Is Self-Care Selfish? | When Self-Care Becomes Selfish?
Doing your daily self-care routine, you may ask yourself, “Is self-care selfish?” Or “Does self-care ultimately lead to selfishness and isolation from others?”
Many people confuse self-care and being selfish. The reason lies in people’s interpretation of self-care. Suppose you have been given a poor definition of self-care or you are doing the routine in a wrong way; In that case, you may act like someone who is very selfish. But if you apply yourself to self-care and learn how to do it right, you will realize that not only is self-care not selfish, but it is entirely the opposite.
In this post, we will guide you so that you can have a comprehensive knowledge of self-care. We also explain why self care is not selfish and how a healthy and proper self-care routine can prevent people from being selfish.
What is Self-Care?
Self-care means taking care of ourselves; we do small daily tasks to maintain our health and strength and live better. Self-care includes constant series of habits and behaviors that we do consciously and purposefully to live healthier and happier and help ourselves and our family and friends experience a higher quality of life, prevention of social risks and harms, and the ability to meet one’s physical, psychological and social needs, and experience a balanced life.
Definition of Selfish
People are naturally selfish to some extent. Selfishness is a natural trait that can help people survive and flourish in difficult times. We are often taught not to be selfish and to maintain a good balance of giving and taking. We know, however, that only some have a similar upbringing or are trained in the same manner.
However, when the balance of selfishness and selflessness is tilted sufficiently in favor of selfish behavior, it becomes destructive to both the selfish person and others around them.
Selfish individuals are primarily concerned with themselves and their own demands, and they are unconcerned with the needs of others. This can lead to a slew of issues in both personal and professional relationships. Selfishness is being too or primarily preoccupied with oneself or one’s own gain, pleasure, or welfare, regardless of others.
Being selfish means being concerned with only “me, me and me.”
Why Self Care is Not Selfish?
We know the importance of maintaining our mental and physical health. Still, have you ever considered how taking care of oneself impacts the nearest and dearest? The term “self-care” indicates that it is all about us – and in its most basic form, it is. It’s all about listening to your body and soul to figure out what you need and what is best for you. For some, this may imply meditating, taking care of indoor plants, going for a long walk in nature, or watching a favorite TV show or movie series. Others may find it a way to practice setting boundaries and learn to say “no” sometimes.
Sometimes your self-care plan involves other people, such as meeting friends, visiting relatives, or seeing a psychiatrist. As a result, it cannot be said that other people did not benefit from your self-care, and you must ignore others to better yourself.
Here are just a few ways self-care impacts others:
It Helps You Support Others
Suppose you frequently have to support others, whether caring for an elderly relative, assisting a friend through a difficult time, helping coworkers, or caring for your little children. In that case, it’s easy to become exhausted. You’ll be better able to assist others if you make time for yourself and get plenty of mental space. As the famous self-care is not selfish quote says:
“You cannot serve from an empty vessel.”
You will Become Calmer
Many self-care routines are intended to help people relieve stress and feel more peaceful, happy, and adaptable. This, of course, extends to your interactions with others. It can help you be more compassionate with your family, deal with stressful situations at work, and generally be a friendlier person to be around. So, every time you think you don’t have much time to do self-care, bear this in mind; your loved ones will appreciate you for it.
Others will Learn and Do
Once we start caring for ourselves and showing it to others, we empower them to do the same. You could discuss self-care with your family and friends or post about your ritual on social media. Leading by example demonstrates that it is acceptable to devote time to self-care and inspires others to do the same. Is self-care selfish? It’s all up to you.
It Encourages a Better Society
In a society, people’s behavior affects others directly and indirectly. It can determine whether you come home stressed and angry after a busy day or feel good about yourself and others. Suppose you are experiencing emotional distress, anxiety, or depression. In that case, you can transfer these feelings to other people on the street, in a restaurant, at work, or at school, and the chain continues until it reaches you again. As a result, by having a regular schedule of self-care and working to improve your physical and mental condition, you ensure that your efforts will help improve the well-being of others as well.
