Making Time to Read as a Radical Act of Self-Care
Why the simple act of sitting down to read a book can be an act of both self-care and resistance.
I’ve made no secret about the fact that the past year has been stressful for me, filled with lots of ups and downs. Given the current situation in this country, I’m certainly not alone in that. However, recently I’ve given a lot of thought to how that constant level of stress and anxiety is impacting my physical, mental, and emotional health. So I’m forcing myself to slow down and be intentional about acts of self-care.
Here are two great articles on self-care, why it’s so important, and simple ways to take care of yourself so you can be there for the people and causes that matter most to you:
This quote from 5 Types of Self-Care for Every Area of Your Life sums it up nicely with this breakdown:
Self-care is a conscious act people take to promote their physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional health. It is vital for building resilience toward life’s stressors that we can’t eliminate. When you’ve taken steps to care for your mind and body, you’ll be better equipped to live your best life.
Unfortunately, however, many of us view self-care as a luxury rather than a priority. Consequently, we’re left feeling overwhelmed, tired, and ill-equipped to handle life’s inevitable challenges. It’s important to assess how you’re caring for yourself in several different domains so you can ensure you’re caring for your mind, body, and spirit.
I hate to drag out tired metaphors, but I haven’t seen one more effective that this. On an airplane, we’re told that if the oxygen masks drop, we need to put on our own masks first BEFORE we begin helping others. If we pass out due to lack of oxygen, we can no longer help our children, parents, siblings, and neighbors. Sis, a lot of us have gotten to that point. We just keep on pushing through because it’s what we’ve always done.
But just because we’ve always done something a certain way, it doesn’t mean we should continue doing it. Especially when it is clearly no longer serving us.
So if you’re so busy caring for everyone else in your life and / or fighting the good fight for equality and human rights that you’re on the brink of burnout, that’s exactly what the powers that be want. A population so overwrought and exhausted that we’re ready to give up. So it’s time to start taking better care of ourselves. Consider getting some rest and taking better care of yourself a radical act of resistance. A refilling of the well.
Self-care might look different for each of us. Some of the ways I plan to incorporate self-care into my daily and weekly routine include:
Eating healthier
Getting more movement in each week
Staying hydrated
Getting at least seven hours of sleep each night
Setting clear boundaries about when I’ll stop working each day
Mindfulness and meditation
Reducing screen time
Journaling
Taking up some of my abandoned hobbies
Making more time for reading
I know it’s a long list, but not doing these things has had a negative impact on my physical and mental health. So doing these things feels a lot less like sacrifice and a lot more like strategic self-preservation.
Speaking of reading, in light of all the craziness of book bans, I want to be more intentional about supporting my local library. So recently, I borrowed these four titles. (Bonus points if you can tell me what they have in common. Hint: It’s a two-part answer. And yes, it’s related to the next book I’m writing.) I’m going to try my best to read these four books within the next 30 days. I’ve already begun with The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann.
Which books are on your short list to read soon? I’d love to hear about them and see your stack in the comments below. And I’d love to know what you’re doing to be intentional about self care.
