Summary

The website content is an invitation from "Life by Yana BG" to participate in a self-care themed prompt for February, following up on a January prompt about pets, and it includes highlights from previous submissions.

Abstract

The article from "Life by Yana BG" provides an update on the ongoing community engagement through the platform's monthly prompts. For February, the prompt focuses on self-care practices, encouraging readers to share their personal routines and the importance of taking time for oneself. This follows the January prompt, which asked how pets make their owners better people, and the article celebrates the heartfelt responses received, including stories of rescue, companionship, and the life lessons learned from animals. The author also shares personal struggles with maintaining self-care amidst life's demands and the realization that health and peace of mind are paramount. The piece serves as a reminder of the value of stillness and self-reflection, even amidst busy schedules, and invites everyone, including specific individuals, to contribute their experiences with self-care.

Opinions

The author emphasizes the importance of self-care, suggesting that even a few minutes a day can make a significant difference in one's well-being.
There is a shared sentiment that pets have a profound impact on their owners' lives, teaching lessons in empathy, kindness, and responsibility.
The article expresses gratitude towards those who have participated in the prompts and highlights the joy and emotional depth that pets bring to their owners.
The author acknowledges the challenges of time management and the tendency to sacrifice self-care for productivity, advocating for a balance that prioritizes mental health.
The piece encourages the community to engage in the upcoming self-care prompt, fostering a supportive environment for sharing personal stories and insights.

How Do I Practice Self Care?

Newsletter #2 from Life by Yana BG, February prompt and exciting highlights

(First published on Life Column on Coffee Times Substack)

Here we are into February, how are we doing with the New Year Resolutions, intentions, or vision boards? I’d love to hear how it’s going for you😊

I have been feeling listless lately — probably the result of spinning multiple plates in the air, ongoing health issues of a loved one, and feeling the brunt of deep winter blues. Also, the fact that there’s nowhere to go or much to do in this freezing New England weather especially with Omicron in the air doesn’t seem to help matters much.

But I was able to do something nice for myself when I took an impromptu break day and did pretty much nothing.

Just chilled in my jammies, did a bit of reading and some cooking. Gosh, but freshly made pasta liberally ladled with tomato sauce is delicious!

Recently, I read an article by my friend, Carmellita where she talks about creating bliss through stillness. In it she poses an interesting question — do you set aside 5–6 minutes for yourself to just be in the moment?

It made me think about my struggles with time management and how one day I woke up to the realization that I was just multi-tasking like crazy with no time to spare. My mind was in constant motion and I was beginning to skip my daily meditations along with practicing self-care just so I could complete a task on my to-do list.

Not a surprise therefore that I noticed a distinct spike in my anxiety levels and dipping energy levels. In short, I was working myself to exhaustion.

Was my health and peace of mind worth the world?

No!

So, my friends, that brings me to Life’s February prompt:

🌸How do I practice Self Care?🌸

It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or time-consuming. In my case, the time I spend on my daily meditations is non-negotiable. I find that keeping a strict time limit on social media/devices opens up time for myself.

How about you?

Inviting everyone to participate including the following should they feel inspired: Donnette Anglin, Hamsalekha, Christina, Yan Huang, Tamil, Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, Dharan.M, Art Bram, Dr. Preeti Singh, Drashti Shroff, Sahil Patel, Liberty Forrest, Author, Eko BP, Marie A. Rebelle, Suma Narayan, Monoreena Acharjee Majumdar, Sujona Chatterjee, Lucia Landini, Pene Hodge, Preeti Ramachandran, B.R. Shenoy

*Those who responded on Substack, I thank and appreciate you!

In case you missed it I had announced a prompt at the end of January “How does your pet make you a better person?” I am happy to say that despite the time crunch, I received some very sweet and heartwarming reads.

Victoria Gregg: In her article about her Boston Terrier, Lily, Victoria mentions something that many of us pet owners can relate to “I felt the synchronicity of her looking deep into my eyes and picking me. I had to get my little princess.” I urge you to read “Lessons That Having a Dog Has Taught Me About Life,” a lovely heartfelt ode to a beloved pet.

I also want to share the good news that Victoria’s piece was immediately chosen for further distribution😊

Monoreena Acharjee Majumdar: “My Biju” had me in tears — how beautifully she writes about her pet rabbit, Biju, whom she rescued from the lab right before he was to be sacrificed for a science experiment -

“You taught us how to live Life in peace, Preserve innocence, And care for fellow beings”

Yes, Monoreena, your words give a powerful voice to the silent love that keeps on giving…..❤

Anna Woods: My prompt was not only for those who have pets but for those who have lost pets and also for those who dream of owning a pet. I was indeed so happy to see Anna’s response to my prompt titled “A Vivid Dream & A Puppy Named Junior”. This is what she says:

“Does this prompt even apply to me?? The answer: Yes. A dog is definitely on my vision board for 2022.”

Yay for vision boards, Anna!🎉

Bridie D: In “Rat Patootie Bless My Soul”, Bridie introduces her two pet rats — Raven and Pepper and talks about how they make her a better person by:

Gaining perspective
Check my priorities
Eating better

Cool! Thank you for sharing, Bridie!👍

Nancy Blackman: I like to especially applaud Nancy for sharing this wonderful article about Reggie & Dolce and I believe the title says why — “Senior Dogs Teach Me So Much About Life and How to Be Kind.” I will leave you with an excerpt from her article which is a testament to something beautiful and rare:

“Our previous dog, Reggie, was a senior beagle when we adopted him. We nurtured him in his golden years for the remaining two years of his life. After he passed, my husband and I realized we were meant to adopt the seniors that no one else wanted, because they teach us so much life — forgiveness and kindness are at the top of the list.”

🌸 If you still want to submit to my January prompt, please do! Your pets are always welcome here at Life❤

🌸Not a writer yet? Join us here.

🌸I will be picking one story every week that spoke to me the most to be featured on the Life column on Coffee Times Substack. This is in addition to the 3 Editor’s picks which will be promoted on Coffee Times social media sites on Twitter, LinkedIn, and FaceBook.