Self-Care is Cancelled; What You Really Need is Self Empowerment
Newsflash! Owning a business in 2023: not for the faint of heart.
If you’re not stressed out, you’re not paying attention. Between an ugly news cycle and an uncertain economy, stress management becomes a business tool paramount to the success of any entrepreneur, and “self-care” tends to be the approach of choice. Yet to anyone scrolling through their socials, it would seem many of us have reduced self-care to face masks and bath bombs, depending on small indulgences to combat the twin Goliaths of chronic stress and burnout.
We’re not here to tell you that skincare can’t be self-care. The little things we do for ourselves can and do make a difference…but only when applied thoughtfully.
After all, if bandaids can’t fix bullet wounds, why expect face masks to exfoliate away our troubles?
If we’re being honest, the way we conceive of self-care just hasn’t kept pace with the demands of modern existence. We need an updated, holistic approach, one that addresses the difficulties of being an entrepreneur and puts us in charge of our own lives. We can’t claim to have everything figured out–we’ll leave the omniscience to your deity of choice–but all of us here at Empowered Women have faced down our own struggles with stress and come out the other side a little wiser for it.
Our takeaway? Self-care done right is the foundation for something far more meaningful: self-empowerment.
If you start with self-dedication…
Unfortunately, as entrepreneurs, we often condition ourselves to ignore distress signals from our body–hunger, thirst, fatigue–and muscle through psychological distress, all in the name of results. It never ends well; we can try to ignore our health, but eventually it catches up to us. True self-care requires us to actually take care of ourselves, starting with the fundamentals of physical and mental health.
This is where we channel your middle school PE teacher, general practitioner, or maybe even your partner, to remind you that a wholesome diet and regular exercise are non-negotiable components of your health. Making them a habit, and dedicating sufficient time to each, will yield dividends for how you handle stress both now and down the road. .
This is also where we take a strong stand against the toxic beauty standards of our 90s upbringing to highlight the importance of balance in how you approach food choices and exercise. In correcting one problem–inattention toward your health–it’s all too easy to fall into another, obsessing over it.
Don’t get sucked into the Instagram void of unrealistic body standards.
Experiment with new foods, find activities you enjoy, but never lose sight of the purpose behind it: enjoyment of your life, on your terms.
However, to focus on your physical health without any attention also given to your mental state is to neglect the “mind” portion of your mind-body connection. We hope it goes without saying in this day and age, but just in case it doesn’t: everyone deserves help and support, and there is no shame in any form of mental illness, big or small. For any struggles you may experience either personally or professionally, the value of seeking out help cannot be overstated. And that help isn’t limited to one-on-one therapy; community support exists in many forms–just look at us!
And practice some self-awareness…
Consider how the best doctors care for their patients. They approach each one as a unique individual, with different needs and circumstances, and maintain an open mind until a diagnosis is made and treatment can begin. Success depends on asking the right questions and listening to the answers, whatever they may be. Snap judgments and a one-size-fits-all approach never enter the equation (imagine the bedside manner if they did).
Yet by that standard, when it comes to how we care for ourselves, most of us would qualify as bad doctors. We rarely ask ourselves the fundamental questions necessary for diagnosing our stresses and potential solutions: what activities bring you peace? How can you better use your time to pursue them? What changes can you make to reduce the stress in your life?
In fairness, this process isn't second nature for many. Objectively evaluating oneself and one’s needs will never provide the instant gratification of a quick fix; it takes time to be honest with yourself and find the questions you need to ask, let alone the answers. In other words, self-empowerment is a mindset, not an item on a checklist. But by adopting that mindset, you give yourself a foundation for success.
The point of this intense self-interrogation and reflection is to make one thing abundantly clear: you are you, and no one else. What works for others may not be the right solution for you, and by the same logic, choosing to unwind with a glass of wine is not inherently worse than becoming a Crossfit devotee. Discovering what works specifically for you is a huge component of meaningful self-care. Be highly skeptical of anyone who says their way is the only way.
…You can strive for self-actualization
To revisit our doctor analogy from earlier: any good doctor would tell you that prevention is a much better strategy for maintaining health than treatment. The ultimate purpose of everything we’ve discussed thus far–establishing good physical and mental health, cultivating a better awareness of yourself and your needs and wants–is to mitigate the stress in your life. No one can avoid it entirely, but putting good habits in place now will significantly reduce your risk of burnout later on.
Within the context of your entrepreneurial journey, this entails choosing for the self-care that works best for you and scheduling accordingly.
Put simply: pick what nourishes your soul, make the time for it, and commit.
Are you a yoga person? Join a studio and stick with it. Love to meditate? Make sure you pick a moment every day to get your zen on. Addicted to travel? Whenever you’re planning for your business, block off times where you can get away (and no, business conferences don’t count as a true escape). Take advantage of the fact that, as business owners, we have significant latitude to structure our schedules; why not do so in a way that not only works for your business, but your health as well? This is where self-care truly becomes self-empowerment.
In the end, getting a handle on your stress can mean so many things, depending on how you choose to go about it. It can be something small but consistent, like not having to dread Mondays, or it can be something more profound, like the ability to fully immerse yourself in the things that matter most to you. Either way, it’s giving yourself the power to make your life (and by extension, your business) better.
