What is the difference between stress-recovery and self-care? According to my own experience, stress-recovery is necessary to simply regain a sense of bearing, productivity, relating and peace, after having had to endure various hardships, conflicts or traumas. It can be to sleep and rest, but it can also be restful activities, such as going for a walk, putter around the house with chores, practice qigong, or letting emotions out, by ourselves, with a friend or partner, or with a licensed therapist.

Self-care is more about rewarding oneself with something like a spa-treatment, new hairdo or indulge in a long bath and a good meal, to refill our cup in a pro-active way. It’s also to set boundaries and lessen what causes stress.

Self-care is filling our cup, while stress-recovery is about regaining what was lost. The difference lies in why, and how, we tend to our needs, even if we use the same practices. Recovery comes first.

How can you care for yourself today?