In honor of International Women’s Month, BLOOM magazine invited me to discuss the importance of Self-care for women in today’s world. It was an honor to be highlighted by such an impactful organization!
To the men out there, I would give you the same exact advice I shared below for women. xo
Self-care is important. We hear this all the time, but what does it really mean?
For Kerstie Blue, Life Coach / CEO of Her Own Life / CPA / Yogi, self-care is about taking care of herself first and foremost so that she can take care of others. It’s about creating a life that she loves and being intentional about her own happiness.
In honor of International Women’s Month, BLOOM Magazine (the community + magazine exclusively for claims, medical and risk professionals in the workers’ compensation sector) sat down with Kerstie to discuss the importance of self-care and how it has positively impacted her life and career.
What Is Self-Care and Why Is It So Important for Your Health?
KB: Self-care is the practice of treating ourselves with the same love and respect we have for others. It’s treating ourselves with care and compassion in all the ways we crave it. It’s the way we water our own roots so we can be fruitful for those we care about. Self-care activities involve things like caring for your physical appearance, understanding your emotions, and making sure you are having fun in life.
Why is Self-Care important, particularly for women?
KB: Women are constantly nurturing and taking care of others. The emotional toll of playing this role can also physically deplete us very quickly. If you can envision a faucet, it’s like leaving the tap water running hot and walking away. Eventually, the hot water runs cold. Self-care is the ability to turn the tap off so the water has a chance to get hot again. This happens to women when they’ve nurtured someone for too long without taking time to rebuild their own strength, emotionally and physically. The care they give begins to run out of the genuine warmth and love it was once filled with.
What part of your self-care routine is most important to you? And is there one vital to you even when you are having the worst day?
KB: The most important part of my self-care routine is my morning meditation. My body, mind, and soul need dedicated, tranquil time to come to a complete stop. This helps reset my mood, my nervous system, and completely calms me into a state of bliss. It sets the intention for my day to be filled with love, patience, kindness, and compassion for not only myself but also everyone around me.
What do you think are some of the most common misconceptions about self-care?
KB: I think our society has confused the idea of “treating yourself” with self-care. “Treat yourself” has been made into a rally cry for shopping sprees and unnecessary consumption of more “stuff” that we think will make us happy in the long term, but it’s a very short-term fix. Self-care is much deeper than a credit card swipe – it’s meant to fill your heart with love, your head with peace, and your body with joy.
What tips, resources, or advice can you share for anyone struggling with self-care?
KB: My number-one tip to help people figure out their best self-care activities is to think back to your teenage or college years. What was one thing you were always excited to do on your day off or with your free time? Whatever that was, find a way to incorporate even 15 minutes of doing that thing each week. Over time, increase the amount of time doing this thing you enjoy and see how it affects your mood the rest of the day.
Kerstie Blue 