We are always ready to help others in need. Perhaps a friend is asking for some emotional support after a hard breakup or a family member needs some help with doing some troublesome tasks. Nevertheless, we somehow find the time to support them through their crisis. Ironically, in helping others, we often forget to take care of ourselves. Many-a-time, we end up pushing ourselves too far and let our mental and physical ‘batteries’ dip dangerously low.
Society has taught us to give; that we should be selfless and kind, so much so that “self-care” is seen as an excuse to over-indulge in oneself, which isn’t the case. However, self-care does not mean choosing self over others. Think of this: How can a faulty wire power a light bulb? Similarly, how can we power or cheer others up when we are not feeling great ourselves?
That is why, it is imperative to engage in self-care so that we can recharge and give us a much-needed break and in turn, make us better supporters of our friends and family.
To help us get started, we came up with four fun-filled ideas that anyone can try!
Idea One: Solo Date Day/Night
The first step to having a healthy relationship is to get to know yourself and what better way to do that than to go on a solo date? Ditch the endless social gathering invites, and spend some quality time with yourself. Go shopping or treat yourself to a nice meal. You deserve the time, effort and the treat after all those times you have put others before your own. There are plentiful date ideas on google so if you are new at this, try googling ‘solo date ideas’. This article is a good one for those looking for some inspiration.
Idea Two: Serenity at the library
Books are magical. It takes us to a world beyond our reality, gives us perspectives we never thought of and gives us the wisdom we require to tackle the day. That is why the library is like a temple where we can erase pages of burdens away and repaint our day anyway we like. From fantastical books to self-help books, it is an endless place of possibilities for the soul to thrive in. If you are looking for some book titles to start, you may take a look here to see some of our recommendations!
Idea Three: Homemade skincare
While many of the spa houses are closed during this global pandemic, we can still give ourselves a little treat with fresh ingredients that rival the chemicals. One great recipe is a soothing face mask where you mix the following into a paste:
-One teaspoon of honey
-One teaspoon of coconut oil
-A quarter of an avocado (the riper the better)
-Two drops of tea tree or lavender oil
Leave this paste on your face for about 10-15 minutes before washing it off (do not eat it!). This mix is so good that your skin will glow from the inside out. Again, there are many other recipes out there, from body scrubs to even hair conditioners so go on and have yourself a full self-care spa day from the comforts of your home!
Idea Four: A letter to yourself
Last but definitely not the least, is a simple yet powerful way to recharge yourself. It is so easy to harp on the bad things in life that we sometimes need to stop and remind ourselves of all the good things we experienced or did. A really good way to start us on that is to write a letter to yourself, where we can pen down the good things we felt recently, or give ourselves some words of encouragement during a particularly tough time. If you are feeling extra motivated, you could even try to write your future self a letter and schedule for it to be sent yourself during your desired period of time.
May these ideas spur you on to include some self-care time in your schedule. If you do try some of these ideas, do tell us your experience and if you have any other ideas, please feel free to share it with us too!
