Self-Care Reflection through Subtraction (July Self-Care Challenge Day 1)

If I could not self care for a month I would probably be a monster of a corpse because I would fall into such a deep depression that I would not make it out alive

What an interesting prompt, initially I was thinking "oh well I do bare minimum self care there's nothing to say here." But self care isn't limited to weather you did an hour of hot yoga and primal screaming followed by meditating in a field of flowers with silent cows. It's so much more subtle than that.

Without self care for a month - I'd smell aweful, my skin would be dry and painful, I'd probably have ground my teeth to dust, eating minimally my stomach would hate me, my IBS would flare and stomach acid would rule every morning. -- not to mention how damn tired I'd be, how desperate and unhappy.

Without self care, I wouldn't be able to walk, my back would be in agony, and the disks would slip regularly. I would be stuck in my room, I've been in that position before and thinking about it just makes me sad 😔

With no self care I'd become a hermit, never interacting with anybody or doing anything, every day would be the same painful boring day.

With no self care I'd be lost.

I never realised quite how much care I show myself to just exist, ha happy tears 💚🐦

@SoulfullyAButterfly

First of all, I would really like to appreciate this idea of self care. I love to see how our community is growing by different and creative events and challenges and stuff. They're fun as well as super helpful to participate ❤

@Sunisshiningandsoareyou

I forgot to be grateful to sunny for tagging me earlier in the main post of this. Thanks for always remembering me. You are the sweetest. And, I am trying my best to get back to the forums again hehe 👀💖

Now getting back to our question, I can't even imagine this. Not taking self care for a month is gonna be really a horrible experience. I would feel physically, mentally and emotionally unstable. It is really difficult to live without self care. Because self care isn't really about doing something new daily. It's about practicing your daily routine which helps you to stay healthy and happy. So it's really important to keep yourself physically and mentally healthy 🧡

@LovetoGod

Aww ofcourse I remember you always, lovely Love and there's no need to thank haha! 💖 Take all your time getting back around the forumland, we got thisss! 🤗

I really like your answer and it is same for me also, hard to even imagine a lot of time without self-care.

Initially I too thought, that maybe I don't do enough for self-care, but you're so right, every day, every moment we are presented with so many choices, and every time we make a choice for something that benefits us either emotionally, physically or mentally, that's us caring for ourselves. I still think there's room for improvement and becoming more consistent though lol. 🙈

@Soulfullyabutterfly

Awesome prompt, Soul, I think this is like reverse psychology lol, "Think of what happens without X so you start valuing X more in your life, without taking it for granted", brilliance at its peak, I should say. ❤

Life will become 1000X worse without making choices that support my sustainability and wellbeing. Self-Care choices are *essential*.

@SoulfullyAButterfly

No self care for a month😮!!

Okay so I can't describe so briefly like others did.But I can definitely tell that it'll damage me mentally,physically,spiritually and all.

I can't even imagine how I'll look omg!! But maybe I won't die.But living like that would also look like no better than dying.

Self care is so very important!!!!

@SoulfullyAButterfly

Imagine that you cannot self-care for one whole month. How would this change your life? Be honest and share your answers. This is our starting point - realizing that we do need self-care, already do some form of self-care, but can always use the improvement.

Oh jeeze, TW- it would make me end up in a crisis for an entire month 😀 self care keeps me sane

I am about to find this out over the next two months, unfortunately. I still get up and shower so take care of myself but I have a work commitment that I cannot get out of unless I were to quit. So far, my appetite is pretty poor, I'm losing weight (right now that is not a bad thing as i was too heavy to begin with, clearly in the obese category) and I work 7 days a week. I have been prone to more panic attacks in recent weeks, although it's now been 3 days since I have had any. I imagine my burnout will continue but I'm looking forward to going on leave in October once this project is completed. At the moment, life in general is too mentally draining so I don't have the mental capacity at the moment to search for a new job.

@SoulfullyAButterfly

I don't have to imagine it, I lived it. And I went mad. I lost touch with reality, I was the shadow of myself.

@SoulfullyAButterfly

Imagine that you cannot self-care for one whole month. How would this change your life?

Not being able to self-care would decrease my quality of life immensely. On one hand, I would experience a decrease of my mental wellbeing and on the other hand, it would damage my overall health. This would lead to me not being able to function any more and could even be potentially dangerous.

I would become a very hollow soul. Maybe even near death. If I didn't eat right, didn't exercise, wash my face, my body. . . Part of my self care would be caring for others. So, not only would I be in pretty poor shape physically and mentally, I would be empty emotionally because I would feel deep loneliness.