If you do not take care of yourself, then do not expect that someone else will do that for you. Self-care is simply a conscious effort that one puts in place to take actions in order to maintain and improve their life and their wellbeing - including mental, physical, emotional wellbeing. Everyone has a need that needs to be met, so you have to try to recognise your own needs and then make the choices to take actions towards them. There are truths that you have to know about self-care and we shall take a look at some of them. ![self-care-2904778_640.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQ7MwsBBwSDM4qHykqKUyrGNtDMuLt9D3PQ3myFgSjmsL/self-care-2904778_640.jpg) _{Image from [Pixabay](https://pixabay.com/photos/self-care-umbrella-protection-2904778)} One very fundamental truth about self-care is that it is practically impossible and improbable to pour from an empty vessel. That is, you have to first take care of yourself before you will be able to help others. It is from what you have that you can give. When taking care of yourself, it should include your mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing. Just to let you know, self-care is not reserved for a selected few, neither is it a luxury, rather it is a necessity that will empower you in order to be the best for others. The world needs you, people need you, the community needs you, but more importantly, you need yourself to be at your best first. Another point to note as it relates to self-care is that taking care of yourself is not selfishness, rather it shows extensively how you love yourself. If you do not love yourself, by what magic do you hope to love others? It is sad to see people feel guilty because they took care of themselves or focused on themselves. Well, what they need to understand is that it is a form of self-respect and love. You have to first recognise and acknowledge yourself and your worth before you could do the same for others. Growth, happiness, development, even charity, is easier done by someone who has built up themselves by focusing first on the thing that matters - self-care. It is also worthy to note that you need to prioritise taking care of yourself. I have a friend who works in a company that distributes drinks. The work is such that no one is on salary but workers are rewarded based on commission basis. That is, the more you deliver, the bigger the commission you will get. So he would leave the house very early and come back in the dark hours of the night, so as deliver more and earn more. However, he forgot the place of self-care. The same company he gave all his life for, when he had a little health challenge, it was so sad that they did not even care about him. In fact, they moved on like no one was actually missed. This is why you have to make self-care a necessity - take care of yourself, your health, your emotions, etc. ![self-care-4778282_640.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVypnYPZigSbxXRPBaX1tYkxk6gHXtCuvEd91HgQoBvQo/self-care-4778282_640.jpg) _{Image from [Pixabay](https://pixabay.com/photos/self-care-health-relax-self-4778282)} Another very important point to note about self-care, is that taking a rest is not optional or negotiable but mandatory. You have to understand that rest is not a reward that you are given, rather it is a responsibility and a due you owe to your body. You have to learn to take rest willingly when it should, so that you will not be forced to take it unwillingly when you do not want to. The moment you take a rest should not be seen as wasted time or that you are lazy, rather it is a moment to recharge yourself and become better. In order to sustain your energy, and to focus well, you need to rest well. However, you also need to strike a balance while doing it. The next point that you need to take about self-care is that you deserve the same kindness and goodness that you show to others. It is true that you should treat others with kindness and compassion, but you also need to do the same to yourself. No wonder it is said that "charity that is shown outside begins at home." The good you do to others, you should also be a beneficiary of the same. You do not have to deny yourself the kindness you need because you want to be kind to others - you should balance it up. ***Thanks for reading***

Peace on y'all

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