Page 38 - 2021 English Magazine - Final

What you do in your day-to-day life might seem
like what people typically categorize as self-care:
As the lockdowns have enforced walls be- eating adequately, getting enough rest from work,
tween people and society, so has solitary
Tips on the hearts of others. With this context, our exercising from time to time. But self-care is so
life built walls between our hearts and
much more than that. Self-care is also having fun,
Self-Care topic for the day is introduced:self-care. You might envy friends who can do intense work- listening to the needs of your body, broadening
outs and have good physiques, but if you can’t
your horizons, overcoming obstacles, improving
make it through the first set of that full-body work-
yourself through detours and failures, accepting
out, it’s okay. You might prefer keeping your emo- who you are and appreciating the life you have.
by Ng Yu Xuan tions private and decline sharing them with friends, Self-care gives purpose to your life, even when life
that’s okay too. There is no ‘better’ way to practise is hard. When you wake up with hope brimming in
self-care. Preferring to be alone does not make your heart for the day and go to sleep with
you a friendless person, and if someone tells you satisfaction soothing your mind as you dream, no
you’re better off reading literature works than play- star in the night sky will shine as bright as you do.
ing games, feel free to do whichever makes you

feel happier and healthier in the long run. As long
as your methods make you feel better and do not
harm others in the process, they are good meth- A good resource for topics related to wellbeing :
ods. Very Well Mind
https://www.verywellmind.com/
As life changes frequently, you should also reassess
your life and change your self-care plans according-
ly. Make small changes, one at a time. Prioritize one
What is self-care? Who needs self-care? Self-love vs self-care of the five aspects if there is a need for it. For exam- “In the day-to-day of life, your routine al-
ple, if you’re under a lot of stress, prioritize mental ready looks like what you typically catego-
Self-care is the actions we Self-care is for everyone! A Self-care is a part of a broad-
take to care for ourselves common misconception is er concept known as self- and physical states. If you’re in a slump, rize as self-care:
so that we are mentally, that only people who are ex- love. The core of self-love is prioritize social, spiritual and emotional working out, eating right, getting
physically, and emotionally periencing hard times or are to recognize and embrace states. If you procrastinate too much, enough sleep, and taking time to relax.
healthy. Note that the sen- under a lot of stress need to our true nature, to under- prioritize spiritual states. At the end But self-care is also about clarifying and
tence above is an active sen- care for themselves. In reali- stand and honour our own of the day, keep in mind that self- setting boundaries, choosing loving rela-
tence – self-care is an action ty, everyone should practice truths instead of being in- care should always be a priority tionships, doing fulfilling work, learning

that requires our active par- self-care because it is ex- fluenced by the perceptions in itself, even when you feel like new things, questioning your beliefs, hav-
ticipation in it! tremely beneficial not only and expectations of soci- you don’t have enough time to ing fun, planning for your future, dealing with
for us but for our loved ones ety; whereas self-care is an squeeze in anything. When you’re your struggles head-on, living intentionally,
“Love yourself first, and too. By taking good care of action we take in order to caring for all aspects of yourself, asking for help, and keeping your stress lev-
everything else falls in line. ourselves, we optimize our practice self-love. Caring for you’ll find that you are els in check. It’s being responsible for yourself in
You really have to love ability to show love for both ourselves, rather than rely- able to operate more all ways. It’s doing no harm to yourself, and pro-
yourself to get anything ourselves and the people ing on the care of others or effectively and effi- tecting yourself from harm. It requires never aban-
done in this world.” around us. solely focusing our efforts ciently. doning your own needs and always being there for

—— Lucille Ball on the needs of others. yourself.”
– Mud Coaching Blog
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