Learning to Make Ourselves Our Own Priority
This blog post was written by Amina Alliy, from TuWezeshe Akina Dada Tanzania partner, The Children’s Dignity Forum (CDF)
“Sometimes, the most urgent and vital thing you can possibly do is take a complete rest.”
Many of us take our psychological well-being for granted, myself included. Us human beings tend to think that we have everything under control and that we can take whatever curve-ball life throws at us. We believe we should always keep our chin up, head high and smile, and if we are in luck, everything works out in the end. The question is, does it really?
More often than not, we tend to harness all the negative energy, keep it bottled up inside and forget that it is sometimes ok to not be okay and that we need to give ourselves a break. Instead we subject ourselves to blow after blow and the results of this are not only detrimental to our well-being but can be fatal to our lives as well.
As women, we put ourselves to the task of constantly making sure that everyone around us is taken care of before we worry about ourselves. It’s just second nature to us. Better yet, some of us don’t think about ourselves and what we need until we experience burnout or get sick. So before you get to that point, it’s important that you make self-care a priority.
It’s not being selfish — if you ask me, making your health and tranquility a priority is selfless. Of course, there are many ways to care for yourself. These can range from hitting the gym, taking yourself out for an ice cream date, watching a movie, knitting, tending to your flower garden, practicing your favorite dance routine, reading a book or doing absolutely nothing: the choices are endless!
One of the best ways I find my calm is through writing as it helps me find my centre. Not every day is the same however, so some days I do some handcrafts and other days I am rummaging through my kitchen, trying out a new cake recipe.
Remember, it doesn’t matter how you practice your self-care. What you should always consider is that before anything (or anyone) else, make sure you are taking care of yourself, because if you are not treating yourself well on the inside, you will not be healthy or happy on the outside. So take time to get some rest, check your health and feed your soul with positivity. Self-care is essential to you and your wellness — just as it is for everybody else.
