourselves and our own needs.
Sometimes it's hard to distinguish between caring for yourself and overindulgence. There's a false idea that self-care is all about bubble baths, massages, and being 'lazy,' but if you truly practice self-care, you'll get a feel for when you need to rest, to be creative, move your body, be social, etc. It takes time to find those boundaries and it can be tempting to overindulge or keep yourself from being vulnerable from time to time, but the overall goal is to find those boundaries for yourself and trust that you can guide yourself through difficult times.
Making art about my experience with therapy and self-care has allowed me to see that I'm not alone and that we are all in this together.