A few months ago, when I was researching the phrase “you can’t pour from an empty cup,” I found a couple of articles that bothered me. One seemed to use Jesus as an example of someone who continuously poured out, without taking time to recharge. However, from Scripture, we know that Jesus often withdrew from the crowds to be alone with the Father or only in the company of the apostles. Even as crowds gathered to hear Him and be healed, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:15–16).
Another article pointed out how “self-care” has become a buzzword that covers anything from overindulging to extravagant getaways. The more I studied, the more I realized three simple truths that can change the way we view self-care.
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Self-care is NOT selfishness. On an airplane, we’re instructed to secure our own oxygen masks before helping others, even our children. You fill your gas tank before going on a trip (and routinely—hopefully—before the tank is empty and you end up on the side of the road). Think of self-care as routine maintenance to improve your overall performance and mileage.
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Self-care is a routine. As a mom, sometimes self-care is as simple as going to the bathroom alone, taking two minutes to cut your toenails, or 30 minutes to shower and wash your hair without interruptions. Self-care is developing habits that make your day better.
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In short, self-care is boring. Self-care is getting up a few minutes earlier to set your mindset for the day. Self-care is doing what you know is important for your emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Self-care is reining in bad habits and replacing them with better ones. Self-care is often doing the next right thing.
