Why 'Bubble Baths' Aren't Enough: Redefining Self-Care

The term "self-care" often brings to mind bubble baths and face masks, but true self-care goes much deeper. It's about setting boundaries, understanding your emotional needs, and building sustainable habits that support your mental health in the long run.

While relaxing activities are a wonderful part of self-care, they are often temporary fixes. True, sustainable self-care involves the less glamorous work: saying "no" to things that drain you, having difficult conversations, ensuring you get enough sleep, fueling your body with nutritious food, and moving in a way that feels good to you. It's about building a life you don't need to regularly escape from.

Think of it this way: a bubble bath is a wonderful way to de-stress after a hard day, but setting boundaries at work so you don't consistently have hard days is a more foundational form of self-care. It's proactive, not just reactive. Start by identifying one area in your life where you feel drained and ask yourself: what is one small, sustainable change I can make to protect my energy here? That is the heart of self-care.