By Jayita Bhattacharjee
Self-care constitutes the essentiality of feeling whole, which justifies why we need to be indulgent in it. Caught up in stress often leads us to be negligent in practicing self-care. But how do we define self-care in the first place? It is the conscious choice we make in taking time to be attentive to ourselves, not in a self-centered way but in a manner that ensures our well-being. It is an altruistic act though we are doing it for ourselves, as by ensuring our health and wellness, we restore ourselves to life and the very spirit of living. That, in turn, uplifts us to be creative when tomorrows come into our lives. We do not become self-absorbed when we indulge in self-care; rather, we heal ourselves inward and then emerge alive outward.
It is a mindful practice of paying attention to ourselves, so we can escape burnout. We develop the capacity to feel for ourselves, be compassionate towards us, as, in that nurturing, we do nourish the body and soul. The sun of light peeks through, and we take the time to lift our eyes to it. It is a powerful moment when we acknowledge deep down our vulnerability, and that it’s time, we surrender to the fact that the holiest of holy, the sacred soul, the abode inside, needs to be nourished, and so we do, paying attention to what needs to be done. Beneath that light, we begin to survive and thrive.
How do we practice self-care, so we can be the better version of ourselves?
Self-care implies knowing we are at the intrinsic levels to admit our strengths and weaknesses unconditionally. It is the recognition of the fact of what we are doing and when it exceeds our handling capacity. It then means taking the time to figure the maze and take the necessary steps to slow down.Self-care constitutes the right amount of sleep that is needed and acknowledges that rest is needed alongside work. Are we getting enough sleep, or do we warble in our thoughts? Does the mind wear us out? If so, do we acknowledge that as a signal to put it at rest? Do we make a conscious and serious effort to make that happen? As it is so needed for the resting of body and mind.
Self-care implies that we are nourishing the body and mind. We need to be attentive to our diet, so the food we gulp provides the energy needed for our smooth functioning. While occupied at work, do we become attentive to take the meals at the proper time and along with it, do we allow ourselves to be indulgent in intermittent meals at work? Or do we starve ourselves, placing the work as a first priority? This choice is a conscious choice; we make, and being mindful of it, we master the art of self-care. Do we integrate healthy foods into our everyday diet, do we plan accordingly, in advance, so we can have adequate nutrition throughout the day as planning is an integral part of a conscious choice.
Self-care implies coming up with a way to find new restorative routes to decompress from the morning till night. This again needs mindful thinking. We ground ourselves in restorative acts and become aware, conscious of every act we perform, acknowledging how we think and feel. What are the steps we take to calm down our chattering minds during and throughout the workday? And what do we do after the workday is over? How do we tune out the noise? If we attempt to integrate mini-breaks throughout the day, then it contributes to the refreshment of the body and mind.
Performing some stretching exercises or taking a brief walk, allowing ourselves to talk to friends, getting in touch with a loved one, be that a friend or family member, sharing photos that remind of special moments, to gaze at them purposefully, all bring a meaningful place in our lives. Overall, they make a significant contribution towards restoring what gets lost in the pressure of a hectic work schedule. These pauses nourish the brain.
Self-care means being attentive to transform a challenging work situation. We are aware of our capacity to handle things at our very best. Given our absorbing capacities, what are we doing to destress the stressful work situation if we find that we carry that stress on an everyday basis?
The hours that we work are they sustainable or unsustainable? That is to be a question, and we need to think and rethink. Is there some solution insight, or is it something that we can approach our supervisor with, as to our working hours or taking an earlier break? While discussing these changes, is the supervisor going to be flexible and understanding, or is he/she a difficult boss to work with?
At times, the supervisor might be completely unaware of what the worker is going through mentally, emotionally, and physically. They do not have a grasp of the reality that we live in. an open conversation outlining the stressful things and the factors that are precipitating a crisis might facilitate an improvement in the working condition. Supervisors are caught up in their own world, and an open conversation with them can provide them valuable insight so they can rethink the process of how things can be done in the destressing manner possible.
