Caring For Myself Is Not Self Indulgence Novels & Stories

“Get some rest! You’re not allowed to overthink things! You need to have a speedy recovery!” Anna nodded her head. “Take your medication on time, eat on time and drink more water!” Anna nodded her head once again. Why was he so long-winded? “When the nurses change your dressing, please cooperate with them as much as possible. Even if it hurts, you need to endure it! As my woman, you need to be strong!” The phrase ‘my woman’ made Anna feel warm and fuzzy inside. She pursed her lips and held back a smile then nodded once again.

I struggled to understand why she said this but found myself inadvertently relating to it, reflecting on my own inability to fight for myself. "You should be more careful with your health. No matter how good you are with herbal remedies, you're not taking care of yourself," I scolded gently, reviewing her medical records. Surprisingly, she revealed that without someone by our side, humans tend to neglect self-care, emphasizing the importance of love and care for a healthy life.

"Forgiving people in silence and never speaking to them again is a form of self care." - poetsglobe. While scrolling through my I*******m feed, I came across this post. Okay, fine. Maybe it's best if I just stay quiet and find peace on my own. You will be dissatisfied if the enjoyment you seek comes from others. True enjoyment is having peace of mind and being content even without the assistance of others.

My frown deepens, “That sounds stupid. What parent would prioritize the needs of themselves over their own child?” “Oh my God, how do you now get it?!” She shouts, slapping her thighs in frustration, “If the parent spends all their time trying to help the child instead of themselves, they could die, and then who would take care of that child? Don’t you get it? It’s not about being selfish, it’s about learning to take care of yourself and your own needs so that you can better help others. I understand what your purpose means to you, and I would never come in the way of that, but if you keep giving parts of yourself to others, eventually you’ll have nothing left and then who will help them? Ta

What do I want? I don’t want to think about what I need to do or what duties I have to fulfill. I want to think about myself, I’m going to take this hour long walk to imagine what putting myself first would look like. I have never given myself the liberty to be selfish, even in my thoughts. I am always thinking about what other people need. I have nothing to lose by putting myself first for one hour of my life. Golden

She chose to focus on her own healing, recognizing that sometimes the strongest thing a woman can do is to walk away. Healing, for Penny, involved fostering a relationship with herself that was grounded in self-love and self-care. It was about learning to listen to her own needs, to prioritize her well-being, and to recognize when someone was taking more from her than they were giving. She knew that being a kind-hearted person did not mean allowing others to cross her boundaries. It meant showing love and compassion to herself first, creating a safe space where she could grow and thrive without fear of being diminished by someone else's flaws.

"Emily, dear, you can care about someone's wellbeing without wanting to spend your life with them. You can fight for what is right without sacrificing who you are." After we hung up, I thought about Mrs. Martinez's words while I got ready for bed. Maybe she was right. Maybe what I had done at the board meeting was not about falling back into old patterns, but about using my new strength to protect people I cared about. The next morning, I woke up in my own bed, in my own space, with no one else's needs to consider. I made coffee the way I liked it - strong, with too much sugar - and sat by the windows watching the neighborhood wake up.

She furrowed her brows. “Betty, if you don’t start caring about yourself, I don’t think you’ll ever find him. You’re always too busy taking care of others… the pack. You hardly go out, and on the days you do, you go to the market to get groceries and amenities for the pack. You need to start doing this for yourself.” I uttered with great concern. “I have been taking care of the pack for years. I can’t stop now. If I don’t do it, who will?”

“So… I need to understand how you care for others in a way that is so… selfless. And how… how I can help her. Because I literally don’t know how.” He blinked. But then his expression went flat. “That’s so fucking easy, Cazz. Just care more about what happens to her, than what happens to you. Because she’s already got you covered.” I blew out a breath. Humbled. And scared shitless. Because he might as well have told me to swallow the ocean. Caring for her, loving her… that was so easy to feel, but to do what he described? To dismiss concern for my own wellbeing and focus solely on hers?

Since I realized that caring isn't weakness — it's the only thing that makes us strong. End of Chapter 128