Growing up, reading books and watching Bollywood, our brains have been conditioned to imagine a knight in shining armour waiting to sweep us off our feet or someone with the features of an angel just blowing our minds off. Well, everything might not be just imagination but it wouldn't be wrong to say that at some point of time in life most of us would have had this thought.
Then we grow up and mountains of expectations and responsibilities cloud our subconscious self in a manner that conditions us to only care about what the "world" thinks of us. In many ways, this all-or-nothing thinking never leaves us.
Infact we say "yes" to others and often forget to say that to ourselves.
Well, it all begins with caring for self,
And saying the world good bye for a while.
For "living" and “existing" are two different realms,
For if only you are happy the world around will smile.
Our day-to-day lives are often fuelled by negativity.
Self-care is an important tool to help you live a more positive lifestyle. Never feel guilty if you need to take some time for yourself, even if it's just sipping your morning coffee outside while reading some sunrise quotes.
To quote Lucelle Ball “Love yourself first, and everything else falls in line"
According to definition, self-care is all the steps an individual can take to manage stressors in his or her life and take care of his or her own health and well-being. Each method of self-care fits into one of the seven pillars: mental, emotional, physical, environmental, spiritual, recreational, and social.
When it comes to mental health, self-care is the ultimate tool. It's okay to be disturbed or damaged but it's never okay to plunge our lives into darkness.
Some people find solace in music while others work out. I know of people who enjoy gardening while others dance or even wash clothes! For some travelling is a therapy others spend solitary time with themselves.
Let's reserve time for ourselves and never compromise on that. If you are tired make an effort to go to bed early and if you are in mood find some time to do what makes you happy -paint, pray , cook or read..... prioritise your needs.
Many people associate the practice of self-care with pampering themselves and spending money.
But it is so much more (and so much less expensive) than spa trips and vacation days — and is actually a critical element of our health.
So, it may feel awkward and even selfish to suddenly shift the balance from caring for everyone else to caring for yourself, especially women of our society who put everyone's needs above them. Chronic stress wreaks havoc on our health. It weakens your immune system, inflames your body and makes you more susceptible to health issues.
Just as sleep is essential for consolidation of all homeostasis in our bodies, self-care is one such random association with oneself- a hope , a healing touch.
So, let the “me time” commence! Your body and mind will thank you.
Dr Shradha Suman is a doctor by profession, Assistant Professor in a medical College and an occasional writer. Passionate about women and child health, she works for an NGO promoting menstrual hygiene in Rural Jharkhand and loves weaving stories around women and their mental health issues which is largely ignored by the masses.