How to Escape Faux Self-Care

It is so easy to think that all it takes is a few bubble baths and a night of yoga to get through times of overwhelm, fatigue or stress. But the truth is, faux self-care doesn’t always get you to where you need to be. That type of superficial solution tends not to provide the long-term fix necessary to help beat burnout and build true resilience.

Spending time in activities that give us instant gratification, such as scrolling through our phone or watching Netflix or taking a bubble bath, while they are enjoyable places to retreat can become a mere distraction when we need to square up to our true needs and make lasting changes.

In today's society many of us don't feel like we have the luxury to stop and take a break for more than a few moments. Our lives are dictated by an ever-spinning schedule of commitments and various demands from work, family, friends and ourselves. When this high level of overwhelm persists, it can be difficult to stay connected to our true selves and hear the still quiet voices of our inner spirits guiding us to what we need most.

It can be hard to recognize when faux self-care has become an insidious cycle over genuine rest and renewal. To prevent this from happening, we must find more effective solutions which restore well-being in a way that is both lasting and empowering.

Perhaps the most important part of reclaiming our well-being is creating boundaries between us and those things that stress us out. This could mean setting limits on work schedules or providing strict expectations for our family and friends so they know they cannot rely on us past certain times. Boundaries empower us to remain within our own limitations which, in turn, helps maintain a sense of stability and focus.

Simply made appointments with yourself can do wonders in helping to keep priorities at the forefront, allowing for necessary and consistent recharging. Scheduling a few hours each week for yourself gives us the mental space to focus solely on our needs, and is something that should never bee underestimated.

Another practice we can integrate into our daily lives is conscious breathing. Taking in deep, conscious breaths gives us the opportunity to pause, release, and centre into our truest selves before moving forward with whatever tasks may come our way.

It can be difficult to make the internal shift in thinking, or come out of our automatic default mode of behavior. Adding elements like creative visualization, which can be implemented during moments of heightened stress and challenge us to see the world through a new lens, can help deepen contemplation and further facilitate personal growth. This type of activity allows us to creatively explore how various scenarios might play out and can offer a much needed perspective on how to approach difficult situations.

Connecting with people who nurture and appreciate who you truly are helps protect your heart from disconnection, loneliness and pain. These relationships are invaluable and should be highly prized. Nameless faces can so often lead us astray because it’s easier to act impulsively and oppose a stranger’s opinion than someone’s we care about. Your tribe will provide safe space for feeling heard and held, and you will know that you are appreciated for just being you.

The most important thing to remember when it comes to true self-care is that it is an art, one that requires regular practice and nurturing to reap the best benefits - no matter how painfully slow the process may seem. In order to cultivate true self-care, we must make time to recharge and rest, be patient with ourselves, and learn how to move forward with an open and gentle heart.

We can all benefit from conscious strategies to move forward and alleviate burnout. We don’t need bubble baths to do it, but rather, an intentional approach to replace the ‘faux’ aspects of self-care. Before returning to the regular duties of modern day life, focus on the little bookends that can provide moments of renewal and the means to escape faux self-care.