Why self-love has gained popularity during the pandemic

Why self-love has gained popularity during the pandemic

VIWE NDONGENI-NTLEBI viwe.ndongeni@inl.co.za

MANY people spent the early part of the pandemic, holed up in their houses, with all the family gathered in one place, working from home, baking, and eating comfort foods.

To get through the prolonged uncertainty of the sort that the world faces now, we need to marshal all of our resilience to face things calmly and deliberately. This is especially true for anyone who has underlying mental health issues or chronic health problems.

Abdurahman Kenny – mental health portfolio manager at Pharma Dynamics, says among the primary reasons for feeling mentally drained during the pandemic is being in a constant state of high alert and this takes its toll on energy levels over a prolonged period. In some cases, pandemic fatigue could induce reckless behaviour, such as ignoring or abandoning precautionary health measures altogether.

“Similar to physiological threats, when faced with psychological stressors, it takes up a lot of energy. Anxiety, depression, and stress are exhausting by nature and have a huge impact on our mood, ability to concentrate, and energy levels. Add months of living through a pandemic to the mix and it takes matters to an entirely different level. We’ve been in constant fight or flight mode and many have reached a mental health breaking point,” says Kenny

Navigating life in these uncertain times has been stressful and often discouraging. As a coping mechanism, many people learned self-love which may have helped to ease the 2020 burdens.

What is self-love?

The Brain and Behaviour Research Foundation believes it to be a state of appreciation for oneself that grows from actions that support our physical, psychological, and spiritual growth. Self-love means having a high regard for your own wellbeing and happiness. Self-love means taking care of your own needs and not sacrificing your well-being to please others. Selflove means not settling for less than you deserve.

Self-love can mean something different for each person because we all have many different ways to take care of ourselves. Knowing who you truly are and staying true to yourself can be even more difficult when you have the eyes of the world on you.

Michelle Obama kept her head held high through the years of her husband being the American president. Even after they left the White House she has been the beacon of hope for many people, inspiration, and icon for black women in particular as she raises her two daughters. Obama has been an advocate for self-love and taking care of one’s mental health.

Sometimes being in the spotlight and being vulnerable can be difficult. However, even when difficulty was doubled up in the form of personal challenges, model Chrissy Teigen, showed that self-love is important and can help you through tough times. After she and her husband, John Legend, lost their unborn baby, Teigen continued to unashamedly share images of her changing body and the effects of the miscarriage while she showed herself love and appreciation.

NAVIGATING life in these uncertain times has been stressful and often discouraging. Practicing self-care has become a coping mechanism for many people. | Pexels/Rodnae Productions

The art of taking care of yourself and learning to recharge, rest and recover has evolved and has been hitting the mainstream for years now. Now we know that self-love motivates you to make healthy choices in life. When you hold yourself in high esteem, you’re more likely to choose things that nurture your well-being and serve you well. This may be in the form of eating healthily, exercising, or having healthy relationships. That may be the reason for increase in self-love.

No matter where you are right now or how you are feeling. You can always start your own love journey. It’s a process that will continue longer than the pandemic. Today could be the day you make that life-changing choice.