Self-care can be defined as taking the time to get to know ourselves better. We learn to know ourselves, our potentials, and our limitations better. The things that make us enraged, furious can be skipped as a vitriolic temper can only add to our daily challenges. We can make a conscious effort to study our mental perspectives, whether we are the sensitive ones, and get affected easily by the events and episodes of this external world. If we can identify what triggers our temperaments, we can plan accordingly, destressing us.
Self-care implies identifying the things that give us pleasure and making a conscious choice to integrate them into our daily living. Conscious planning gives us something to look forward to every day, so the daily living can be uncomplicated. E.g., gazing at some artwork after work hours, reading a vibrant story, or having dinner with a loved one whose company can be animating.
Self-care implies that after the day’s work is done, how are we going to decompress, so we can smoothly transition from work to home. Maybe, listening to some quiet enlivening music, or strolling in the woods to clear the head, or driving in tranquility, or slipping into a serene evening while absorbing the sunset…all these can gradually decompress after the work and can bring out a better version of ourselves as we head home.
Self-care does mean nurturing and nourishing our spiritual selves. It comes in various ways, like praying when we talk to the divine, meditating when we listen to the divine, developing a closeness with nature while stepping into it, being intent on the sky at the break of a dawn, or to lift the eyes at the falling of sunset, attending a religious sermon, or reading something inspirational. They all inspire us to be creative and not erosive.
Self-care does definitely mean taking the time out to fall in love with ourselves over and over again, so when tomorrow comes, we can begin again.
Sadness comes as a normal human emotion, and with its prolonging, it takes to turn to a pervasive depression, an extreme psychological condition.
Sadness can wane by crying or having an open conversation about it with a close person. Venting about it takes the emotion away. Normally sadness is dispelled after something satisfactory comes forth to replace the dissatisfactory one which triggered the sad emotion. While sadness does constitute one element of depression, but depression is far bigger and broader than sadness. Depression can be defined as a mental health disorder that has a profound impact on the personal life and professional life. Its implications are vast and far-reaching.By taking care of yourself, you become the author of your gifted life and not the helpless victim. Immersing yourself beneath the load of work does not let you escape from what is consuming you inside; rather, your exhaustion leads you to self-sabotage in unhealthy ways. By doing self-care, you create a life where you fall in love with yourself at every moment, instead of having a life where you need constant therapy or recovery. Self-care creates a balanced life, where you are at your point of equilibrium. So, you do not look up to others for meeting your needs, and rather, you enable yourself to meet your innate needs. As depression crawls into every aspect of your life and takes away your ability to feel and make you numb about everything, you become so static and decapacitated, unable to be interested in anything or the world around you. Nothing catches your eyes or heart anymore. There comes a pervasive creepiness of depression that invades you inside. Things no longer hold any meaning or purpose. Apparently, it may seem like you have the life on hold, but beneath all that, you are disguising your authentic emotions.
Self-care in this context becomes coming home to yourself. You find the trails back to your soul whereby you take care of your physical and emotional well-being. Self-care in this context can be nourishing, restoring, and nurturing. It gives you back your lost essence. The fundamental step is self-awareness, where you understand how to engage in self-care. Rather than treating yourself with self-criticism, you treat yourself with self-compassion. You connect with your sight, sound, smell, and texture. You make a deliberate decision to take care of yourself from a place of conscious choice. So, you can re-emerge as a better you. Self-care keeps you away from pushing yourself hard, so you do not shut down and enter a depressive state and withdraw from others. You cease to become critical of others and yourself and turn to be creative. You matter, and your homecoming matters, so you engage in self-care.Depression can be overpowering, and it can conquer the creativity of a person. There is a general sluggishness to get out of bed in the early morning, a feeling of hopelessness, and living with an unmotivated spirit. What once was vibrant began to be tasteless and odorless. It cannot be mistaken as prolonged sadness but a depressive disorder. By engaging in self-care, you invest in your body, mind, and soul, so it gifts you, the enthusiastic and the constructive you, who is a dreamer and a seeker at heart and action.