One of the barriers to self-care is the perception that it is a ‘selfish’ behavior, a privilege that we should not value. Hopefully, after reading this, you’ll realize this is false. Self-care keeps us healthy and happy, which in turn keeps those around us healthy and happy.
Next time you ask yourself, “is self-care selfish?” remember, unless your routine impacts others in a good way, the answer is “Definitely not!”
How Do We Distinguish Self-Care from Being Selfish?
The notion of self-care may appear strange to inherently unselfish individuals. When the demands and desires of others begin to exceed your own satisfaction, it is a good idea to step back and reconsider yourself and your own value.
Self-care entails looking after your own emotional and psychological well-being without prejudice or purpose to harm others. This is where selfishness enters the picture; selfishness is a complete lack of regard for others, and that is why you ask, “Is self care selfish?”
We sometimes feel guilty about taking time off for ourselves because we don’t want to look selfish or idle, and our obligations and responsibilities stress us out.
Selfish vs Self-Care; When does Self Care Become Selfish?
It is crucial to understand why an imperfect self-care routine leads to selfishness. Here are the differences between selfishness and self-care to know when self care becomes selfish:
✔ Self care is not selfish if you include spending time with family, friends, or other people in your daily, weekly, or monthly routine.
✘ It is selfish if you exclude or exploit others for personal benefit.
✔ Self-care isn’t selfish if you are kind to others because it makes you feel happy if they are happy.
✘ It is selfish if you don’t care about others to feel happy, and the word “kindness” is unfamiliar to you.
✔ Self care is not selfish if you try not to hurt others and be nice to them while practicing self-care.
✘ It is selfish if you do things that, even though you know others may be hurt, think only of your own progress.
✔ Self-care isn’t selfish if you are practicing doing something beneficial for your mental and physical health and also affecting others in a good way.
As all those self-care is not selfish quotes, indicate “It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It is necessary.” you realize that if you want to be a better person for yourself and others, you should put yourself first as long as others are not hurt.
How to Set Our Boundaries
Many individuals describe self-care as partaking in activities we like or otherwise deny ourselves. Diet and exercise modifications can significantly enhance self-care and motivation. Taking on more difficult chores early in the day or week might boost motivation for minor tasks and lead to reduced procrastination. Most of us overlook an essential aspect of self-care:
“Boundaries“
We have more time to focus on our needs when we can say no to things that generate stress. Developing a routine for good sleep hygiene, engaging in exercise, having a healthy diet, and reducing stress are all things that can increase self-care.
Usually, people need clarification about building boundaries or properly upholding those they are always attempting to reinforce; it is thus advisable to start simple and create some easily doable. In this manner, you may gradually increase them without causing undue stress or disruption in your daily life. It is sometimes challenging to implement limits in areas of your life when you have always done things in a specific manner. It is good to set expectations early, so everyone understands where they are, and people are satisfied. Consistency is also essential. Allowing boundaries to shift and alter can be difficult; keep them
concise and to the point, and let yourself convey when someone has crossed a boundary you have established.
Remember that…
…the best aspect of self-care is that it is simple to maintain once begun. The advantages of addressing your own needs begin immediately with building self-esteem and working on it. Seeking guidance from a therapist might aid in developing a strategy to enhance motivation and focus on areas that require to be altered. Asking for help and establishing limits may be beneficial to your general well-being. These self-care routines can boost your energy, relationship, and worth to yourself and others.
HealWiser‘s Last Piece of Advice
To summarize, there is a narrow line between self-care and selfishness. Still, balance and boundaries are the crucial terms here. It takes effort to find the balance between self-care and selfishness. Self care is not selfish, as long as you learn to set boundaries in your relationships with others and know how to be compassionate and love yourself. Remember that something else might work better for you. Make self-care a priority by developing your own routine.
What do you think? Is self-care selfish? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
