#Selfcare October Blog Post

Why Self-Care Isn’t Selfish


If you’ve ever flown on an airplane, then you’re familiar with the flight attendant’s instructions to “put on your own oxygen mask before helping others.” This should seem like the obvious first step in an emergency, yet for so many of us it wouldn’t be. Instead, most of us would jump to help our loved ones, friends, or even possibly random strangers around us before helping ourselves. And, while this sounds heroic and selfless, it’s more often than not the less helpful move. If you want to be truly selfless, then just consider how many MORE people you could successfully assist around you if you just put on your own oxygen mask first! Well, this same reasoning applies (in a less dramatic way of course) to support why self-care isn’t selfish.


Prioritizing your own self-care is critical to your mental and emotional well-being, and actually allows you to be even better for the people around you. When you’re taken care of first then you’re the best version of yourself to show up for everyone else around you. Simply put, think about how much better you feel and consequently are happier and kinder to those around you when you’ve made time for yourself. Whether for you that’s just getting in a workout, finally scheduling that appointment you’ve been pushing off, or just giving yourself space to get lost in a beloved hobby, self-care looks different for all of us. So whatever self-care looks like for you, here’s your reminder that it’s in these self-loving rituals where we become our best selves, and in turn can best serve those around us.


In honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, let’s all practice self-care in taking proactive steps to support early detection and even prevent breast cancer, and also give back to causes that support this mission. This means performing self-checks, scheduling appointments, and all around just practicing healthy lifestyle habits. Setting aside time to do these things could save your life and ultimately be the least selfish thing you could do for the people who love and care about you! Self-care isn’t selfish, it’s actually selfless.