One of the most important life skills is never taught.

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We don't learn it in school.

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Our parents never really teach it to us.

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Society in general is fairly ignorant of it.

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Yet in order for us to have a fulfilling life, this one skill is so essential.

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It is essential not because we can't live without it.

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Or because it will make a lot of money for us.

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It won't even provide us with any security.

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But this one life skill is so important, so central to our well being, that we can always learn to do it better.

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And that is the skill of Self Care.

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Self Care is not about indulgence or being lazy.

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It is not about eating ice cream or chocolate when we don't feel good.

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Self Care is about truly meeting our needs in a fundamental way.

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About nourishing our body, our heart, our mind and our soul.

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Self Care is about knowing when one aspect is being neglected while another aspect is being pampered.

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Sometimes we think that Self Care is about sitting on the couch and binge watching our favorite series.

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And perhaps sometimes, it is.

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Real Self Care is ultimately about taking care of ourselves in a way that allows us to thrive and flourish.

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By meeting physical and emotional needs we are better able to perform at work or show up for a friend in need.

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It can look very differently from one person to another.

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Perhaps for one person Self Caring is about taking time to be alone and just be with oneself.

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For another person it might be about hanging out with friends and connecting on personal level.

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And yet for another it could be about going to a performance to satisfy their esthetic needs.

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There is no one way to practice Self Care.

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The key is to take care of yourself in what you truly need in the moment.

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Like going to the doctor or the dentist when you are in pain.

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Or getting a massage when your body aches.

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Spending time in nature surrounded by the beauty of a forest, or the ocean, or mountains, or a lake, can be Self Care.

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We are not taught this most indispensable skill because the previous generations did not really learn about it themselves.

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They were too busy just surviving to learn what it takes to thrive.

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Not thriving in a materialistic, money driven way, but in a soulful, heart driven way.

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To practice Self Care is to say to life 'I am worth it!' and mean it.

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It is demonstrating to your own nervous system that it is safe to be alive, and there is space for your own needs.

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Imagine what the world would look like if everyone practiced true Self Care?

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Perhaps there would be fewer wars, less strife, more compassion.

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For when we meet our own needs by practicing Self Care, it is far easier for us to be compassionate and kind to others.

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By truly taking care of ourselves, we have more space in our lives to show up in the best way possible.

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The truly amazing thing is. when we really practice Self Care, life will support us and help us to keep taking better care of ourselves.

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So where in your life can you learn to be better at Self Care?

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Is there some aspect of your life that requires your attention and Self Care?

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~ Sam Liebowitz, The Conscious Consultant

Host of The Conscious Consultant Hour