Many people strive to improve themselves in a multitude of ways, seeking growth, happiness, and success. They set goals, adopt new habits, and pursue better versions of who they are. There are some, though, who want to be their absolute best. They’re seeking their radical self.
Trauma and mental illness create slightly different avenues to this same concept: some folks just want to be happy, not realizing that making a few simple adjustments alongside therapy and/or medication can lead to long-term contentment and joy. Where it takes a lot of effort just to get dressed in the morning, fighting the lie that we are not good enough, or enduring the daily struggle to not call in sick takes up the majority of their preparation time before work, radical self-care is discovered through conscious and rigorous effort.
People with chronic illness who fight their brains and bodies every day learn that they must adhere to strict new rules, lest they endure a relapse or worse. For us, not practicing radical self-care can bring extremely uncomfortable consequences.
Whether going through trauma recovery, mental illness, or chronic conditions, or just wanting to be your best self, the principle remains the same: radical self-care lays the groundwork for something greater.
What is this Radical Self, and What About it are We Taking Care Of?
The radical self is a concept that focuses on finding and fully embracing and expressing your true potential. Where radical self-care is the act of putting yourself first and taking care of your needs, regardless how inconvenient or uncomfortable it is or seems, the radical self is the summation of the whole of your self that you are taking care of. As this is a concept, there are many ideas in how to find and become your radical self.
I first encountered the concept of the radical self when I saw it on a coffee mug in a merchandise shop that supported one of my favorite podcasts. One side had the podcast logo, the other had RADICAL SELF-CARE printed on it. After doing a cursory Google search, I had two books (one I already owned), three new podcasts to listen to, and began looking at how I could be kinder to myself.
I come from the trauma community. By most people’s standards, I’ve been through much more than most, from barely surviving birth, having almost two dozen active abusers in my teens, to having recently left a decade of narcissism. My fight is largely in my mind. I face the daily struggle with self-worth, staying grounded without being overstimulated, and though I’ve over 6 months sober, the lingering threat of alcohol cravings as a result of genetics and what I’ve been through. Through radical self-care, I learned about the concept of the radical self, and that’s when I started to create my own understanding of it. It’s a concept, remember, not something that’s set in stone.
Through many trials and tons of errors, I came to seven aspects of my own life that cleared the path toward my own most radical self: mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, social, recreational, and environmental. Each can be focused on, but all connect to one another. For example, by cleaning your house (environmental), you create a space for your mind to operate more freely (mental). Engaging in a favorite sport or workout routine (physical) will improve the mood (emotional and recreational). Practicing meditation (spiritual) affects the mental, physical, and emotional. I call these the seven pillars of the radical self, as they stand alone, but they support the whole of the radical self.
I wanted to create a space where I could easily share what I find and learn while highlighting the people and places I am learning them from. Being that I have surpassed several milestones on my journey (with a great many yet to achieve), I wanted to share a part of my own story as well. Since I wanted it, I made it!
Welcome to radicalself.org, a place where anyone seeking radical growth can explore, learn, and take action. I will share practical tips, tricks, insights, inspiration, guidance, and ideas to help you discover your own path and empower your radical self. Within these pages will be interviews, stories, resources, podcasts, and even my own books and creations. This is a passion of mine, and I cannot wait to share it with you all!