MARCH: Self-care: What Does Its Value Mean to You
By Anita Banks
About mid-way through SEEK 2025, you may have noticed an increase in your energy level and a little more pep in your step. Likely it was attributed to the healthy fruits and vegetables, less meat, and purging of salty snacks and alcohol from your diet. Providing the body with healthy nutrition is an important example of self-care. The value of self-care, that is, maintaining a healthy state of mind and body, cannot be overstated.
Self-care is an investment in yourself, where you prioritize your spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional well-being. The American Psychological Association (APA) defines self-care as ‘providing adequate attention to one’s own physical and psychological wellness.’ Many self-care definitions, although they somewhat differ, center on the opportunity to care for yourself.
With busy lifestyles, self-care must be intentional. For those of us with ‘sun-kissed skin tones, ’ finding exhaustion from societal pressures, racism, sexism, and other ‘isms’ that challenge all lives makes it imperative to care for and love oneself. The preventative benefits of regular self-care can be achieved in various ways. The list might include a regular meditation schedule, go hiking, establish boundaries, adequate sleep, reframe negative thoughts, move beyond retribution, positive mindfulness, pray continually, trust God for inner peace, among so many other ways to which you may personalize. There are wellness apps created to assist you in reaching your self-care goals.
Scripture reminds us: Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. I Cor 6:19-20 NLT
We honor God by maintaining our body with a high level of reverence intended.
There is a saying that, “a break is often a long ignored crack.” Use godly wisdom and take seriously the value of self-care. It serves as a preemptive measure to avoid the possibility of your approaching ‘break’ or what is commonly referred to as a point of burnout.
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