Self-care

Why self-care is a need, not a form of indulgence

A wise person once said, “Self-care is not a waste of time, it's a necessity.” But in the hustle and bustle of life, we often forget that loving oneself should be a priority rather than an option. We forget to appreciate the little things that matter the most. Whether it be a good score on the test, being consistent with a particular task, or even taking yourself out; these achievements make you feel good about yourself, no matter how small or big.

It makes you feel empowered and convinces you that these small achievements are what's worth living for. In your self growth journey, it makes you feel like the actor of your life rather than a spectator of it. Self-care is all about prioritizing yourself over all hardships and nurturing yourself. It will help you push through all the hardships with a positive mindset, which will make you feel stronger and happier than before.

It makes you feel appreciated in this society where people don't acknowledge small achievements or make it feel like it isn't a big deal. That will surely leave a mark of disappointment in your heart and might even end up making you feel worthless or not “successful enough” in life. But one thing we need to understand is that everyone's life moves at a different pace, and comparing the pace is not going to do you any good. It will make you feel like you are lacking something in you even though you're doing perfectly fine, and it's just that your pace is different. 

We live in a society where success is seen by the money you earn, the grades you get and your professional achievements; and not by living a life that feels right for you or following your own dreams, instead of just doing what everyone else expects you to do. Doing what people expect you to do may end up making you rich or even landing you a good job or college, but deep down the regret of not following your passion or doing what you once loved to do, will make you feel down and burn you from within. 

When you are on your deathbed thinking about the life you have lived so far, the choices you have made and how much it affected your happiness, it will make you see how much you had been seeking for validation from your parents, friends, society etc., that ended up making them happy but in return made you feel so lost. But at that point, you will have no power to turn back time and live the life you wanted. The regret will seep into your body like poison and in the last moments of your life, it will stay with you as your breathing shallows and your heart stops altogether.

To sum up, caring for yourself and helping yourself or even seeking help for that matter, won’t make you short of a person. It is your life that you live and making sure you do not regret is what matters the most, because, at the end of the day, self-care is not a waste of time, it’s a necessity.

Vidhi Patil