April is stress awareness month. Which is especially important for the current world since we are still surviving the disruption caused by the pandemic. As such the levels of uncertainty, loss and hopelessness have led to global mental health becoming worse. There have been more reported cases of depression, anxiety, alcoholism and other mental illnesses since the onset of the pandemic.
Managing versus curing stress
Stress is an unavoidable part of life . Which means there is technically no way to do away with it permanently. By the way we made a post attempting to answer the question “Is stress curable?” Which led to an enlightening discourse and rephrasing the question to, “How can we cope with stress?” Stress is a reality of life, therefore it can only be managed.
Self care as the answer to stress
You may be tired of hearing the words “self care” at this point. I know I am. However, it is because we are bombarded daily with the capitalistic definition of self care. Yet we really can’t apply enough facial serums to end emotional distress. Or buy enough air tickets to deal with job loss and rising cost of living. We need to adopt these well-being habits into our day to day rituals to help ease the initial impact of stress.
Luckily for us there are a number of ways we can support ourselves and attend to the most urgent needs. Practices such as breathing, yoga, exercise, adopting pets are beneficial to our overall well-being. It is important to know that we do not have to do everything by ourselves. Which of course means we can ask for help, lean on our community for support or both.
Did you know that community care enhances self care. It largely eases the pressure of trying to figure everything out by yourself. Most importantly you get assurance that you are not alone even while struggling. Lastly, being a part of a healthy community gives this deep sense of belonging. Here are some final thoughts that I agree with. It is an excerpt from NY Times. You can read the full blog here.
Self-care is often critically characterized as a market for purchasable experiences like massages, manicures and “me time.” But its origins are in a series of loose, secular rituals meant to calm the nervous system, and are informed in part by the work of feminist writers of color, including Audre Lorde and bell hooks, both of whom wrote about caring for one’s self in oppressive conditions. In “A Burst of Light,” Lorde writes, “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”
When Did Self-Help Become Self-Care?By Kate Carraway
Aug. 10, 2019.
Here is a self reflection prompt for you. Has your perception of self care shifted?
Growth Catalysts 
3 thoughts on “Managing Stress Through Self Care.”