Though seemingly ironic, the title doesn’t have a typo. Self-care doesn’t always mean a nap, a bath, or a walk; instead, it can mean setting healthy boundaries for yourself, saying “no,” to something you feel obligated to, or simply changing the expectations you have for yourself. All of these can feel emotionally or mentally painful, especially if you happen to have a people-pleaser or Type-A personality (see the previous post about people changing!).
Check out Huffington Post’s article on painful self-care here.