Am I Good Enough? The Ultimate Guide to Creating Your Own Self-Care Tool Box.

Am I Good Enough?

This is one constant question, Michelle Obama, Former First Lady of the United States of America keeps asking herself in her memoir called Becoming. Reading this, the thought that comes up in our minds is: If presumably the most powerful lady on Earth constantly goes through this inner dilemma of whether she is good enough or not… then who are we? What are we supposed to do now?

Is she better than us? Is she just like us? What on Earth she can’t achieve?

Somewhere in the memoir, her mother puts it in the most simple way possible- ‘There is nothing special about Michelle and Barack, they are people just like us, just like you. Anybody can be them’.

Representative Image: Pinterest

In life, there are times when we need reminders that we are enough. Taking care of oneself is a rather one-time consuming affair that most of us often ignore. Other priorities set in. Family, relationships, career, and something as simple as washing the laundry and boiling milk for coffee.

In the routine tasks of the day, what gets kicked out of the picture is time that we should keep for ourselves, to nurture our minds and bodies alike. We get so involved in the daily grind that even before we realize it, we become burnt-out, sad, and simply demotivated.

What we often don’t realize is how self-care is nothing but a cumulative set of activities that we should effortlessly fit into our daily routines before the monotony takes a grip over our souls and leaves us famished forever.

So, what do you do? The first simple thing is understanding:

What self-care is?

· Mood-boosting activities

· Centering yourselves

· Prioritizing your own needs

· Listening to your heart

· Knowing yourself and your purpose

· Not the same for each individual

What self-care is not?

· It is not being selfish

· It is not being unkind to other’s needs

· It is not pressurizing yourself

· It is not a social media fad

· It is not a one-time guilty pleasure

Now, where do you start?

The easiest way to begin is by creating your own self-care toolbox. This is the box you turn to when the world seems a little dull.

Step one: Make a list of things you really like to do. Things that instill joy and spark happiness.

Here’s a list to help you get started:

1. Stretch

2. Grab a cup of coffee.

3. Go for a walk

4. Call your mom

5. Text your friends and ask them how they are

6. Practice 5-minute meditation

7. Sip your favorite tea. This chocolate tea blend with chocolate is both aromatic and calming for your nerves. A tea blend we always swear by.

8. Doodle. Pick up that pen now. Its like yoga on paper.

9. Journal 5 things you are grateful for.

10. Light your favorite candle. Inhale positivity, exhale clutter.

11. Take a break and play your favorite game

12. Munch a healthy snack. Yes, you can munch on lip-smacking snacks guilt-free.

13. Chant a mantra you believe in

14. Say a prayer for your loved ones

15. Indulge in some chocolate bites or hot chocolate.

Representative gif: Giphy