My Self-Care Revolution
Belle Curve Storyteller Robyn Williams reflects on how caring for herself allows her to better care for others.
I am a huge proponent of self-care. For me, it’s not a routine. It’s a revolution. To understand why self-care is so important to me, you need to understand a little bit about my life.
On the weekends, I work a part-time second job supporting traumatized youth who have serious mental illnesses. It’s a role that is actually more of a second calling than a second job. In the process, I have become very aware, not only of the toll that trauma can have on our mental and physical well-being, but also of the transferable nature of trauma and the fact that when we carry unaddressed trauma in our bodies, it manifests as physical illness.
In addition, I have spent many years as a caregiver in my personal life, first for my mom, and after she passed, I poured that energy into my elderly neighbor. The act of caretaking adds meaning to my life. I find giving to others to be very fulfilling. Helping someone else to survive and thrive feels good. However, it can also be exhausting.
Life is filled with stressors. Your stressors will differ from mine. However, if like I have, you find yourself in a position where you are in the role of heavy load bearer, either by choice or by circumstance, it’s essential to ask yourself this question: “What do I need right now in light of all that’s going on around me?” And then it’s vital to take the necessary time to allow yourself to regroup and recover through self-care. In addition, self-care is how I demonstrate to myself that I am worthy of the same grace that I so readily extend to others.
Self-care doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. It could be a walk in the park, spending time in a garden, journaling, painting by numbers, crossword puzzles, a manicure, pedicure, facial, or treating myself to something that makes me feel good about myself. Every time I engage in self-care, I am showing up for myself. I encourage you to do the same!
From my personal experience, while it’s easy for me to find time to care for others, I need to really be intentional to find time to take care of myself. If I don’t schedule time, I simply won’t do it. Saturdays are my self-care days. I use the day to enforce my “wellness, recovery, action plan.” My self-care Saturdays flow as follows:
After I get off work from my Friday overnight job, my first stop is Urban Care Chiropractic. I see Dr. Snook regularly, not because anything’s currently wrong, but because I believe in preventative maintenance. After the electrical stimulation table, Dr. Snook aligns my spine and adjusts my neck and back. Following this, I see one of his massage therapists for a 50-minute massage or acupuncture session.
My next stop is one block over at the StretchLab. I love this place! There is nothing like assisted stretches. Diego is my miracle worker. He always leaves me feeling like I’ve achieved greater flexibility throughout my body. If you haven’t tried the StretchLab, put that on your list!
My last self-care stop of the day is two blocks over at a place called Perspire, where I’m greeted by Robert and Travis who always have smiles and jokes for me and make me feel like a queen from the moment I walk through the door! Upon entering the red-light sauna, I put on a hydrating facial mask and my sauna sunglasses. The television in my room is tuned to a channel with meditative music, and I bake from 130° to 150° for forty minutes. I use the time to pray and thank God for this journey that He has me on. Afterward, I take a nice, quick shower. By the time I leave Perspire, I truly am floating back to my car.
As I’m walking from one self-care appointment to the next, I know a deep sense of gratitude and happiness that I had this time to show up for myself.
Self-care looks different for each of us. I hope reading about my self-care routine here has inspired someone to do something similar for him or herself.
What does self-care look like for you? Tell me in the comments!
— Robyn
Written by Robyn Williams. Edited by Teresa Bellock & Sandra Ditore.
Belle Curve Stories is brought to you by Belle Curve Ventures LLC.
NOTE: Robyn was originally featured in Belle Curve Stories on April 25, 2024. See In Her Words: Robyn Williams, Wealth Management Pro By Day; Counselor and Author By Night and On Weekends
Robyn Williams, 61, is a life-long Chicagoan who wears many hats. In addition to part-time work in the mental-health field, she works as a business development manager for a wealth management advisory firm. A huge literacy advocate, Robyn founded The Bestow Foundation, a non-profit literacy organization dedicated to improving literacy skills of Chicago-area adults and families. Robyn has a master of science degree in health communications from Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois. She is a published author who has written several novels, as well as some well-researched non-fiction work.
For more information on Robyn’s books, visit her website. You can also find her on Instagram @authorrobynwilliams.
Robyn, thank you for sharing your journey in reclaiming your wellness. I would love to spend Saturday following your regime. Thank you dear friend!