Now we get into the nitty-gritty of it.
A couple of years ago when I was working on my self-care framework, I was on a mission to simplify and edify self-care. Once things get into the zeitgeist, they start to lose all meaning.
Self-care when through such a transformation. 2 years ago, it was just starting to become mainstream and in the process, became a shell of what it really was. People are posting bubble baths, manicures, fancy salon treatments … and making a whole crew of people feel inadequate because they can’t “afford” self-care.
I was then, and still am, on a mission to show self-care of whatever you need it to be. My 5 Pillar framework is just that – a framework. It has general guidelines so that you hit all the self-care hotspots but within the framework, there’s enough room for you to make it your own.
The 5 Pillars of Self-Care are made of:
1) Nutrition
2) Movement
3) Connection
4) Mindset
5) Supplements
While I say they’re not listed in any particular order, I do have to state one caveat: the “Supplements” pillar is dependent on the other pillars. What I mean is that supplements in general are only as effective as the lifestyle they’re a part of. If you eat fast food multiple times a week and drink 3-4 drinks a week, no amount of supplements can undo the damage of the food and alcohol. They may help alleviate symptoms but the damage will still be there. (The damage I’m referring to is inflammation).
Each pillar is mostly self-explanatory – like I said, my goal was to make self-care simple but impactful. Each pillar also allows your intuition to guide you to what works best for you. I don’t prescribe a certain nutrition plan or workout regimen because what works for me may not work for you. Plus, the POINT of self-care is to fine-tune your intuition.
I’m going to do a deep-dive with each individual pillar over the next few weeks but for now, I wanna hear what you think of this framework. Does it help make sense of self-care for you? Can you see if there’s adjustments you need to make to your practice or have you got everything covered?
Drop your thoughts in the comments below!