Melanie

Welcome to Self Care Stories, a blog series showcasing how different people take care of themselves around the world. In our lives, we often forget to prioritize our own well-being. We hope that by reading these stories, you feel inspired to build your own self-care routines because your own care is important.

Meet Melanie!

What's your background?

I am a 24-year-old Indo-Portuguese raised in Muscat, Oman. After having lived in the US for six years for college and work, I moved back home last year, but am planning my next big move back West soon. I’m a young architect and am keen on designing healthcare and laboratory environments, but I also love exploring international relations and writing. 

What's your definition of self-care or what does self-care mean to you?

Well, sometimes - my emotional battery is running low, in the sense that I may at times, not have the emotional energy any longer to engage in conversations, respond to situations, etc. In that case, self-care works as a great emotional and mental recharge. 

Tell me your story. How do you practice self-care in your life?

There are various self-care habits that I engage in which vary from time to time. My particular favourite is going outdoors, whether it is for a drive, a walk or a hike; a little bit of greenery, mountains and water always puts me in a good mood. With friends, even better! But also there’s nothing like friends, music and watching a bit of comedy. A dance workout in your room to a good YouTube video could also work wonders. Of course, a good night's sleep cannot be underestimated. For that, I use 'sleepcasts' on the app Headspace that describe creative storytelling that will put you to sleep nice and easy. Recently, I have also created a photo album on my phone titled 'Esperanza' or 'Hope' where I save photos of motivational quotes or pictures of things or people that make me happy that I can look at from time to time. 

What makes taking care of yourself so important to you?

It helps me become a better person who is more balanced, more understanding, and ready to take on the day.

If you had advice to give someone else on practicing self-care, what would it be?

Please take time to do it! Your emotional recharge is very necessary. And get creative! There are many ways to take care of yourself, and keep trying different things or a combination of things on a regular basis to keep things interesting. 

This series was created in collaboration with Self Caid. To find out more information on how to build a self-care routine, check out them out here.