Why self-care has nothing to do with Netflix and everything to do with showing up
Self-care has become the most misunderstood word of our generation, and both sides are getting it wrong.
Somewhere between watching the older generation burn out and realizing we couldn’t afford a house no matter how hard we worked, something shifted. We stopped glorifying the hustling. And some people called that soft. I call it life. And rest is a requirement for it.
Please love yourself and take care of yourself!
You’re not a victim when you love yourself and take care of yourself.
You realized that you’re worth more than hustling.
Life is more than just business. And business is more than just hustling. Business only works long-term when you do, and that means doing the inner work too.
It takes courage to work on yourself, limiting beliefs, trauma, and growth. Hustling won’t get you the time to do that.
The belief that you have to earn your worth is older than hustle culture. I saw it up close recently, watching The Manosphere last week, and I was shocked by the beliefs of those men. They think they aren’t born with value.
Every human being is a miracle. We are a tiny grain of sand in this big universe, so it’s a miracle that you’re actually born as a human. So I know there’s a reason for every person to be alive.
Each and every one of you is valuable and born with self-love.
We grow up forgetting ourselves and our worth because we hear:
- “Don’t do …”
- “You’re so…”
- “Stop doing…”
- “You’re … label …, so you should do…”
- “That’s just how it is.”
Every one of us is born as an individual, but society and the education system want us to fit into the same system. We lose our individuality = the love for ourselves.
By forgetting to love ourselves, we forget to take care of ourselves.
The system wants us to work hard and be productive 24/7.
I used to feel the same. I was trying to squeeze every “productive” minute I could out of my day. What happened:
- less sleep
- unhealthy food
- stressed
- sick as soon as the deadline was over
Self-care isn’t a soft, victim-mode trend. It’s what we need more and more of in this negative world to live a healthy life.
It’s not about money, reproduction, and status anymore.
Life is about meaning (which usually is about helping people) and being happy with it.
Meaning comes from work and helping people. So it’s not like we don’t want to work.
Humans want purposeful work, and then we love working more. But for that to be productive and successful, we need time to take care of ourselves, too.
There’s a small difference we forget…
Self-care does NOT mean:
- watching Netflix all day
- eating fast food
- rewarding yourself with sugar-filled Coke and a chocolate cake
- chilling on the couch and scrolling for hours
- playing video games all day
This is also unhealthy, just like the stress of hustling.
I like my work, and that’s why I do it daily (even on some Sundays). I’m putting in the work, doing the hard stuff for a better, successful future.
But then I also take time for self-care, which means:
- walking in the park
- going for brunch with friends
- exercising and strength training
- taking a calm bath
- reading
- gardening
- watching a movie with my boyfriend and cuddling
- a retreat in the mountains
For some, it might sound weird to exercise as self-care, but it literally says you take care of yourself, right? And eating unhealthy and not moving is NOT caring about yourself.
What makes you actually feel better? I’m sure it’s not scrolling or fast food.
It’s an easy addiction to do these unhealthy “self-care” times. That’s why so many are doing it. And then they think they need it to calm down.
My smart ring says otherwise. When I’m scrolling for an hour, my heart rate isn’t lowering. It’s actually increased.
Self-care isn’t the permission to go numb
Real self-care asks something of you.
It’s easier to scroll than to walk.
Easier to order in than to cook.
Easier to numb than to actually rest.
That’s exactly why so few people do it well and why it’s worth protecting.
👉 What can you do today?
Instead of turning on your phone for a break, go for a walk instead. Or do some jumping jacks. Or read a few pages.
I also recommend setting a time limit for your social media and gaming apps. Because they are proven to be addictive.
I also use my Instagram for my business, which takes a lot of willpower to stop scrolling, but I also have a time limit there.
And I don’t want you to stop playing games 100%. That’s not gonna work like any other New Year’s resolutions. Instead, set a time limit or make up rules when you’re allowed to play.
If you’re not done thinking yet…
Many introverted people tell me this is where they pause.
This short 0€ guide helps you move from overwhelm to alignment gently.
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