Is Self-Indulgence Selfish?

In a bustling world that prioritizes self-sacrifice and overworking yourself to the point of exhaustion, it feels like taking a day off or prioritizing your health is illegal. Constantly having to put others before yourself, choosing your mental peace is a foreign concept and is rather looked down upon. However, VALLEY is here to tell you to throw that notion out the window: embrace self-indulgence.

Friendly Faces

Running to your friends’ wants at the drop of a hat does not distinguish you as a good friend from a bad one. Leaving your own sanity to run wild won’t help you become a good friend in the long run either: if you can’t be there for yourself, it’s likely you won’t be able to fully give yourself to your friend’s needs either. VALLEY wants you to know that it’s alright to cancel a plan or two when you mentally aren’t feeling well or need a day off. It’s when you begin to treat your friends poorly under the guise of keeping your peace is when the issue arises. 

A Wordly Context

Additionally, in a world that is becoming more traditional and conservative by the day, it often feels like most women are practically expected to give up their wants and desires for the traditional lifestyle. We’re here to tell you that if that’s what you want, then go for it. But if you truly have goals that are specific and personal to you, strive for those as well. Starting over in a new city to chase your childhood dreams is not selfish, it’s drive. Missing a class one time to sleep in is not laziness; it’s choosing your health.

Balancing the Two

Now, on the flipside, however, abusing the idea of choosing your peace can also come at a cost. Constantly cancelling on plans to stay in may not make you seem like the best friend in the world, but if it’s truly what you want, then being uninvited from plans should only be seen as a positive. No one will expect you to bend over backwards for them every time, but sometimes putting others before yourself will make people want to do the same thing for you during a rough time.

After all, as a social species, we’re a community that needs each other to care and look after each other (secondary to ourselves, of course). Above all, stay kind, forgiving, but most of all, healthy and don’t worry about the guilt: even VALLEY’s had those days!

How do you deal with your mental health? Let @VALLEYmag know on X!

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