Travel Life With Vân

When the Solar New Year is coming, most of us look back at the year that past. What has change, what is different, what did we overcome, what are the things we wish we had do but couldn’t.

But what did you actually do for you ? How much time did you invest in yourself ? Did you take care of you ? How or what did you do ?

As women, we grow up to be the care taker, the one that is on the top of her game, protecting everyone, multitasking and overcoming every obstacles coming our way.

Often caught up in my thoughts, my duties or my want to do everything, I rarely tend to pamper myself. So when the time comes when I can’t take it anymore, I wake up one day or I come back from work and I take the time to coddle me. And each and every time, I will meet someone that notices my effort and ask me : “Where are you going ? Do you have a date ? Who did you do that for ?”

I used to get really upset about this. No woman should have to take care of herself for somebody else but her in the first place. And we shouldn’t have to be accountable to anybody because we decided to do something that will make us happy.

That’s why now I just respond : “Yes, I have a date today. With myself.”

We shouldn’t have to wait for a special occasion to take care of ourselves. Waking up every day is a blessing. Getting the chance to do something, anything that we enjoy is good enough reason to celebrate it. Feeling great about ourself, having positives thoughts about our image reflects on our psyche. We shouldn’t have to wait for something or someone to have positive feelings about ourselves or to do something for us.

I was shocked by this statement a couple of days ago.

I took a “day off” of my routine. I didn’t go writing at the same library per usual. Instead, I took a 30 minutes bus drive to sit on a bench table next to the Ocean. I didn’t notice him at first. I was too busy with my writing. A loud noise made me come down to Earth and out of my head, just enough for me to realize I wasn’t alone at the table anymore. I knew someone else was reading in front of me but I really put my eyes on him only when I was able to actually see him. Do you understand what I mean ?

So he started talking to me, we were having a conversation and I realized he was hitting on me.

Then it dawned on me… I was so busy, so focus on achieving my goals that I forgot something along the way. I forgot my heart. Me. It felt good to be seen but how come I had to have a stranger reminding me that I also had to take care of Me ?

This unknown guy made me realize that I was traveling for several months now, pursuing my dreams and forgetting that I can’t achieve anything if I lose track of myself.

You are in a relationship first and foremost with yourself. It takes just one action. Going for a walk, putting on body cream, choosing a wild make up, rocking a flashy dress, eating by yourself at a restaurant, dancing in the middle of the streets. Once in a while is not enough. Being able to take care of you will allow you to open up yourself to others too.

So, for the next 365 days or so, I will take time to give me some “me time”. This year, I will take better care of myself. I will listen to my body and my brain needs.

I will invest time in discovering and enjoying myself. I will make time to make me feel pretty. For me. For my sake.

What about you ? What will you do ?