GOOD FOR WHAT AILS YOU

"I hab a code." Actually, I have the flu, with an array of symptoms so vast and intense I could star in my very own Tamiflu spot. And because I rarely get sick, I take it as a personal affront so I fight it. For every nap I take, I think what else could I be doing with this time? (P.S. It’s a weekend.) For every appointment I cancel, I feel as if I’m letting myself or others down. I refuse to “give in” and take a break.

When I was a little girl, I didn’t do this. Yes, I worried about missing school but that paled when compared to my few days at home. I got homemade chicken soup and applesauce from my grandmother and a facial and manicure from my mother. Hours and hours with my dog in my bed, reading or watching daytime TV. It was heaven.

As adults, our lives don’t permit such self-indulgences. (And for some, the notion of sick days is, sadly, inconceivable.) But there’s no reason we can’t do better about getting better. It’s really OK to take a moment and recharge. To support your immune system with healthy comfort foods. To give your monkey-mind a rest.

So next time the flu, a cold or exhaustion knocks you out, do the smart thing and treat yourself with kindness. Take naps and distract yourself with some mindless entertainment. It’s just what the doctor—and One Girl Wellness—ordered.

And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m taking my dog and going back to bed.

Tags self-care