Blog Home renaissance Foundation-Angela de Miguel

One of the talking and learning points of recent years has been the topic of self-care. A talking point because there has been much discussion on what it means and how it is applied – and marketed. A learning point because within some of the heat of this conversation has been some real light on the value of remembering to take care of ourselves.

Part of the problem with the term self-care is that we have an historic and linguistic reflex to contrast selfish (focusing on oneself) with selfless (focusing on others) behaviours. This is unhelpful, and has perhaps been exacerbated by the media’s mantras of “me-time” and “because I am worth it” related to luxury consumer goods.

In fact self-care is a vital component of all caring attitudes and activities. In order to attend to the needs of others we need to make sure that we are “fit” enough. The illustration most often used to make this point is the aeroplane safety instruction: to make sure you put on your own oxygen mask before helping anyone else.

Recognising what our own oxygen masks look like is an important and healthy life-skill. Attending to our needs for good nutrition and regular exercise are basic self-care responses and if neglected benefit no one.

The philosophical underpinning of the value of self-care was brilliantly articulated by Professor Nancy Snow of the University of Kansas at our recent Expert Meeting in Barcelona. Beginning with Plato and Aristotle, and by way of British philosopher Iris Murdoch, Professor Snow made a compelling case for self-care, which requires self-knowledge and healing strategies to allow positive contribution to wider relationships. This begins in the healthy choices, attitudes and behaviours modelled and learnt in the home.

Giving time to ourselves to find out how we can best flourish is time well spent, and “invested” in how we care for and enjoy each other.

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