WHAT!? I’m actually NOT sick of the activities that people categorize as self-care, but I’m sick of talking about it as self-care, and here are my two main reasons why:
People don’t actually prioritize self-care.
Self-care looks different to everyone.
Stay with me on this! Let's begin with an important point. We live in a society where being busy is often regarded as a sign of success. But what happens when we get overwhelmed with busyness? The self-care activities we should prioritize often end up neglected. People don't actually prioritize their self-care. I can relate to this—it has been my experience as well!
In 2024, my goal was to grow Breakthrough Fitness as much as possible after having my daughter in 2023. However, this meant squeezing my strength training workouts into the gaps of my day and perhaps fitting in a few walks or bike rides each week without any real plan or intention. I also found myself neglecting to nourish my body properly through nutrition, rest, and education. I know these elements are essential, but they were overlooked when I focused on my work.
I hadn’t seen my friends and family nearly as much, and my weekly date nights with my husband had become non-existent. Towards the end of 2024, I wasn’t feeling good about myself and was worried about the growth of Breakthrough. Although I had no real reason to be concerned about the business, I think business owners naturally carry the stress that something could go wrong.
After a session with my business coach (the amazing Ali Moledina | Kaizen Business Coaching & Consultancy), where I spent about 15 minutes expressing my worries about the business, we conducted a little analysis. To my surprise (though not my coach's), the business was performing better than ever. That’s when I realized I needed to step back from my obsession with the business and focus more on myself. I know this advice well — I preach it to my clients all the time — but I hadn’t been listening to my own words.
As 2025 rolled around, I decided it was time to prioritize myself every single day as a non-negotiable. I planned out 30 minutes daily for physical activity: strength training two days a week, biking or running two to four days a week, and incorporating at least one rest day along with some stretching or yoga before bed. I also made an effort to seek weekly chiropractic care and to get a monthly massage.
To further improve my well-being, I implemented a no-screens rule after putting my daughter to bed. My husband and I established a monthly meal plan, rotating through recipes to make weekly meal planning easier. Now, two full months into 2025, I feel like a new person. I’m sleeping well, waking up before my alarm filled with energy, my body feels great, I have mental clarity, and my stress levels are low. Even when challenging situations arise, I find that I can handle them.
So, that brings me to why I decided to stop using the term "self-care" because, last year, I labeled my exercise, nutrition, sleep, and other health-related activities as self-care, which led me to not prioritize them. This year, I changed my approach and categorized them as non-negotiable items in my calendar, and now I make it a point to follow through. This mindset shift has truly changed my life!
And as I mentioned in the beginning, self-care looks different for everyone. For me, self-care included exercise, sleep, and nutrition, while for you, it might mean getting your nails done every few weeks, traveling to new place, leaving work early on Fridays, or whatever brings you joy. I think all of it can be self-care. If you are happier, healthier, and more stress free when you get your nails done every 3 weeks, then you do that! If you enjoy traveling, find out how to make it happen instead of never planning that trip. You have to make your self-care happen.
I'd love to give a couple of shoutouts to my self-care team:
My amazing Chiropractor: Courtney at Ambiente Gallery
Wonderful Massage from Elements Massage in Roseville
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