u are of no service to anyone if u are not taking care of yourself. one thing i've found helpful in cultivating a self care practice is acknowledging the fact that working on yourself is for the betterment of all those around u - if u are feeling relaxed and well taken care of, those around u pick up on that, if u are feeling overwhelmed and stressed, those around u will pick up on that too. the tendency to beat yourself up for needing time to rest has been wired into us, we fear what might happen to us if we are not productive. we are not meant to work and be productive all the time for when we are we are missing the very core of being human. and when i talk about self care i'm not taking about the kind you see branded all over social media, i'm talking about sitting in silence for a while, make a cup of tea and sitting with it, going for a little walk. it doesn't have to be some big thing, ten minutes a day is plenty to form a habit. whenever you feel down about taking time for yourself just remember that this time helps u to be a light for those around u.