I have a confession to make. I am obsessed with nail wraps. Absolutely…obsessed. I just found out about these a few months ago and must have 30 sets by now (thank goodness the brand I get are really inexpensive). I’ve always liked how my nails look when polished, but I couldn’t justify making the time. I’m usually impatient to get to the next thing on my to-do list and end up messing them up soon after I’ve done them anyway.  I love going to the salon to get a mani/pedi but again I struggle to make the time for myself and it’s expensive to do regularly. And there’s still the annoying drying time!

Sometimes I feel silly because it’s such a small thing, but the truth is they make me really happy. I love the different patterns, the glitter, the colors.  It’s a small form of self-expression to have sparkly or fun fingertips. And they only take about 10 minutes to apply and no drying time needed! I can take 10 minutes for something that makes me happy all week.

We women have been conditioned to put the needs of others first. We anticipate and manage what everyone else needs, but when it comes to doing something for ourselves, the guilt kicks in. That would be selfish, and we can’t be selfish. As much as we say, “self-care isn’t selfish”, I have yet to find one woman who actually believes that. Why is it a bad thing for us to meet our needs first once in a while? It doesn’t mean we sacrifice caring for our families, friends, pets, the planet, or the global population while we care for ourselves. We matter just as much as everyone else. Self-care is doing something just for you that makes you happy in the moment. Lighting a candle, taking 5 extra minutes in the shower (or some days, just taking a shower), playing your favorite music when making dinner, listening to an inspiring podcast while folding laundry, or taking 10 minutes to put on fun nail wraps all counts as self-care. I think we often think only the grand gestures like spa days and vacations count as self-care so no wonder we never do it. Take just 5 or 10 minutes for you. See what a difference meeting your own needs can make.