International Self-Care Day: Redefining What It Means to Take Care of Yourself
Spindrift Massage & Bodywork Therapy | Outer Banks, NC
Each year on July 24, International Self-Care Day serves as a reminder that taking care of yourself isn’t optional—it’s essential. But despite how often we hear the term “self-care,” it’s still widely misunderstood.
Self-care isn’t always about spa treatments or vacations. It’s a spectrum, and some of the most important forms of self-care aren’t glamorous at all. True self-care helps you stay regulated, grounded, and connected to what you need in order to show up fully in your life.
Self-Care Isn’t One Size Fits All
Self-care is deeply personal. It can be as basic as getting to bed on time or as intentional as carving out space for silence and reflection. It changes based on your life stage, energy, and current stress levels—and that’s exactly what makes it powerful.
Foundational Self-Care: The Often Overlooked Essentials
Not all self-care is luxurious. In fact, the most essential kinds are often the quietest:
Saying no to things that drain you
Setting clear boundaries with your time and energy
Keeping regular meals and hydration routines
Limiting overstimulation and screen fatigue
Asking for help or saying, “I need a break”
Following up with your physical or mental health providers
These habits create stability—not just for your physical health, but for your nervous system and emotional wellbeing.
Supportive Self-Care: Reset and Regulation
Beyond the basics, supportive self-care includes the things that help you pause and reset:
Restorative movement or stretching
Quiet time outside
Mindful journaling or breathwork
Listening to calming music or podcasts
Making time to be alone with your thoughts
These are not indulgences—they are restorative practices that help restore energy and bring clarity back to your day.
Therapeutic Self-Care: Where Massage Can Support You
At a certain point, your body and mind may need more intentional support, and this is where massage therapy can play a vital role.
Massage offers:
Relief from chronic muscular tension
Regulation of the nervous system
Increased circulation and lymphatic flow
Time for deep rest in a safe, quiet space
At Spindrift Massage & Bodywork Therapy, we create a personalized experience based on your needs—whether it’s grounding and gentle or focused and therapeutic. If you’re visiting or local and searching for massage OBX options that go beyond surface relaxation, our sessions are tailored to support your full body wellness.
This International Self-Care Day, consider what self-care looks like for you—right now.
Maybe it’s holding a boundary, turning off your phone, or simply giving yourself permission to rest. Or maybe it’s finally making time for the therapeutic massage your body has been asking for.
Whatever it is, let it come from a place of care—not obligation.
