Self care gets the buzz as Americans pulled in more directions – Bloomington Pantagraph

“To me, self care means, every day, engaging with people and things you love,” said Pavlik, 23, of Bloomington. “A lot of people think self care means taking it easy. Taking breaks is important but self care is making it a priority to take care of yourself.”

After years of an American culture that encouraged people to give their all to work, family, church and school, millennials like Pavlik are pushing self care into the forefront of the conversation, even though the idea has been around for generations.

“More families, workplaces, church groups, schools and health care professionals recognize and respect peoples’ need for self care,” said Erin Kennedy, manager of the Center for Healthy Lifestyles at OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center, Bloomington. “We’re no longer the suck-it-up, get-over-it culture. Our culture is adopting to it, allowing self-care measures … It’s more prevalent.”

It’s especially noticeable among millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996), who are 75 million strong and make up nearly 25 percent of the American population. In 2019, there were more people aged 22 than any other age.

And that means everything from business to education to shopping is bending to the needs and wants of a younger generation — and it’s making for a lot of societal change.

“It doesn’t matter” whether that’s good or bad, Kennedy said. “It’s where we are. And if we don’t make that change (allowing for more self-care), our next generation is not going to do well.”

Britt Mahrer, a psychotherapist writing for NAMI.org, boils down self care this way: “We simply need to knowingly engage in practices for our own benefit.”

Pavlik, for instance, takes her dog to work. She’s a data tech specialist at PATH (Providing Access to Help), the Bloomington agency that coordinates the Central Illinois Continuum of Care and programs for the homeless.

Executive Director Karen Zangerle said PATH has a workforce of dog lovers and allowing dogs has proven to be a no-cost employee benefit that reduces stress for everyone.

“I enjoy the dogs who come in,” she said. “I find it resting when they come into my office and I put them on my lap and talk with them and snuggle with them and then, off they go, and I go back to work.”

Self care takes different forms for different people — Pavlik, for instance, also sees a counselor — but it “is the practice of caring for your mind and body through a variety of practices,” said Deb Risberg, a Bloomington-Normal-based certified yoga instructor and yoga therapist.

“When you use the word ‘self,’ there is an association that it is a selfish thing, which isn’t true,” said Chelsea Mueller, director of outpatient services for Heritage Behavioral Health Care, which provides substance abuse and mental health services in Decatur and Clinton. “We’re prioritizing our own well-being … You can’t take care of others if you’re not taking care of yourself.”

In a 2018 report looking at self care and millennials, National Public Radio pointed to Pew Research Center findings that said “more millennials reported making personal improvement commitments than any generation before them. They spend twice as much as boomers on self-care essentials such as workout regimens, diet plans, life coaching, therapy and apps to improve their personal well-being.”

As we spend more and more time online, on our phones and wrap ourselves in a 24/7 news cycle, we lose track of who we are as people and compare ourselves to others who may not be presenting a true version of themselves. To make ourselves feel better, we often turn to the same technology for answers.

And millennials, more than any other age group, are more plugged in.

“People are focusing on self care because a lot of people feel overwhelmed by all the bad news in the world,” said Colleen O’Connor, prevention specialist with Bloomington-based Project Oz and coordinator of National Alliance on Mental Illness Ending the Silence suicide prevention program. “People are discouraged by the political chaos right now. We hear about mass shootings. It’s a lot to absorb. People feel the need to make changes to keep going.”

With technology, everything is measured — from work production to exercise results — and that adds to stress.

“We’re living in a culture where everything is immediately in your face, good or bad,” said Kevin Richardson, call center program manager for PATH, which operates the 211 crisis line for much of Central Illinois. “Social media has a big part in it.”

There’s another reason self care is trending.

“Millennials are saying ‘I need it. I want it. How do I make it a part of my life?'” Kennedy said. “Millennials ask employers ‘How can you support my healthy lifestyle?’ They are more likely to ask, ‘How can you help me to engage in self-care?’ rather than worrying about salary and benefits.”

Molly Smeltzer, director of fitness and wellness at the Advocate BroMenn Health & Fitness Center in Bloomington, agrees. “When I work on work-site wellness for community organizations, self care comes up quite a bit.”

It’s part of a new aesthetic for businesses that want to attract younger workers: collaborative spaces, financial guidance and ways to find a balance between work and life.

“It’s a different mindset,” Kennedy said. “The professional and personal boundaries are being removed. We have to make changes to support the next generation in joining us at the work site.”

But self care spans every age group. It’s not just something for millennials.

Amy Laible, 50, of Lexington, never considered self-care until a little more than a year ago. The one-to-one aide for special needs children at a Bloomington school found out her blood sugar levels had increased and, at 254 pounds, she was considered obese.

That’s common: If you don’t take care of yourself, you face increased risk of high blood pressure, digestive issues, obesity, heart disease and depression.

Laible’s doctor recommended a program for health management, she improved her eating habits and began exercising.

“Gradually, I got better,” she said.

She’s lost 90 pounds and wants to lose 10 more, has gained confidence and self-esteem and has more energy at work. “I love it,” she said. “I’m wondering if this is who I was meant to be.”

When you engage in self care, “Your relationships improve. You have different energy. You’re more honest with people, which means you’re keeping healthy relationships and unhealthy relationships dissipate,” Heritage’s Mueller said.

“When people understand what they need to live a healthy life, they will see the benefits in relationships, in their health and in their career.”