Why Self-Care for Beginners Is So Important

Self-care for beginners can be a touchy topic for some women because we might not like to admit that our effort in this vital area of wellness may be a wee bit lacking. On the other hand, we may feel that seeking to care for our own deepest needs is just too selfish when so many others need our time and attention. Contrary to what you may have heard, self-care isn’t selfish. It’s necessary, especially in today’s modern world. You may have a ton of commitments, responsibilities, and obligations pulling at you from all angles, so it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you can’t afford the time or resources to care for yourself properly. 

The fact of the matter is that you can’t afford not to.

Here are five eye-opening reasons why self-care should be at the very top of your list of priorities. Whether you are a beginner or a pro. But especially if you are just starting your self-care journey.

Top 5 Benefits Of Self-Care For Beginners

1- Improves Your Self-Esteem

First, engaging in regular self-care practices improves your self-esteem, both in obvious – and not so obvious – ways. 

On the surface, sure if you take time to care for your physical body by exercising, eating well, maintaining proper hygiene, and having a beauty regimen you’ll look and feel great on the outside. But how about caring for your mental and emotional health? This type of deep self-work, that often gets overlooked,  actually can improve your self-esteem on the inside, too. 

A useful example is a problem that so many women have in common – putting others first. 

If you tend to say “yes” to others a little more often than you’d like, sacrifice some of your own needs to make others happy, or riddle yourself with guilt for saying “no”, caring for your emotional health by slowing down, considering what it is you really want and need, and making authentic choices on how to spend your time and money would benefit you greatly.

While it may not seem like it on the surface, people-pleasing is a huge sign of low self-esteem. Why do you feel like your wants and needs aren’t valid or important? Why is your knee jerk reaction to always put others before yourself? Start by asking yourself a few of these telling questions.

You find that journaling your true feelings, taking time before accepting or denying requests from others, and blocking off personal time in your calendar are just a few examples of simple self-care activities that can help you boost your self-esteem from the inside out. 

2- You Will Have More To Give To Others

Second, while you may assume taking time to care for yourself means less time and energy you can spend on others, the reverse is actually true. 

If you routinely care for others (for example parenting your children, work in a service industry, or even care for aging parents), it’s all too easy to spend all your time and physical and mental energy attending to the needs of others. 

But what about you? 

Who takes care of you and makes sure that you are okay?

Have you ever heard that saying “you can’t pour from an empty cup”? 

Chances are that nobody cares for you the way you care for others, so your cup could possibly be running low. You have to start caring for yourself or run the risk of total and complete burnout – at which point you’re no good to anyone. 

Prioritizing your personal wellbeing is good for everyone. You’ll have so much more to give if you put yourself first at least some of the time.  

3- Increased Productivity

Many women who see themselves as “doers” often sacrifice their sleep to get more stuff done. Good quality sleep is an excellent example of self-care for beginners that is commonly overlooked. Making sure you are getting enough sleep is one of the most important self-care practices. The cool thing is that you can get started on right away for free. 

According to the latest research on sleep science,  the average adult requires 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Running on less than this has potential adverse effects that you may not have considered, such as weight gain, systemic inflammation, and poor mental health. 

One of the greatest benefits of getting enough rest is a boost in concentration and real productivity. 

If you think you can’t get more sleep because your life is just too hectic and busy, start small! Start by setting a strict cutoff for when you’ll turn off your phone or laptop and go to bed. Then, try going to bed just ten minutes earlier for a while. Even if you don’t fall asleep right away, you’ll be training your body and mind to get into sleep mode. 

Once you get used to that, you can slowly add more time. It really works!

4- Get To Know Yourself Better

As women we are constantly changing, evolving and growing. And if you’re reading this right now, chances are personal growth is high on your list of priorities. So, it’s important to you. 

Well, if you don’t regularly spend quality time with yourself, by yourself, evaluating different aspects of your life, setting goals, tracking progress, and examining yourself, how do you stay familiar with who you are becoming? 

Unless you intentionally work on this, you don’t. 

It’s possible to outgrow the perception you have of yourself unless you establish a self-care practice that supports self-awareness and understanding. 

Some ideas for self-care for beginners that will help you explore who you are include journaling (specifically reviewing old journal entries to compare your progress over time), meditation, and pursuing hobbies that involve creativity (making art, writing literature, playing instruments). 

5- Healthy Management Of Emotions

When you don’t have a regular self-care regimen in place you may be more likely to crumble under stress, anger or disappointment. This doesn’t have to be you. 

Even the happiest women on the planet have bad days. Opportunities are lost, hearts get broken, some goals are unachieved… the list goes on.

Without a solid self-care toolbox, it’s so easy to turn to unhealthy habits such as excess drinking, seeking comfort by overindulging in food or online shopping, or even becoming avoidant – neglecting your responsibilities completely. These only make bad situations even worse. 

When you have great coping mechanisms in place for when you’re sad, angry, stressed or hurt, you’re able to deal with negative emotions and events in much healthier ways. 

You’ll still feel the negative emotions – but you’ll be able to process them a whole lot better. And can make a world of difference in your overall life experience. 

Final Thoughts

While it may seem on the surface that you don’t have time or money to prioritize your personal wellbeing, nothing couldn’t be farther from the truth. Self-care doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. In fact, you can find subtle ways to integrate it into your daily life so that you can experience all the peace, positivity and progress you deserve. 

Be well + prosper,

XO Elaine