Self-care

For many days, one of the main thoughts running in my head is about self-care. 

What is self-care? Caring for one self? Thinking only about the well being of one self? 

Like everyone else (or just like a few others), I keep going on the huge roller coaster ride called life! I am calling the roller coaster huge as lately it feels like the drops are as thrilling as the highs. While earlier the highs and lows were equally placed, these days it feels like the drops like to take their own sweet time and don't want to make space for the highs. 

Naturally, I am trying a few things to make the highs come more often. One of them being my new class. I am so glad to have found this class as I find it very different from any of the other classes/schools I have come across in terms of the way it is conducted. And one stark remarkable quality about this class is ZERO comparison! The reason it is possible to have zero comparison is because I don't get to see any other participants even though there are 1000s of students. It is a live YouTube class, and the instructor/facilitator/teacher keeps telling us to just do our best and not necessarily to do everything if we are not able to. There is no comparison whatsoever from the teacher or from myself as I have no idea what others are doing, but I am still doing my best.

When someone says,  "When a second grader can solve this, why can't you solve being in nth grade?" to a nth grader, what is the child in nth grade supposed to feel or do?

When someone else says, "When she can do it, why can't you do it?" to a 40 year old adult, what is the adult supposed to do?

The world loves comparison - at every single stage in life.  

Coming back to the class I am taking, because there is zero comparison, I am in the moment, enjoying everyday, even though I am exhausted. This is teaching me to do more and more things for myself, without listening to what the outer noise is saying. I am not proud to say that taking care of myself does not come naturally to me. To prioritize myself without feeling the guilt has been a challenge. But I am slowly learning it and trying to make it a part of my routine. 

I came across a book in which the author talks about how she took a 100-day-self care-challenge. I am thinking about it 

Anyone want to take it up? Let me know 

Each petal is different 😛

Cannot compare a lotus with a water lily

HowAreYouReally

 I wanted to name this post as "How are you?", but when I looked back, I realized that I have another post with the same name. 

https://my-happy-notes.blogspot.com/2020/09/how-are-you.html

The question "How are you?" carries so much weightage in my opinion. In my last post I had written how this one sentence can be a powerful tool if we use it correctly.

Now this post is about my shock at how this sentence itself is disappearing from the world. 'How are you?', 'What is happening in your life?' etc are sentences used to check on the well being of another person. But I hardly see people using them these days. And even when used, it is a formality. This shocks me a bit because it is such a natural thing to inquire about the other person and to check how they are doing. Well, the emphasis is so much on how me and my family are doing that we ignore anyone outside the radar, forgetting the fact that every being forms this world. 

Shouldn't we need to wake up and show a bit more care towards others? 

I know the theory about wearing the oxygen mask first before helping others with the mask. But I have started feeling that if we can at least point others towards the oxygen mask, our mask will also be taken care of.

Here's to a world filled with more empathy and care towards others.

A butterfly spreads immense joy amongst others by just being

The same with flowers

Welcoming others

Sharing coffee

The joy of being with family

       

How are you? I am good
What are you up to? Just the usual
Is everything ok? Hmmm
..............

That was just a generic example of how our conversations can continue if one is genuinely interested. Most of the time, it stops at I am good, if someone has asked the question how are you. Most of the time we will not be able to help or do anything, as it is each one's individual journey. But just the expression of care, can be a motivator/strength giver/a listening machine/venting outlet for the other person.  

Keep trying, keep asking, keep calling, keep caring 😊