We've probably heard the terms "self-care" and "self-love" before. However, we may not understand what they mean in practice. It can be difficult to separate self-care from self-love and determine where one begins and the other ends.

In this article, we’ll explain the definition of self-care and self-love, and misconceptions about each phenomena.

What is self-care?

Self-care refers to everything we do to look after ourselves on a physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual level.

It can range from basic self-care, such as brushing our teeth and going to bed at a reasonable hour, to things that make us feel better but aren't necessarily necessary, such as carving out time to read a book or indulging in our favorite bubble bath.

What is self-love?

Accepting ourselves unconditionally is the essence of self-love. It includes how we speak to ourselves, how we feel about ourselves, and how we act. It isn't about believing that every aspect of our personality and body is fantastic. However, it is about loving ourselves despite our perceived flaws.

Preconceived notions about self-care

When we talk about taking care of ourselves physically, emotionally, and mentally, we're talking about taking care of our basic needs first and working our way up. Feeling safe, secure, and warm, as well as taking our medications as prescribed, having enough food and water, and getting enough rest, are all basic needs.

It's a common misconception that self-care has to be expensive. Self-care could include bath bombs, pampering sessions, and spa days. Self-care, on the other hand, is a much broader concept that varies from a person to another.

Preconceived notions about self-love

When someone is described as someone who 'loves themselves,' it's often in a negative light. It's a common misconception that loving ourselves means we're arrogant, self-important, and have an inflated self-esteem.

It's a damaging myth that many of us interpret as "I don't love myself, so no one else will." Even if we don't know where they fall on the 'self-love-o-meter,' most of us have at least one person, animal, or thing that we adore.

When we love someone who struggles with self-love, it can be painful to see them struggle because we care about them so much. But that doesn't change our feelings for them.

So, no matter what we feel about self-care & self-love, it’s important to know that we’re not alone & we should always be confident. Shop at our website for products that elevate your self-confidence.