The Aesthetic Art of Self-Care
Sundays have always been special for me! Late mornings, greasy food, and an overall relaxed mood. But this past Sunday, I woke up with the rising sun, brewed a fresh cup of coffee, and admired the world I had created while the aroma of coffee filled my living space. As I was sipping my hot coffee, carefully (I say carefully because on multiple occasions I have burned my mouth), my favorite plant Anthurium, caught my attention. It was droopy and was begging for some TLC. One dose of water later, as I watched it regain its glory, I got to thinking how a little care creates miracles. My thoughts further pondered on how like plants, humans too need constant doses of care. Care, particularly self-care, allows us to nourish ourselves and flourish in all phases of life.
With these thoughts at the back of my mind, I scrolled through my phone to wish Happy Mother's Day to my mom, who lives on the other side of the planet. My mother and I have been video-calling one another way before it was trending. As I talked to her through the dusty screen of my phone, I noticed her smile lines. To me, they were the most beautiful thing in the world. The lines on her face narrated the story of her life. Every couple of months, through the six-inch screen of my phone, I watch my mother age - elegantly, gracefully, and unapologetically!
After the call was over, I took a peep into one of our old family albums and found a classic black and white picture of my mother. It was from her college days - vivacious as ever! Looking through those memories, I reflected on how my mother always taught me the importance of looking after yourself and others. A fan of Audrey Hepburn, my mother, always quoted her saying, "As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others." And it is not just my mother who holds this school of thought. Quite often I come across women from all walks of life who advocate the importance of caring for oneself. So, let us take some time to reflect upon what self-care is and how one benefits from it.
What is self-care for you?
The broad definition of self-care is the practice of protecting one's well-being and happiness. It is the art of caring for your health and making your life spectacular. However, it means different things to different people. For some, it is eating healthy food and exercising, for others, it is taking care of their skin by wearing skin-friendly clothes. In general, anything that makes you feel good about yourself encompasses self-care. The question is - what is it for you?
Why is self-care important?
Self-care urges you to look after yourself and spend this one chance you have in life, in the best way possible. Suppose life is this plant that needs water and light to survive. Then self-care is like the fertilizer which when given to the plant, helps it to grow magnificently. A vibrant, beautiful plant is more spectacular than a sad, droopy one, isn't it? Similarly, a little care makes us humans flamboyant.
To convince you further of the aesthetic art of self-care, we have laid out a few points on why caring for oneself is important -
Inculcate a Healthy Relationship with Yourself
Self-care helps you establish a healthy relationship with yourself and promote positive feelings. It boosts your confidence and self-esteem and makes you feel that you are worth every opportunity that comes your way. It helps you remind yourself that you and your needs are as important as anything else. A healthy relationship with oneself also promotes healthy relationships with other people. You can't pour from an empty kettle, can you? So, take a pledge to develop a healthy relationship with yourself and in return spread positivity to those around you.
Start living your Life
There is a very famous quote by Benjamin Franklin that says, "most people die at 25 but are buried at 75." Sadly, we live in a world where most people exist and only a few live. Taking care of yourself helps you live a more meaningful life. It urges you to love your reflection in the windowpane when you are sipping hot tea and enjoying the beautiful weather. It also urges you to embrace your imperfections and wear them boldly, as they are a part of your being. So, it becomes important to adopt self-care as a part of one's routine to stop existing and start living.
Boost your self-image
If given a choice, what life would you like to live, one full of confidence and personal growth or one with self-neglect and under-confidence? Most of you would choose the former, wouldn’t you? Well, self-care is your choice to build yourself a life in which you are comfortable in your skin. Caring for yourself will boost your self-image and make you more confident in approaching people and various situations in life.
Advocate Better Mental Health
There is no doubt that self-care promotes better mental health. Feeling confident in your skin boosts your confidence and advocates better mental health. In a world where so many struggles with self-image and mental health, self-care comes as a rescue. Apart from mental health, it promotes physical health by urging you to care for your body.
Self-care, like most things in life, is an art - an aesthetic, meditative art! It is a way of living! It is like the early morning breeze that touches your face and dances with your hair to bring hope, joy, and a big smile to your beautiful face. Self-care, when practiced with diligence can fill your life with happiness. So, wait no more and make it a part of your everyday journey of life.
