This year, I’ve been thinking a lot about what self-care is and how it practically applies to our lives.
It is important to invest in yourself. You must deposit into your bank account of energy before withdrawing from it and expending any energy. We cannot be in debt with ourselves. Working from a deficit can lead to bankruptcy.
However, self-care isn’t merely buying a milkshake or putting on a facemask. Self-care is soothing yourself to create a life which you don’t have to escape from. It is making the best decision you can for yourself in every next moment you’re given, whether it is reading ahead in your class so that you understand the content better, putting your phone away so that you’re more present at the dinner table, savouring every bite of a chocolate brownie, or putting on your comfiest pajamas.
When my mother combs through my hair, it soothes me back to my roots. I am brought back to my childhood of humming lullabies.
When I take long and silent walks through my neighbourhood, I can look up to the sky and listen to life being lived. I can hear the cars’ tires crunch through the gravel on the road. I can hear different conversations being spoken. There are yells, hushed tones, laughter, and more.
When I vacuum out the dust and dirt from the carpets, I feel refreshed as I inhale the newly cleaned air.
There are many ways to take care of yourself. Let’s reflect on what this will look like for the new year.