santan

So here’s a truth: Loving yourself is not self indulgent. It is highly necessary for survival and the preservation of your sanity.

Let’s be honest. Despite all those lovely advertising campaigns out there (The Dove campaign comes to mind) about loving ourselves, how many of us sometimes feel that our family, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, friends, children, job, colleagues, (insert random person or situation here), even the clogged kitchen sink sometimes comes ahead of us and our needs?

I find that this is a fairly common affliction among women, especially Asian women; we are brought up to take care of everyone first, before we even think about our needs and our wants. To do so would be – dare I say it? – selfish.

But here’s the thing: remember those airplane safety instructions about putting the oxygen mask on yourself first before you do it for the baby? That’s because if you don’t slip the mask on first, you’re no good to anyone. By the very same principle, if we don’t love ourselves first, put ourselves first, we are no good to anyone. Continue reading These are the days of love and life…