(There is a reason why this photo is like this, keep reading!)
Happy 2018 everyone! I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday and if you didn't, you can be relieved that it's over!
I hope the excitement of the new year hasn't rubbed off yet and that you're working hard to stick to whatever resolutions/goals/dreams you've (secretly) promised to do. Mine is to read further and beyond the academics. My current choice is Jostein Gaarder's Sophie's World, had the book since I was 16 and I think I've finally reached an age suitable to comprehend the simplified summary of philosophy. So far, I'm enjoying it. Let's all work hard towards our goals!
Aside from the fact that Trump is still president and still tweeting ridiculous things, that Brexit may/may not happen and that Dr. Mahathir running for PM again, I hope your 2018 had a good start. I had a rocky start myself, spending NYE with viral tonsilitis and then getting gum disease and oral inflammation shortly afterwards. Also, I got hit by a Deliveroo guy on a bike - my fault completely. Everyone was okay, including the food, so no worries. The reason why I'm telling you this is that the average reaction I received after sharing my eventful 1st week of 2018 was along the lines of 'Oh, poor you! Please take care!' which prompted me to reason with myself that I should indulge in what is now commonly known as 'self-care'.
Unsure whether it was the power of the new year or my new found inability to binge watch F.R.I.E.N.D.S. for the 5th time, I felt like I was taking this self-care treatment too far that it started to lose it's original purpose for me. While self-care is important for our well being, it started to become an excuse for me to not be productive for a long period of time. Again, it was the perfect justification for me to either lock myself up in my room for the whole weekend or spend lavishly on things I don't need so that I can 'feel better'. Instead of feeling like I'm giving my body the love and rest it needs, I was using the term as a forefront to engage in selfish and meaningless activities. I wasn't feeding my soul, I was doing superficial things.
Granted, watching a few episodes of a sitcom can cheer one up but man, don't know about you but I feel so sluggish after every binge, like I've wasted precious hours. With retail therapy, I guess it just never works for me. I end up buying things I don't need and curse myself every summer when I have to pack and move houses (dreading it). I guess it's not that self-care is bad, it's just how I was doing it. Hence, the photo above where the word 'Self-Care' is not aligned with the shadow, because I probably wasn't doing it that really works for me.
Then, I came across this Buzzfeed list: 21 ways to be a little more ok in 2018. It did mention a few things that I was already doing, but a few other more. For example, read more books (see first paragraph) and a few other activities I would like to try. I'd suggest reading the list as well, it might inspire you.
In essence, if whatever you term as 'self-care' is not helping you to recharge and be a better person at work, with friends or society in general, then probably your routine needs a little tweak and that's okay. I got to know myself a little bit more from this and now I'm taking a different approach. We'll see how my new 'feel better 2018' routine does in a few weeks.
I hope you all will be taking care of yourself (appropriately) this 2018! We need to start spreading some positive juju around, and what better way to do it than to spread it within yourself first!
Till next time,
LM x
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