Dear Women, Are You Treating Yourself Right?

“A woman under stress is not immediately concerned with finding solutions to her problems but rather seeks relief by expressing herself and being understood.” John Gray, motivational speaker and relationship expert. Who is not under stress these days? Almost everyone is. However, if there is one person who is expected to play a variety of roles in their lifetime and still lag behind in expectations from different sections of the society, it is the women of our society. Olden times were golden times for women in terms of stress… if someone were to tell me that, I would only half agree. Women have always been the sponge that is expected to absorb all the stress and tension that prevails in any living environment. She is seen in multiple roles; daughter, lover, student, wife, sister, mother, aunt, mentor, artist, career woman and community leader to name a few. Once she enters the marital phase of life and bears children, as a round-the-clock mom and caring wife, she has to abide by a million of routine duties because everyone constantly counts on her. Yet she keeps a brave face in front of them all and executes her responsibilities with skillful ease. She is like the center of a merry-go-round that has to be still and strong if everything else connected to it has to be revolving in perfect circular orbits. All these issues of life may have been the norm for women over centuries and over a myriad of cultures all over the world. Things haven’t changed that much in the new world of today, but it has indeed become tougher. A woman is expected to make it big in her career as much as a man is expected to. She has to be independent. She has to be strong-willed and street smart if she has to survive the hard hitting truths of life. Women in both developed and undeveloped world economies undergo mental, physical and emotional stress. Think of those women who have been victims of brutality, think of those who have been victims of social distress, think of women who have never found love, think of women who are financially dependent on others and hence don’t have a say for themselves; all these women exist in our society or may be in our own homes. When is the last time you asked your mom her likes and dislikes and if there is anything she would love to change about herself or her life? Has anyone asked you whether you are truly happy in your heart? If you are a woman, you know exactly what I am talking about. You cannot hide yourself from your worries and troubles. You need to fight them with a change in your own attitude. You must stop accepting things as if they were supposed to be in a certain way and pretend to be happy with them. You need to take a bold step towards expressing your true self and being proud of it at the same time. Out of personal experience I have learned that you are an individual first. Think about your happiness and your peace of mind, it is only then that you can truly change the environment around you and make others believe they are happy to have you around. You need to indulge in a much needed soul-searching process and learn your true identity. Love yourself and see how much of this love reflects back in others when they see you. De-stress yourself and try and pamper yourself. Make space for yourself and if your situation is beyond these solutions to fight stress, consider special programs devised as life coaching for women. Be your own savior, be your own driver in life, and be your truth with conviction!