“When you say ‘yes’ to others make sure you are not saying ‘no’ to yourself.” — Paulo Coelho

How do you practice self-care? (There is no wrong answer.)

For me, self-care isn’t bubble baths and spa days, although if that’s your thing, more power to you (and personally, I never say no to cucumber water!). My own version of self-care is quieter, slower, and stitched together with stories. I practice it every time I close the door, pick up my coffee cup, and open a book. I practice it when I sit down to write, even if the words come out in a tangle.

Reading and writing are a refuge. They remind us that imagination is powerful, and that joy doesn’t have to be loud. Sometimes, the best medicine is a quiet morning with a cozy mystery, or an hour spent in a fictional town where the leaves are always turning and the scones are always hot. We give ourselves permission to step away from the noise and into those worlds, knowing we’ll come back feeling a little more like ourselves.

And yes, there are days when self-care looks like getting the bookkeeping done, organizing my desktop, or even answering emails. But more often than not, it looks like turning the page. Because stories heal. Stories help us breathe.

Okay, your turn. How do you practice self-care?