WHAT EVEN IS SELF-CARE?

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again (and again, and again): We're on a mission to make self-care accessible to all. Right from the comfort of your couch and your Crocs. But the industry is saturated. Wellness Instagram accounts, fitness fads, 30-day challenges, and a whole lot of noise. It’s no surprise that it’s left some wondering, “what even is self-care?”

WHAT SELF-CARE MEANS TO US

Self-care is any action (or non-action) to connects us to any of the following 3 core pillars. Self-awareness that clues us in to what we’re thinking and feeling at any given time; Self-knowledge that can helps us understand why we say things, do things, or behave in certain ways; and self-compassion that allows us to forgive, so we can properly heal and connect with ourselves and others too.

WHAT SELF-CARE MEANS TO YOU

If you’re wondering how this translates to IRL, we asked some good friends what self-care means for them.

“It’s definitely changed over the last couple of years. Especially with the pandemic too, I guess. I used to think self-care was about kicking goals and exercising five times a week. In fact, I thought that’s what I needed to be balanced or the to be the “best” version of myself. That sentence makes me cringe a bit now, even though if that’s what works for someone else - go for it! For me now, it’s recognising when I need to just sleep in and spend the day on the couch. Self-care is knowing I can love both pizza and going to pilates, they’re not mutually exclusive.” – Isobel.

“Self-care for me is about being more conscious. On a day-to-day level that means I try to get outside, usually for a morning walk (though that’s getting a little harder as winter hits). But overall, to live by my values so a big one for me is trying to shop more consciously, groceries from markets where I can and I’m trying to buy less fast fashion.” – Laura.

“It’s literally about doing what makes me feel good. In some ways it’s a “whatever I want attitude” though that can come across a little selfish, lol. But it’s really simple: if I feel like sitting and reading a book, I will, if I make plans and realise I’m not in the mood, I reschedule them. I’ve learnt my boundaries and self-care for me is trying to respect them. So if I don’t reply to your text for three days, that’s kinda why.” – Angie.

“Putting pen to paper. It’s really cathartic. Maybe because my full-time job requires me to sit in front of a screen and stare at spreadsheets all day. I’m not producing any masterpieces but it’s nice to have a little scribble on the couch and see what happens.” – Sam.

We recognise that everyone’s lived experiences are different, so self-care will be different. We don’t want to put a fixed definition on it but to put it simply, we believe self-care is taking what you need, when you need it. And not punishing yourself for letting go or stepping away from the things that you don’t.

Here, we’re open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Come back anytime.