This post was originally published on Afro
By Megan Sayles
Although reducing stress and promoting well-being go hand in hand for many, it’s easy to confuse the act of “self-soothing” with what is called “self-care.”
The former is typically reactive and occurs when a person engages in an activity to provide instant relief for emotional, mental, or physical distress. The latter is a proactive and long-term practice to build resilience and meet your wellness needs.
“There’s self-soothing and self-care. Self-soothing is when we naturally feel good doing things, like getting our hair done. Emotionally, it helps us for that moment,” said Nik Sweeney, CEO of Amani Nicol Wellness. “Self-care is an intentional effort to better yourself, whether it’s physically, emotionally, or mentally.”