Self-Care: For Me Looks Like Breathing Again

There was a time I thought self-care meant only spa days, vacations, and long hours of sleep.

But I’ve come to learn that self-ca]re is anything that reminds me I am worthy of rest, peace, and softness even in the middle of the storm.

As a Nigerian woman in her 30s, life sometimes moves like a marathon with no finish line. There are bills, expectations, delayed dreams, responsibilities, and moments of silent overwhelm. I’ve given my time to many volunteering, mentoring, organizing but somewhere along the way, I forgot to give to myself.

Taking the self-care course on World Pulse felt like a soft tap on my shoulder, a reminder: “Gold, you matter too.”

These days, self-care for me looks like:

1. Pausing before I respond, especially when I feel drained.
2. Journaling my thoughts when my mind gets too loud.
3. Unplugging from social media when I start to compare.
4. Saying “no” without guilt when something doesn’t serve my peace.
5. Worship and prayer, not just out of routine, but as a space to breathe.

I now allow myself to feel to cry if I need to, to laugh freely, to rest without explaining why.

I’ve also started learning to celebrate the small wins, finishing a task, receiving a kind message, or simply getting out of bed on tough days.

Going forward, I want to do more of:

1. Taking intentional time off from work without guilt.
2. Walking in nature and listening to birds instead of endless noise.
3. Creating space for joy, even in simple things like cooking or listening to music.
4. Reaching out for support when I feel heavy. Thanks to World Pulse

Because self-care is not selfish.

It is survival. It is healing. It is resistance.

For all women who carry so much and give so much, self-care is also how we stay standing.

To every woman reading this:

You deserve rest.

You deserve peace.

You deserve to be taken care of, not just by others, but by yourself.

And that’s a journey I’m now walking, one quiet, loving step at a time.