When I was introduced to the concept to self care, I was under the impression it was a fairly new thing. Seems I was wrong. Go figure. My self care introduction came via the Stoics quite a few years ago. And the Stoics is still my go-to crew when reading about ancient self care. I learned pretty quickly however that Zeno, the founding father of The Stoic School, was very much influenced by Socrates and his “self knowledge for care of self” model. This model encapsulates the heart and soul of personal growth, well being, and flourishing.
Self care as we know it today, medically anyway, came to be back in the 1950s. It described practices designed to help institutionalized patients who were elderly or dealing with mental illness to regain a sense of self worth by way of personal care activities. Medical practitioners encouraged patients to engage in tasks like exercising, personal grooming, and healthy eating as a way to create a sense of autonomy and improve overall health.
As the concept of self care became less medical and started creeping into the mainstream, the meaning began to evolve. In and around the 80s it began to permeate pop culture through wellness and lifestyle conversations. Practices like yoga and meditation were picking up steam in the West and a new emphasis on leisure and health was born. 911 and even more recently COVID 19 put a spotlight on self care, particularly in the context of dealing with trauma and isolation. Social media has played the role of double edged sword in terms of self care. On one side, the huge increase and reach of broad sharing perspectives expands our education and application of self care information, social media simultaneously is capable of causing the exact traumas causing the need for more and better self care.
Scientific and holistic views of self care are also on the move. In the past few decades researchers have recognized that self care is a connection of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well being. It’s a network where practices such as mindfulness, journaling, and spending time in nature have all gained recognition as important components of self care.
At the same time the scientific community has also begun to acknowledge the importance of self care. Researchers routinely collect data supporting that consistent self care practices lead to reduced stress, improved mental health, better physical health outcomes, and increased overall life satisfaction. This shift in scientific backing has helped to bring the world of self care from the land of “woo woo” into the land of recognized “common knowledge”.
With this shift from “woo woo crackpots” into scientifically recognized “everyone knows that”, self care has become a booming industry. For good or ill. Grifters have latched on to the concept and begun marketing all types of products and services promising short cuts to utopia. This commercialization has led to discontent, dilution, and an off putting move towards consumerism.
In spite of this, the foundational principles of self care remain relevant. Our world is one of ever increasing stress. Taking the time to care for ourselves, whether through some simple daily rituals or finely tuned wellness routines is essential for maintain our physical and mental health.
We cannot be dissuaded by a few bad actors promising results without the work. There are no free lunches. As time moves along the concept of self care will continue to evolve. Advancements in technology will produce new forms of self care likely to include AI assisted wellness programs and virtual reality relaxation experiences. Regardless of what new technologies come to pass, the fundamentals of exercise and mindfulness will remain constant. Those two things cannot be cut short.
The historical journey of self care has been one spanning philosophical concept to medical certainty recognizing it as a load bearing pillar component of overall health. As our world continues to (d)evolve, our understanding and practices of self care will adapt as well to meet the changing needs of individuals and communities.
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