Tuesday 10 April 2012

CARING ABOUT YOURSELF EVERYDAY




What is it about ourselves that we really care about ? Here's a list you can reflect on...After reading this, try to care for yourself in a better way. When you care for yourself, it's not being selfish or self centered. When you care for yourself, you are in a better position to care for others around you. Caring about yourself will help you lead a more contented life. 

1. Your looks/physique - You can't do anything about your genes you inherited. It's your health, how you groom yourself, hygiene, personality and attitude that should be important. Exercise can improve your physique or develop a healthy body. Grooming yourself and being presentable, wearing the right attire for various occasions can definitely boost your looks.

2. Beauty - Outer beauty is certainly appreciated by the world. Yes it can be an asset.  Fact is, everyone is not born to look like an exotic model or a beautiful actress. We have to learn to accept the way we look and love ourselves for what we truly are and endlessly capable of. Inside the outer beauty, is a human being who will unravel to  portray the real self sometime or other - is that person beautiful from the inside or just from the outside? Work on yourself from the inside.

3. Your relationship with others - give value to your relationship with others - your family, friends, colleagues, even acquaintances; treat everyone with respect and kindness.

4. Attitude - your attitude is definitely of high importance - if it's positive and healthy you have nothing to worry; but if it sucks, you are heading towards trouble or trouble and unhappiness is bound to follow.

5. Your ambitions - very important -  never give up

6. Self image - do you talk negative to yourself, what is the opinion you have about yourself?Work on your self esteem if it's low and build self confidence; your self image is a mirror of how you truly see yourself.

7. Weight - If you are overweight, you are heading for illness, aches, pains, and all sorts of undesirable feelings and experiences - reduce your weight if you are on the heavy side. Why should you carry all that excess baggage?.  It will feel so good to be lighter and healthy.

8. Health - What you eat, determines your health. If you eat junk, lots of fatty and/or sugary foods, coke, or overeat, or eat for pleasure or out of boredom, your body is going to suffer. Eat right, and exercise to take care of your health. No health = No life

9. Emotional and mental well being - People who are highly strung, aggressive, anger prone, irritable, stressed, impatient, self centered, workaholic, violent, prone to depression find it hard to enjoy life because all the negative feelings pull them back, ruin their own happiness and other's as well. You have a choice to decide how you want to react to others and how to face challenges and situations in life. It's not just important to be physically healthy, its vital to be emotionally and mentally balanced as well.

10. Stamina - Daily exercise, conscious healthy eating, proper sleep, a positive outlook and healthy attitude can build your stamina and give you plenty of energy

11. Hobby - do you feel bored? Is it just work and more work? Are you  tired of your household chores? Well, involve in a hobby - it's never too late; there is no right age where you can take up a hobby or pursue a hobby you once enjoyed. Paint, draw, write, sing, dance, be creative. Read books, go on nature walks, take up photography, learn a new instrument or if you know to play one, why not renew your interest in that. Play for your friends when they visit you. 

12. Ability to cope with life - Are you are a complainer or a survivor? No one is going to cope on our behalf, the challenges or negative situations in our life. We have to do it alone. It doesn't help if you think anything negative is everyone else's fault or if you whine in self pity. So build on strengths required to cope with life. Look for solutions rather than dwell in problems. 

13. Skills/knowledge/intellectual interests - Learn new skills and improve your knowledge by keeping in touch with latest in technology, science, art, music and so on.

14. Possessions - It's not what you posses on the outside, your material collections that's important, what are the positive qualities you possess that make you a nice human being - that's what's matters most.

15. Hair loss - You can't do anything about your hair if it's genetic - if you've inherited scanty or thin hair. But you can take care of your diet by including foods containing Vitamin A, proteins and greens to improve and maintain the health of your hair. Some shampoos contain strong chemicals that can cause hair loss. So choose your shampoo carefully. Massage your hair with warm olive oil or coconut oil once a week before you shampoo. Thyroid malfunction, hormonal imbalance, stress and lack of iron can cause hair loss. Talk to your doctor to rule out any medical condition for hair loss.

16. Finances - Manage your finances, or it will manage you. You don't need to buy everything the advertisements make you believe you should buy. Their business is to sell; your business is to wisely choose what you really need and take care of your money.  Don't buy what you cannot afford or will take a toll on your savings. Before you invest your money anywhere in anticipation of huge returns, consult experts, take advise from trust worthy folks around, so you don't lose your money or get cheated. 

17. Love Life - If you are married and feel something is missing, contribute from your end, after all your partner is your other half and in unconditional love, you are always nurturing that sacred relationship you have. Your spouse may not be able to read your mind and know exactly what you want. 
Let your other half know how you feel and your expectations. Respect your spouse and forgive little mistakes and don't fret over your spouse's imperfections. It's important to water your own grass and make it lush green. But if you are in messy, violent or abusive marriage, and you live in fear, you might want to seek help, discuss it with close family or friends for advise, consider counselling or rethink what you truly want to do with your life. It's unhealthy to stay in a marriage that is abusive or the spouse is facing continuous neglect. It's bad for the children to be raised in a dysfunctional environment as well. For those who are single and seeking a life partner, you might meet a few wrong people before you meet the right one. There is no perfect human being. Something inside you will certainly recognize the right person when you meet him/her. Take your time to decide. 

18. De-cluttering - Caring for yourself includes de-cluttering your mind and your environment. Don't entertain unnecessary thoughts or people that are toxic or detrimental to your well being. Don't hoard things you don't need or use over the years. Give them away to charity. Clear your home of clutter. Stick to minimum and only what you require, so you enjoy a sense of space and calm in your home. A congested place full of clutter can cause stress and attract negative energy. 


19. Meditate /Pray - It's important to connect to your inner self. Meditation creates a sense of balance in your heart and mind. If have a spiritual bend of mind, it helps to pray and express your gratitude for your blessings and pray for matters not in your hands and leave it to providence/ higher power and keep faith... for miracles do happen!. 


20. Happiness - There is no secret formula. Life is full of ups and downs. The attitude with which you view yourself, the world around you and deal with people and situations in your life, handle the various tasks entrusted to you, on a daily basis determines your happiness. You either deliberately choose to be happy or you could sulk or complain. What do you choose? And one last thing - don't depend on 'others' for your happiness. You are responsible for the way you feel or how you choose to feel.


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