2018 will be the year I ... take care of myself

There were a lot of popular words and phrases in 2017, but here's a phrase that really stuck with me:

Self Care

I've been reading blogs and seeing it everywhere, I've been telling my friends they need to take care of themselves; but when it comes to taking care of myself, I've really dropped the ball.

It's been years since my last doctor's visit. It had been years since my last dentist visit (I finally went last month). 

As much as I want to be just like my aunties, the ones who are still with me and the ones who have passed, this is one area where I need to do my own thing. My aunties were and are strong. They're brave. They're beautiful. They're smart. They're bold. They're the kind of people who take care of others and not themselves. And for the ones who aren't here anymore, I can't help but wonder what could've been if they took some time to care for themselves. Would they still be here if they went to the doctor regularly? What could one full hour of relaxation have done for them mentally, physically, spiritually?

I remember thinking about this with tears rolling down my cheeks as I rocked my best friend's baby to sleep the day my "honorary auntie" died this past fall. 

Am I doing what I can to make sure I stick around for as long as possible? Going to the doctor and to the dentist and to the spa and to the gym makes me a better me. And a better me is a better auntie to all the kiddos.

Currently, I'm attempting to trick myself into going to the doctor and the dentist with a reward. I've been really wanting to dye my hair more (let's get more gold in that crown of mine!) so I've made it the reward for an end of the year weight goal I'm shooting for (pray for me -- why did I think I could lose weight during the holiday season??). But here's the catch: I cannot set foot in the hair salon until I have gone to the dentist and the doctor. I've already gone to the dentist, now I just have to go to the doctor for my check-up.

I also want to really invest in "me time" this year. Since I live alone and don't have a boyfriend or husband, I have a lot of "me time." But I want REAL "me time." The kind that involves me getting a massage. Or taking a bath. Or journaling outside. 

In 2018, I'm making sure I make time for me.

How do you practice self care?