What do you think of when you hear the words self-care? Do you think of hot baths, expensive facials, or using an at-home neck massager for 5 minutes? Or do you think of setting boundaries, eating healthy (but enjoyable) foods, and staying true to your values?
If your idea of self-care is similar to the first option, you’re not alone. There are over 102 million posts on instagram with the hashtag “self care”, and most of them are showcasing the latest wellness trends and products. We are experiencing collective burnout. Especially those of us from intentionally marginalized communities. Why? Because in a capitalist society, your worth is measured by your productivity, and rest is seen as selfish. And on top of all that, media and wellness brands have led us to believe that our exhaustion and burnout can be cured if we buy the right products. Mass consumerism has led us so far from the original ideas of self-care, that we are actually burning ourselves out more trying to keep up with the newest self-care trends.
The term self-care was popularized by activists in the 1960s and 70s, as an essential daily practice. The Black Panther party promoted self-care by ensuring that their communities had access to nutritious food and healthcare. Black and LGBTQ+ writer and activist Audre Lorde famously wrote “caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation.” We have to stop thinking of self-care as a weekly or monthly luxury that we have to budget for or make sure the calendar is blocked off for. Self-care is necessary for our survival. And it is a radical act when we live in systems made to keep us exhausted.
So what is “radical self-care”? The word radical comes from the Latin noun “radix”, meaning “root”. So, radical self-care means literally getting back to your roots. When we are constantly on the go, especially those of us who are caretakers, we often neglect our basic needs. Radical self-care isn’t always glamorous. It’s about eating and drinking water consistently throughout the day. Finding time for 30 minutes of exercise, even if that means some brisk laps around the office. And most importantly, getting genuine rest. Along with your 8-9 hours of sleep that you’re hopefully getting, rest is also saying no events, setting boundaries, and learning to delegate responsibilities wherever possible.
Radical self-care is also about caring for your soul. Get in touch with your values and what really matters to you. Trying to conform and fulfill everyone’s expectations is also adding to our feelings of burnout. Practicing radical self-care is about learning to say no to things that don’t make you feel good or suck your energy; and not feeling guilty about it. Making choices that are aligned with your values will keep you from needing that constant “escape” from life.
Burnout is not an individual failure, it is a systematic issue. The most powerful thing you can do is return to your roots and prioritize yourself each and every day.