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Life is chaotic, unsettling, and- let’s face it- scary. 

These past few months have been crazy- and not in a good way. Illness, anxiety, shortage, and the feeling of losing control- it really took a lot out of us. Things are not totally okay (let’s face it, that never happens), but they are better. I hope all of you reading this are doing better physically and mentally. 

Something a lot of people realized (myself included) during this time is that future is truly unpredictable and life is short. Now, this is not something new. Everyone knows this but no one really lives by it. We tend to forget how lucky we are to even exist at the present moment. You know the odds of you being alive right now are 1 in 10^2685000! That’s basically zero and yet, here you are. Let that sink in for a moment and see how that affects you (if you want an exact interpretation of this number, see this article by Insider here).

Point is, we are at a rocky part in our lives and this too shall pass. Whatever your experience was during these months, acknowledge it, and build a belief that everything happens for a reason. If you lost a loved one, don’t suppress your emotions. Let them out and acknowledge their presence. See what you can learn from this. As Buddha said, “The trouble is, you think you have time.” 

I personally found peace during this time in small moments of self-care. After being infected with Covid, my energy levels dropped dramatically. I tried to build myself back through short yoga sessions, reading, grooming, and learning a new instrument. These moments gave me a sense of peace and self-care. 

I am reminded of a blog post by Olivia here, where she wrote about pockets of peace during a day. These are small or big moments in your day that become your peace or self-care rituals that you look forward to. It can literally be anything that gives you peace during your day. So, to help you grow and find these moments of self-care, here is a list of things you can do to incorporate self-care in your life. You can browse through this list and see if you like something(s) for yourself. Don’t think about doing them every day, think about doing them once and see how you feel.

1. Do yoga
2. Read a book just because you like it and not to gain knowledge
3. Cultivate a hobby
4. Go back to a hobby
5. Paint an object (ceramics, sticks, table, anything!)
6. Put on a face mask
7. Sit outside/ watch the sunset
8. Dance to your favorite music
9. Clean or declutter your space
10. Binge your favorite show without any guilt
11. Sit in the grass and have a picnic
12. Go for a drive
13. Sing as loud as you can
14. Play with little children
15. Watch fun YouTube videos
16. Put on some fairy lights in your room and have a jam session by yourself
17. Do a guided meditation
18. Practice gratefulness for 5 minutes
19. Rant via writing or to your friends
20. Dress up without any purpose
21. Sleep-in late
22. Filter out your social media- remove toxic people/pages
23. Buy something for yourself, guilt-free
24. Talk to an old friend
25. Do something crafty and creative
26. Take a cold shower
27. Make a mocktail
28. Sit in the sun
29. Get a new plant or grow one yourself
30. Use scented candles, incense, or essential oil

You can also club a few of these together and have a self-care day! #SelfcareSundays

It’s crucial to look after each other during these times, but also crucial to look after yourself. Make sure you watch out for your physical health as well by incorporating fruits, liquids, and movement in your routine. 

We are all going through tough times as a community, so support each other and spread love. Enjoy the little things in life and love yourself. 

Thank you for reading! I hope you feel better. If you ever need mental health assistance, you can check out this page- Zariyaa.

Keep the strong vibes flowing,

Pranjali