5 Things more important than money

MY TOP 13 SELF CARE PRACTICES

(Winnie Badaiki)

Before you start reading this article, I need you to write down on a paper or probably at the back of your mind, 10 things you love. You done? I bet you forgot to mention yourself, wait I said things? Aren’t you a living thing? Self-love is one of the most important virtue anyone and everyone should possess, if you don’t love yourself, you can’t love anything or anyone. Love starts from you, love starts with you. Those who don’t love themselves are desperately searching for love and happiness in other people, they let others define their happiness and define them as a person. So you love someone, maybe a girlfriend, your mum, your son or even a pet, you find yourself constantly taking care and providing for them simply because you love them and don’t want them to suffer, lack or feel neglected. Same relates to yourself, if you love yourself, you would constantly take care of yourself. Self-care has been undoubtedly affiliated with spending money extravagantly. Which of course you need a lot of money to take care of yourself properly. But whereas you don’t have so much money that even your wallet isn’t smiling, that doesn’t mean you can’t take care of yourself. Below are 13 ways I take care of myself with little or no cost involved and I bet you could try them as well.

Garbage in; Garbage out: We hear different things every day, from the radio, television, on social media, even on the lips of people around us. Some of the words we hear are garbage and no attention should be paid to those words. As much as I try to filter the kind of words I hear, I have limited control to what I listen to, people saying trash, vain advise, crappy ideas etc, I rather just take them out of my mind and don’t let such words absorb in.

Be selfish: It’s okay to be selfish once in a while, for me it’s most of the time. Do things for yourself, things that will benefit you and are good for you. Yes make sacrifices for people at the cost of your own comfort, but think about you and only you sometimes. People call me selfish when I do something for me and I don’t think about them, I usually don’t care because when it’s time to be generous, I’m really generous besides they are the same people that trash-talk me behind my back so yeah I’m good being selfish to my number one fan who always got my back- ME!.

Listen to good music FREQUENTLY; I got my favorite playlist for every mood. Listen to your upbeat record and get your groove on. Music is a magical healing, good for your mind, body and soul. This therapy never goes out of style. I listen to music every friggin day, it’s basically my favorite hobby.

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Laugh always; Laugh away your damn sorrows. Whenever I tell someone my problem or what im going through, I usually get a “wow, I would never know because you’re always happy”. No matter what I face, you can barely miss a smile on my face. My laughter is my escape therapy. I mean, I don’t want to start developing some scary ass wrinkles. It takes lesser muscles to smile/laugh.

Take a good long nap; Sleep is good, and everyone around me can testify that I don’t joke with my sleep. I don’t have a sleep rota, but whenever it calls, I definitely must answer. It relaxes every nerve in the body. It just put your entire body except your heart on a complete shutdown which is necessary. I see sleeping like a computer that’s been overworking and finally shutting down, the computer would develop faults if it doesn’t shutdown after overworking lol.

Associate with a positive small network connection; Associate yourself with a group of people you know are “radiators’ because they emit positivity and encourage you to be a better version of yourself, don’t engage with “absorbers” they drain every last bit of energy you have and they have nothing positive to offer, they are bad for your whole being.

Celebrate your success: Be proud of what you’ve achieved, give yourself a pat on the back, it wasn’t easy. Congratulate yourself, share it to the world regardless of the jealous people, just celebrate your success and achievement and feel good!!

Make time for play: You’re not too old to play! Have a good laugh at yourself, do something childish. I’m ALWAYS playing, except when it’s time for seriousness, or time for business. It’s necessary to feel young once again. Whenever I’m playing, people usually ask me if I didn’t play during my childhood, but hello!!! I’m the one who’s catching some fun.

Take a home spa: When I’m home I usually just relax myself in the bathroom with a bubble bath. Filling my bath tub with water, add in my favorite bubble bath product and with music playing, I pick up a magazine or a novel to read. I sometimes keep a glass of wine/soft drink with a wine color just because I’m extra like that. If I’m not reading, then I got a cucumber sliced up in circles and placed on my eyes, people usually use cleansing products on their face, I just use my soap. NB- it’s always a close to hot water filled in the bath tub, so the steam just gives it this fine scene.

Have a self-date; whether I’m dancing to single ladies or I’m hooked up, I still go on self-dates. Friends on my Snaphat (winnie_bee) must have seen on my story, occasional times I just go out on a self-treat. Spend an hour or more ALONE doing something you love, something that is about YOU (your hobby, visiting a zoo, museum or going for concerts)

Exercise; Even if you don’t have body goals, it’s necessary to hit the gym or do some yoga/sit ups. Relax the nerves.  Drink water.

Read something fictional; Refresh your mind by taking yourself away from reality for a little bit. Reading fictional stories broadens your imagination and sparks creative thoughts. Mark Krassner said that reading frictional stories stimulates your mind and enables you think differently, solve problems in abstract ways and it also rejuvenates your soul.

Unplug for a whole day: Could be on a weekend, or just your scheduled time to totally zone out. Get your lazy pants on and just stay on your bed practically the whole day doing absolutely nothing. Call it your “Lazy day” don’t answer any work-related phone call or email except well of course if it’s urgent. Don’t help anyone do anything, just stay lying on the bed or watching movies all day. I do that often, I barely even have a shower that day.

Paying attention to yourself and taking good care of you will make you feel much more connected to yourself and the world at large. You’ll be happy with yourself and enjoy your own company hence being alone can't be and shouldn't be an issue.