It’s 3:00 a.m. 

The world is silent, and the stars twinkle in the ink-filled sky. You lie in bed, scrolling through your phone—restless and unable to sleep. 

It’s dark all around, yet the light from your phone reflects in your eyes as you scroll through posts without thinking. It should be the time for a good night’s rest yet you tell yourself you’ll sleep later, until the sun peeks over the horizon. 

And the cycle repeats.

Every single day, you’re slowly wearing down your body because you've forgotten how to look after yourself.

Then, many say a statement:

“Self-care is a luxury.”

It’s a common saying nowadays, spreading how self-care is only for the privileged—for those who have the time for it.

But what if I tell you, self-care doesn’t need to take a big chunk of your day? That it doesn’t need to be treating yourself to the most expensive of gifts, or the tastiest of meals, but simply to be?

Sure, fancy spa days and romantic bubble baths with scented candles are a form of self-care. 

But it’s more than that.

It’s when you notice how tense you’ve been throughout a busy school day, and choose to breathe deeply, mindful of each inhale and exhale.

When you see the thoughts that bite hard, and instead of burying them deep down, you embrace them despite the pain, acknowledging how hard it must have been underneath.

It’s knowing the edge of your limits, and choosing to slow down. Not because you are weak, but because it's not worth jumping mindlessly into—sacrificing your peace and well-being.

Self-care is being attentive to yourself.

Just as the physical body requires care, so does the mind. Because the mind and body are intertwined, sharing the same feelings.

And there are many ways to take care of yourself; everyone has their own ways to do so.

Someone may pick up a pen and choose to bleed on paper, letting the ink flow in place of words unsaid. Each stroke becomes a release, each line a voice for what was once choked down to the throat. 

Some move and feel, dancing side by side with their feelings. Slow and deliberate, or fast and impactful, depending on the dancer's preference.

It can also be as simple as feeling together with the body, walking through the lush vegetation of the environment, feeling the paper-thin strands of grass against your ankles.

Or you turn to God—praying to Him about your day, ranting about the smallest of things because you know that He will listen.

In a quiet room, clasping hands into a prayer, you let everything flow out while He smiles—ready to bring you the good of tomorrow. 

Giving you what you need, because He has a plan for you.

There are countless ways to care for yourself, whether through creative expressions of the mind, a stroll in the outside sun, or a space for feeling—letting one recover from the day's hardship through silent prayers. 

And not one is invalid.

Because at the core of every act of self-care, you choose yourself—and will continue to choose yourself because you matter, no matter what anyone says.

So, give a little kindness to yourself sometimes. 

Wrap yourself in warm blankets, lie on your bed with lights off, and phone set aside. 

Let the silence hold you.

And then this time, choose to close your eyes and rest because you deserve every second of it.