“Caring for your body, mind, and spirit is your greatest and grandest responsibility. It’s about listening to the needs of your soul and then honoring them.”
We live in a fast-paced world wherein everyone is constantly on the go. We are often so busy in our lives that we forget to focus on and take care of ourselves. This pandemic has definitely made us stop and realize the importance of self-care. Here’s a few things you can do to pamper yourself not just now, but after the pandemic ends too.
Pursue your hobby or take up a new one
With the constant academic and work pressure, we often forget to do what we actually love and enjoy. Our hobbies might not give us any materialistic gains, but they definitely give us mental peace and make us feel alive. Practicing your hobby after a long, stressful day can help you feel relaxed. I have often heard mid-age and old-age people talk about how they regret having lost touch with their hobbies. When they were younger and busier, they didn’t realize the importance, and now that they are older and relatively free, they find it difficult to go back.
However, in my opinion, it is never too late to go back to pursuing your hobby. During this pandemic, with schools, colleges, and workplaces being shut, a lot of people went back to pursuing their hobbies. Some even decided to take up new hobbies. During the initial months of the lockdown, our social media pages were filled with people posting cooking recipes, dance videos, music videos, workout videos, and also posts and stories talking about the books which they have been reading.
People have started appreciating and enjoying the small moments of life during the pandemic, and I hope that they continue to do the same once things return to normalcy too.
Binge watch that Netflix show
College and office work can be stressful. They often take up a lot of our time, even during this pandemic. Sometimes, we just need to put all the work aside, and just watch a movie or a series that we have always wanted to binge watch on, but have put on hold because of all the work.
The idea here is not to escape the work or procrastinate and keep a back log of work, but to simply stop and take a break to ease the mind and break the monotony.
Taking a break can actually help you clear your mind, and thus improve your efficiency at work. So, go ahead and binge watch that show without feeling guilty. You deserve the break.
Eat your favorite food
Food can lift your mood within minutes. Food can make anyone happy. Physical health and fitness are important, but a little cheating should be allowed, right?
The biggest of celebrities have said that all though their job requires them to maintain a certain physique and therefore, follow a strict fitness routine, they always keep aside a day wherein they binge on their favorite food items. According to them, this keeps them motivated to work harder in the gym the next day.
So, don’t think too much. Pick a day and eat that pizza.
Spend time with loved ones
Remember canceling plans with your friends and family because of college or office work? We are all guilty of doing this at some point, aren’t we?
People go off to a different city or country for college or work and get busy in their own lives, thus reducing contact with their friends and family.
This pandemic has brought the world closer. Long video calls have become a part of everyone’s daily routines and have definitely become the new normal. The lockdown has made us realize the importance of human interaction and relationships.
During these difficult and stressful times, people turned to their loved ones for comfort. These times have surely compelled people to spend quality time with their friends and family, and they will definitely continue to do so even after the pandemic ends.
Talking to your close friends and family and communicating your thoughts and feelings can surely help you feel light and less burdened. Keeping your thoughts and emotions to yourself can create problems for you, and can make you feel heavy and burdened, which in turn can affect your mental health and peace to a large extent.
Pamper yourself- literally
Who doesn’t like a day to themselves where they can literally get themselves pampered?
We all miss shopping and a good salon session, don’t we? A good shopping session, or a manicure, pedicure, hair, or spa session can make anyone feel relaxed and pampered. Well, this pandemic sure has stopped us from going to the malls and salons, but with the malls reopened, the day isn’t far when things would be back to normal and we can continue with our self-care sessions.
That being said, what is stopping you from shopping online anyway? Head to an online shopping portal and shop from your favorite brands. It will definitely help you release your stress and feel relaxed.
Go on a vacation
One thing we all miss during this pandemic is travelling. No matter how annoying those long queues at the airports were, no matter how tiring those long flights were, we all miss it and can’t wait to travel again.
Well, make a list of all the places you want to visit post this pandemic, and make sure you actually visit them once things are back to normal.
A good vacation with the right people can do wonders for your mental health. It is the break we all require and deserve.
Not just this, you can also take a solo trip to the destination of your dreams and spend quality time with yourself. Solo trips not only help us to spend time with our thoughts and emotions, and in turn discover ourselves, but also give us the opportunity to meet and interact with new people. After all, we all just want to break the monotony and experience new things, right?
In conclusion, all I want to say is that it's not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority, it's a necessity. So, go ahead and take care of yourself. Don’t wait for others to do that for you. After all, we are all responsible for our own health and wellness, aren’t we?
Loved it ❤️