If there is one myth I’d love to blow up it’s this: Self-care is selfish. Okay, maybe two: Therapy is for the weak.

I’d also love to rebrand self-care as self-compassion. It’s more a way of being with yourself rather than a way of doing for yourself. Sure, both are important, but I believe if we know how to be with ourselves, befriend ourselves, and speak to ourselves like we would a loved one, the loving actions will surely follow.

And so the basis for self-care is really self-understanding. Thich Nhat Hahn said, “Understanding is love’s other name.” I surely believe this. And so the basis of any self-care regimen is just that: to understand ourselves.

The Enneagram is the best tool we have for developing more self-understanding. This is one of the reasons I believe that it is the basis for any self-care regimen or mindset. We can be with ourselves with more ease when we understand the motivations for how we think, feel, and act. These motivations populate our thoughts and as a result, our beliefs about life, relationships, and the world around us.

Again, the beginning of love is understanding. This is crucial.

You may be very familiar with your Enneagram type wondering, what next?

As we develop greater self-awareness and understanding, we build a beautiful foundation to then create rhythms, rituals, or practices in our daily lives to further bake-in this loving relationship with ourselves. These practices help us solidify the true, essential desires and intentions we have for ourselves. In essence, they improve our overall quality of life, mind, body, and heart, bringing balance where there is imbalance.

They also help us process and manage the stressors we bump up against each and every day. I think we’ve all become increasingly aware of the uncertainties and difficulties of life in 2020. Creating a self-care regimen allows us to control that which we can: our choices, habits, and mindset.

I’ve created a simple plan for us to practice, taking the guesswork out of self-care. It involves three pillars, or parts: meditation, self-compassion, and writing. These are built on the baseline of self-understanding which I prescribe through the Enneagram.

If you are longing for a deeper, more accepting relationship with yourself this year, I invite you to join me in The Practice, my brand new self-care subscription program. You can learn more about The Practice in the video below.

Next week, I’ll walk you through the three pillars of the Practice, unpacking each one so you can better understand what to expect.

Whereas life is wrought with uncertainty, you are not powerless! It’s time to take back that power. I hope you’ll join me.

Love & Gratitude,

Katie

P.S. Need a little nudge? I’d love for you to sign up for The Practice, my new monthly subscription that helps take the guesswork out of self-care. Watch the video below to learn more.