When did self-care become such a buzz word? Didn’t taking care of yourself used to be just a normal part of every day life? I am by no means knocking this new “trend” – I am actually currently on a self-care retreat at the moment, hiding out at my parent’s house. It feels so self indulgent, but so necessary at the same time. The older I get, the more I learn to listen to what my body needs.

I started having to make self-care a dedicated daily practice when I became a mom and I realized how all-consuming it can be to take care of the basic needs (and beyond) of another human. Somehow it very quickly fell out of my daily routine. It is also very much a reflection of our currently over-stimulated, fast-paced American culture.

It seems a little silly that I have to schedule time in my calendar to meditate or go for a walk, but with the speed of my days sometimes, my priorities get jumbled up very quickly. Usually the loudest or messiest thing gets my attention first and can easily distract my exhausted mind for a solid hour. A calendar (both an electronic and old-fashioned paper version) is the only way I can get back on track and get anything done at all – even sometimes the very basic act of paying attention to my own breathing.

This summer with no schedule in place and no real idea of what a normal schedule might look like as the new season approaches, I am making a concerted effort to enjoy the freedom of being directed by my gut on what to do for self-care. This is an excruciatingly hard task for someone like me who has lived almost entirely in her head for my entire life. But just being aware of making time to do things I like and labeling them as self-care seems to ease my mind.

So today, I am indulging in writing, resting, stretching, eating, reading, listening to music and reaching out to people in my life I value to remind them that I love them. Call it what you want, but to me it just feels like living.