Re-Shaping “Self-Care” to Ensure Collectiveness and Inclusivity
By Lily Sahaguian, LPC
In the midst of my fast-paced summer, I recently indulged in a weekend experience filled with wellness and self-care. Upon my return (back to Earth), I learned that the most impactful things were not the massages and face masks but the connections I made with friends, community, and myself. This experience motivated me to write this blog and help re-frame what self-care actually is and what it ought to become.
Self-care - a buzzword that has been on the rise for decades especially as people continue to prioritize mental and emotional wellness. Today, the term has been taking on a new meaning worth exploring and challenging. But first, let’s take a look at the history.
Self-care was coined in the 1950’s during the rise of “patient-centered medicine” to empower individuals to improve their health. The term was later used by the Black Panther Party in the 1960s to encourage members to stay emotionally energized to fight for justice and to advocate for Black communities who lacked access to basic health care. In the 1970s/80s, Black Lesbian self-care activist Audre Lorde used the term as a way to encourage self-preservation to Black LGBTQIA+ communities.
In the new millennium, due to 9/11, the 2008 recession, the 2016 election, and the 2020 COVID pandemic, the term self-care has become more mainstream and is taking on a newer definition. Today, social media platforms are flooded with various and mixed messages about self-care. The trending definition predominantly revolves around purchasing products (i.e., beauty products), services (i.e., massages), and only focusing on yourself in order to stay mentally and emotionally well.
It’s safe to say the term is turning into a hyper consumerist endeavor and pushing those who cannot afford these services unable to invest in their psychological and mental wellbeing. As a result, what was supposed to be accessible is increasingly becoming inaccessible. This is problematic as it further perpetuates the cycle of stress - as you become financially beholden to products - and helplessness - as self-care becomes a luxurious commodity captured by capitalism.
Looking ahead, we need to be aware about how wellness culture feathers itself in front of us. Systemic change includes a deeper understanding of ourselves and those around us. Self-care needs to expand on the self to include our collective wellness as well. I believe that staying connected rather than adhering to consumerist self-care strategies can bring us closer to ourselves and to each other. We need to make a return to what self-care was initially set out to be.
Here are a few ideas to get started with caring for yourself:
Connect to Others + Nature:
Connect and be with friends and communities that bring joy and abundance
Reach out to trustworthy people who can hold space for you
Connect with powerful art, music, plants
Connect to Yourself:
Practicing daily movement by walking and dancing in your home
Feel your emotions and tend to your physical needs
Give yourself permission to access what you need, and advocate for it