Bella Hadid's Self-Care Advice Is Something We Should All Take To Heart

In these troubled times, the internet is full of self-care advice. Some wellness trends are quick, free, and easy, while others require significant investment, either of your time or money. And with conflicting opinions and reviews confusing things even more, it's difficult to know what you really need to do in order to take care of yourself. When belly-breathing seems too simple, all-inclusive plant medicine retreats seem too expensive, and "bed rot" just isn't for you, how do you craft the perfect self-care routine?

Supermodel and it-girl Bella Hadid may have the answer. Speaking to Harper's Bazaar, Hadid revealed that there is no perfect form of self-care because taking care of yourself is so deeply personal and individualistic. Rather than trying to keep up with every new self-care trend that appears on TikTok, we should all embrace the things that work for us, and reject the ones that don't, regardless of what the experts say.

In her interview with Harper's Bazaar, Bella Hadid listed a few things that spring to mind when it comes to self-care: "It can be a moment of quiet, a social media detox, a walk, a massage, a workout class, a delicious treat, etc." But she emphasized that there isn't one form of self-care that's superior to the others. All that matters is that you do what feels right to you.

"Self-care is so personal and can come in so many forms, so I think it's more so about just listening to yourself and what your mind and body need in that moment," she told the outlet.

Instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach to looking after ourselves, we should only make room for things that speak to us. After all, a vital part of self-care is protecting our time and energy, so wasting those on self-care activities that we don't align with can actually do more harm than good. We all have different personalities, backgrounds, and unique ways of relating to the world, so naturally, the ways that we stay afloat will be different, too. 

There aren't any rules for finding a self-care routine that works, but as Bella Hadid advises, listening to your mind and body is a good place to start. When you have some free time, take a few moments to think about what your soul is really craving. Maybe a walk is the answer. Or maybe you need an episode of "The Kardashians." It could even be writing an open letter to someone who hurt you or booking a weekend away.

Self-care in itself is a learning process. Prepare for a little trial and error, and accept the fact that you may have to backtrack as you design your ideal self-care routine. Don't dismiss every new wellness trend that crosses your path, as some can really work wonders for your unique situation. Just take every claim with a grain of salt. You can spend lots of money or energy on self-care, but you most likely don't need to.

As you begin to plan your new self-care regimen, try to resist the opinions of others. Only you know what you truly need, so try to ignore good-intentioned friends and family who tell you that you should be doing more, or you aren't doing enough. Trust your gut to lead you to the exact type of care that you need, and if you find yourself in the wrong place, it's okay to step back and re-evaluate.