Self-Care: More Than Bubble Bath!

I was reading a zine by Meg-John Barker about self-care which introduced me to the work of Audre Lorde, the black feminist writer and activist. Lorde argued "caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation and that is an act of political warfare." I often find myself talking about self-care and frequently face comments such as 'I need to do something, not take a bubble bath' or 'I have to focus on others first before me.' Self-care, however, is essential! As Barker points out, it means surviving in a world that may not want me to thrive, caring demonstrates I recognise my worth, it gives me energy which helps me to look after others and finally, it can help me pick my battles as I am calmer, stronger and, therefore, more resilient.