#28DaysOfSelfCareChallenge Reflections

💫 What 28 Days of Self-Care Taught Me About Healing, Resilience, and Worth

When I kicked off the #28DaysOfSelfCareChallenge to celebrate my birthday month, I thought it would be a fun social experiment—something lighthearted and encouraging. I imagined a few people following along, maybe picking up a prompt or two. What I didn’t expect was how deeply personal this journey would become... and how much it would reawaken a story I’ve carried for years.

This self-care challenge didn’t just live in the present. It took me back—to February 28, 2012, the day my father-in-law passed away. That also happened to be my 28th birthday. And from that moment forward, it felt like life began spinning faster than I could keep up. I tried to hold it together, I really did. But things began to unravel—my relationship, my friendships, my career stability… All of it seemed to collapse around me.

I lost my grounding. My carefully constructed life—the one I thought I was supposed to have—was gone. And honestly? I didn’t know how to start over. I was emotionally frozen. I could get through the motions, but I wasn’t present in my own life. I wasn’t tending to my brain, my body, or my emotions. And I certainly wasn’t practicing self-care. I didn’t even fully know what that meant.

Instead, I disconnected. I numbed out. My nervous system was constantly on high alert, and emotionally, I felt brittle. I was grieving the life I thought I was supposed to have, and it was easier to collapse inward than to feel what I was actually feeling. But eventually, I had to face it: what I was doing wasn’t working.

So I started small. Really small. Washing my face. Brushing my teeth. Celebrating those as wins. And yes—it felt ridiculous at first to give myself credit for doing what seemed so basic. But when you’ve lost your sense of worth, even the smallest act of self-respect can be a powerful rewiring moment. Over time, I realized these weren’t just hygiene tasks—they were proof that I was learning (or maybe re-learning) that I deserved care.

And I wasn’t shouting this from the rooftops. I wasn’t broadcasting my struggle. From the outside, I looked like I had it together. But behind the scenes? It was messy. It was hard. It was lonely. I now know that the silence and isolation only made the struggle more intense. Trying to handle it all alone almost broke me.

Thankfully, there were a few people in my life who stepped in—gently but firmly reminding me to take care of myself when I had stopped knowing how. Sometimes, love looks like someone helping you brush off the emotional dust and say, “You can get up again.”

Through that support, I slowly started to rebuild—not just my life, but my sense of self. I also realized I couldn’t keep going it alone. So I hired a life coach. Each week, I had someone helping me rewire old patterns, challenge my mindset, and introduce new strategies for real, sustainable change. That step was pivotal. With help, I began to feel more at peace in my own brain and body. I could feel the shift happening—not just internally, but in how I related to the world around me.

Because here’s the truth I know now as a Cognitive Neuro Therapist:
Your relationship with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship in your life.
And self-care is the neural foundation of that relationship.

We cannot show up fully for our partners, our families, or our clients if we’re emotionally bankrupt. Our brains need consistency, compassion, and novelty to regulate. And self-care? That’s the delivery system.

For me, that meant finally believing I was worth caring for. Worth tending to. Worth investing in. It meant making space every single day to check in with myself—not out of obligation, but out of self-respect. I had to shift from survival mode to rewiring mode, one small act at a time.

This is the real reason I created the #28DaysOfSelfCareChallenge. Not because self-care is trendy, but because it’s a brain-based necessity. Especially for those of us who’ve learned to perform strength while secretly struggling.

If that’s you, I want you to know: it’s not about perfection. It’s about momentum. Just five minutes a day can start to change your brain. You don’t have to overhaul your life. You just have to start somewhere.

You are worth taking care of.
Not when things are better. Not once you’re more productive. Not someday.
Now.