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We’re living in something of a self-care age. Few people don’t now own at least one meditation app, and most of us make at least half-hearted efforts to meditate once. We care about what’s going on in our bodies and minds. And, it’s doing a lot of us a world of good.
That said, self-care can become a drain on your time. Rome wasn’t built in a day, after all, and total mind-body harmony won’t be yours in ten minutes. Instead, it is vital to dedicate at least an hour or more of your evening. Unsurprisingly, then, those of us who work full-time can slip up on occasion.
You’ve had a long day, after all. Can you be bothered to get the yoga mat out? You may prefer to grab some junk food and chill in front of the television. If you slip like this often, you might even start wondering whether you should ditch self-care altogether. If that thought has crossed your mind recently, though, keep reading to find out why it would be a bad idea after all.
Your bad habits will soon spiral
Self-care and our focus on it is a fantastic way to reduce and even eliminate bad habits. A regular yoga habit could stop you feeling the need to turn to drink, while healthy eating could push you towards exercise. As soon as you drop those self-care balls, these bad habits will start crowding you. Your healthy eating kick could see you bingeing, while your sober period might leave you drinking so much you have little choice but to turn to sober living services. Before you know, you may start falling out with friends, or even feeling health complaints. All because you scrapped self-care.
Your mental health will surely struggle
Self-care is fantastic for mental health. Taking time out to sit with your thoughts can reduce anxiety and even increase your mood. As soon as you drop the self-care strategies, though, mental health issues could follow. This is especially the case if you suddenly stop a meditation practice that’s been a great help. Without that branch to hold onto, you’ll leave your mental health with nowhere to go but down.
Toxic emotions could creep in
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Along the mental vein, you may also find toxic emotions taking over soon after you neglect self-care. Meditation and other mindful practices help you check emotions like jealousy, anger, and resentment. Yet, without those quiet moments, you may soon resume resenting anyone who you perceive is taking your for granted. You may also find that your temper turns up a few notches when it notices you’re no longer keeping in check. As well as bringing you down, emotions like these can impact the people around you, and that’s never flattering.
So, you see; even if you think self-care is taking up too much of your evenings, be sure to remember that it’s there for a reason. You would undoubtedly regret letting things slide once these issues reared their ugly heads.
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