Just Another Self-Care Pep-talk

I don't know how many times I’ve talked about self-care in my life. Aside from books and my writing career, self-care is very important for me. Especially now that I will return back to living alone in the middle of a world pandemic.

Taking care of my mind in these historical times is a must. It is essential as we are bombarded by bad news every day. This has been a life-changing year, starting with a series of situations most of us haven’t experienced before.

Although it is quite the challenge to keep the mind at rest and save it from “doom-scrolling”, you still can be aware of what you are giving your attention to. News tends to be sensationalist, an undesirable source of anxiety. Scrolling down on social media as well could cause uneasiness because some people use what is happening as tags to gain more visibility. For me that is unacceptable, but there is a moment in life, as you grow up when you notice you can’t change people, nor the world. The only thing you can change and is 100% under your control is your mindset.

In my country, this whole situation has been taken as a game for many people, ignoring the consequences and making parties, violating curfews, and defying authorities. For a long time, this used to affect me, particularly when I see it happening near me. My neighborhood is quiet, but in my building some neighbors aren’t, they act like nothing is happening and it hurts me seeing they do it in a deliberate way. But again, I can’t change people. I’ll just mind my own business for the sake of my mental health. So creating a list of favorite things to do, exercising, starting a new hobby, doing yoga, doing more of what you love is what is going to keep you sane during this difficult time. Stay away from toxic social media and unverified news. Block all the people who send you those fake news on WhatsApp, yes BLOCK THEM! And most of all, stay safe and healthy. Pamper your mind and take care of yourself.

Another issue I wish to talk about is toxic productivity. People need the stop romanticizing this idea that you always have to be productive. That you need to be doing something in order to be successful. It is so important you understand that is a lie. The sum of or qualities, or the value of our lives is not measured by how many things we tackle in our to-do list each day. In the end, this false idea will only take a toll on our mental health and we will end up being burnout. Of course, balance is important, but listen to your body when you feel you can't take it anymore. Rest, inhale, recharge yourself, then you can go on.

I always say that listening to the body is a fundamental part of self-care. There are some days in which you simply don't have the motivation to do anything at all. You're not a sinner if you take time to just do nothing. In fact, I think we should take more time off our days to do so.

Most of my ideas and inspirational breakthroughs come to my mind when I let my brain wander around, without anything to worry about, nothing to focus on, just exist. I find myself more inspired and able to work on any project; that is my number one reason to set time to do nothing. I invite you to try it out, you won't regret the results.

With all being said, remember your mental stability is one of the most important things in life. Try not to focus on the negatives happening around you. Focus on things you can work on, things you can change, whatever goes outside that limit, let it go. Stay away from toxic people and also avoid toxic productivity. Allow your mind to wander, learn and be creative.