Ladies, now you know we like to treat ourselves sometimes because who knows you better than yourself. Usually, the typical nails did, hair did, everything did, and maybe even a fresh wax, paired with an outfit will have you look like a baddie, the all-time self-care to have our physical on point. However, we tend to forget to give self-care our inner beauty by tending to the mind and soul. This new year is about growth, beginning from the inside-out. Recently, on social media, the bandwagon retweet everyone was emphasizing was ‘be my peace,’ whether it be in friendships, relationships, or even from family members. Instead of finding peace in others, find it from within yourself, then from there, growth is inevitable. Now, that’s a beauty, isn’t she?
The first step to peace within is to be mindful. Thich Nhat Hanh’s stated in his book, Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life, “ Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity. We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment” ( Hanh,p.5). Now, think of a time you made an impulsive decision, but then went back and reflected on what you really would have decided in that present moment. Sometimes us ladies, especially the overthinkers, get so caught up in our many thoughts that we stress out when trying to say or do the right thing. Well, a part of practicing mindfulness is meditation: at any time and any place, closing your eyes and breathing, bringing yourself to the present moment and staying true to everything you believe.
Another step towards self-care in the new year is to know that it’s okay to take time for yourself. It’s nice being around your friends and loved ones, but taking a step back from everyone and everything around you is essential to self-care. That also means taking breaks from social media platforms and using that energy of scrolling down the timeline to meditate and reflect. This time of reflection can be both internal or external. Internally, reflect on how you can evolve your energy to be better for yourself first, then once you get right within, it will exhibit in your interactions with others. This will ultimately help you recognize the toxic energy you need to distance yourself from in order to protect your peace. This type of self-care outside of the physical leads to genuine happiness without relying on an entity being our peace. This new year of 2020 is a must to start a new slate and become selfish with yourself, so go on and just breathe, live in the present, and NAMASTE.