Proactive Self-Care vs. Reactive Aftercare: Building a Resilient Life

In our fast-paced, high-stress world, the concept of "self-care" has become increasingly popular. But the reality is, what most people are calling self-care isn't really self-care - it's aftercare.

Both are important for managing stress but they differ in some significant ways.

Self-care is proactive and preventative when it comes to stress. It involves cultivating daily habits and routines to support our overall physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. This includes things like getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, eating right, exercising, etc.

Aftercare, on the other hand, is a reactive response that helps us cope with stressful events after the fact. It can include things like getting a massage, binge watching a tv show, taking time off, etc.

Think of it like the difference between car maintenance and car repair: self-care is like getting regular oil changes and tune-ups to keep your car functioning optimally, whereas aftercare is like bringing your car to a mechanic after a breakdown or accident. However, if you don't regularly invest in car maintenance, there's a good chance you'll need costly repairs more often and it could shorten the life of your car.

The same is true for human beings.

A lot of people don't make time for real self-care. Instead, they'll let the compounding effects of chronic stress and overexertion build, sporadically using aftercare to relieve some of the pressure. Unfortunately, the relief provided by this is only temporary and, if nothing changes, these strategies become less effective over time, increasing the negative impact of stress.

True self-care requires consistent, intentional effort to build habits that support our wellbeing day-in and day-out, not just when we're at a breaking point. It's about finding the right balance and consistently doing what energizes and replenishes us, and leveraging aftercare when something elevates our stress levels above baseline.

This is how you build resilience and protect against burnout.

So invest in your long-term health and happiness by prioritizing your self care. Your future self will thank you for it.