Early in the pandemic, I lost touch with self-care. It was like the best friend in college that I always loved and longed for, but as life and time grew between us, the memories we had until we were together again someday Just like you missed the latest trendy workouts, beauty treatments, wellness experiments, and sipping green juice at Erewhon, following a wild night on the dance floor, I desperately missed the coffee-fueled big dark sunglasses recap brunch. However, I had no choice.
Like many mothers during the pandemic, I had little room to do anything. I had a 5 month old, 2 year old, a job, a family and no help except my husband who worked harder than me. The all-consuming job of bleaching groceries (remember?), cooking every meal, cleaning, washing, breastfeeding, and taking care of two small children, work, marriage, and the year 2020. Extremely stressful, just as filling as my plate glutton Thanksgiving help doubled. By the end of the day, the last thing I wanted to do was lift another finger. Even if that finger had spooned out the face mask and slammed it into my cheek.
Away from self-care, I saw the words on Instagram and felt like an allergic reaction with side effects of elevated blood pressure. I was completely exhausted too.
Baby started sleeping through the night and when I regained my sanity, baby started waking up very early too. It started early in the morning when the rest of the world was asleep.This was my first consistent workout since the pandemic started. Somewhere between Fairfax and Laurel Canyon, during one of my walks with my baby strapped to my chest and my face covered with a mask, I was distinctly calm and in the worst mood I’ve ever felt. I was pushed beyond my limits with little way to free myself and the only way I knew how to help myself was to push those limits. decided to give up alcohol. This was probably a depressant that didn’t work for me, and one that sapped my energy nicely. I needed to drink, and that’s how my humble journey of curiosity began.
I slept again, got some fresh air, stepped out for my morning walk, and went from days to weeks, and eventually months, to being sober-free. The act pushed my boundaries in ways I needed and beyond what I could have ever imagined. This experience changed and reframed what self-care means to me. Pre-pandemic , the self-care I envisioned focused on doing workouts, hot saunas, cryotherapy, deprivation chambers, meditation, face masks, long baths, facials, massages, dinners with girlfriends, juices, travel, etc. All is still important) – but this time self-care was basic. It allowed me to emerge as the best version of myself through one of the most difficult times in our lives. Basics to make
The Pinterest-worthy quote that rest, sunshine, water, fresh air, and exercise are the best medicines turned out to be 100% accurate. No matter how expensive masks you apply to your skin or download mediation apps, these simple fixes won’t do much for you if you don’t have foundation.
Has anyone else come out of the pandemic with this same perception? It seems obvious, but until you really need the basics for a real global crisis, don’t realize how important it is. I didn’t fully understand.
As for other things, when it comes to luxury extras that I love, like face masks, I never take it for granted again…including the drinks I occasionally drink.
