When you operate your side hustle from your bland-looking dental clinic, while drilling decayed teeth for 10 hours a day, your mind plays tricks with you!

Besides my patients and occasional calls from my family, I don't have any human interaction at work! It's easy to go crazy with such a schedule, right?

That's what happened to me! Sitting alone in my clinic, my mind started conjuring scenarios that were far from the truth. I started comparing myself to other creators, and my dentist friends. I started believing I was such a big loser for not having earned as much as I wanted to at my age.

Then, the thoughts became even more nastier. I started believing it was too late for me now. If I didn't achieve what I wanted to at my age, I can't achieve it in the future either. I wasn't a decent writer to make good money from it. I wasn't a good enough daughter, wife, sister and friend!

The result of all these thoughts?

I almost lost my interest in writing and even my entire career. Everything felt meaningless.

At some point though, I had enough of negativity. I realized no one else was going to come to my rescue. It's on me!

That's why solopreneurship or entrepreneurship is hard. It's often a lonely journey. In everything that happens to you, YOU are responsible.

No matter how deep you're into the black hole of negativity, only you can bring yourself back to the surface. Only you can make yourself feel better. Every time you fail, only you can pull yourself up.

So, for the next few months, I pampered myself a bit. I paid more attention to my info diet, health, and my mental state. But more than that, I realized I needed to prop myself up to write every day so that I could regain the joy of the craft.

The miracles of dressing up!

Okay. So this is a bit obvious. Everyone dresses up well while going to work, right?

Well, if you're anything like me, you don't always. I wasn't much into fashion, or dressing up well. While going to work every day, I'd do the bare minimum- Shower, put on an okayish office dress, tie my hair into a mediocre ponytail, and that's it.

No foundation, no make-up, not even a perfume on most days.

The worst part? I prided myself on the fact that I was above such superficial things. How ignorant of me!

But lately, I started questioning if these things really are superficial! Since I watched a YouTube video of a creator, I don't think so anymore!

Now, when I dress up a little better, put on my foundation, lip balm, and perfume, comb my hair a bit longer than before, and tie it carefully, I feel good!

I feel the day is a bit more brighter and my problems with writing aren't that big! This may sound dramatic, but these effects were catastrophic for my writing!

The cliche is the anchor you need!

I never believed in putting on 10 types of skin lotions and displaying your 'no filter' pictures online, in the name of self-care. Like millions of others, social media had warped my definition of self-care and I hated it.

But my 2 year long miserable writing journey taught me that no matter the definition, self-care is necessary!

Not to look better, or to hop on the bandwagon of those 'self-care soldiers' but for my mental health!

Today, when I put on my moisturizer, and sunscreen, before heading out, or when I write my gratitude journal every night, or when I pray every morning, and do deep breathing for 5 minutes daily, it's not to show it to the world.

It's because I feel good about myself when I spend time doing these activities. I feel I'm good enough. I feel anchored to a deep place inside me, where I feel secure and faithful.

Believe me, I started doing most of these activities just 2 months ago, like gratitude journaling, and praying but I'm already seeing the subtle effects.

I'm more eager to come to work and write. I'm more enthusiastic about my work and spend my free time more meaningfully.

Lastly,

The way we perceive self-care might be underrated. A friend still makes fun of me for writing a gratitude journal. 'It's so cliche!' he says.

The truth is it is working for my mental health so beautifully. I've stopped over-planning things and started acting more on my goals. I stopped leaving problems unsolved and embraced the problem-solver mindset. I've stopped falling deep into the negativity spiral and focused on the good things I already have!

I'm thinking less, and getting more done.

Sometimes, a little pampering is what is needed to bring a new perspective into life.

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