This Is What Self-Care Actually Is—and What It Isn't

There's a lot of chatter about "self-care". Between wellness and beauty companies promising to release feel-good endorphins with every product and being told to take more baths and learn to meditate, it can be confusing to determine what "you" time really should be—and shouldn't be. 

Self-care isn't spending all our money on shopping therapy, having an extra drink because we 'deserve it' after a hard day, or taking too much time away from our responsibilities for an expensive spa day or trip.

When we make these excuses for ourselves, we aren't reaping the real benefits, since they provide instant gratification without a long-lasting impact.