Anisa Makhoul - You Are Your Best Friend Everyday Rituals for Self-Care.

To my college English professor, who told me that I should never write because it was obvious I was the daughter of a non-native English speaker.

Copyright 2021 by Anisa Makhoul.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

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ISBN 978-1-4521-8407-4 (epub, mobi)

ISBN 978-1-4521-8281-0 (hardcover)

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Contrary to what you might think, self-care is not selfish. Its not all expensive yoga retreats, face masks, and juice cleanses. Self-care is for everyone. Even the smallest act of self-care is a revolutionary act of self-love. In her book of essays, A Burst of Light, Black feminist writer Audre Lorde explains: Caring for myself is not a self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare. Lordes words build on the legacy of the Black Panther Party, which encouraged Black communities to open their own healthcare clinics, start school meal programs, and provide other essential services to ensure the survival of people of color. Faced with the adversity of racism, these radical activists promoted the rhetoric and practice of self-love.

When you love yourself, youre better able to filter out the toxicity of the world. Knowing your own worth helps you set boundaries. It allows you to live from a place of love and compassion instead of guilt and obligationthis not only benefits you, but also helps you do better for those around you. When you are mindful of how you treat yourself, you become mindful of how you treat others. Taking care of yourself feels good. Feeling good about yourself helps you face the worlds challenges with maximum compassion, empathy, and patience. It enables you to follow your dreams. Practicing simple daily self-care rituals, such as the ones in this book, will transform your life. Care for yourself, allow yourself to flourish, see what gifts blossomthen share them with the world.

Release your need to get to the next big thing as quickly as possible. Life is about the journey, and the journey includes detours. The road in front of you leads to that thing you really want to achieve, but along the way life is happening. Embrace the space between where you are and where you want to be. Trust that everything is unfolding just the way it should.

Theres a limited amount of time for thoughts in a day. Be sure you are spending your time and energy wisely by choosing which thoughts you wish to give your time to. You wouldnt water a weed you didnt want in your garden. The same goes for thoughts.

Most people fear that circumstances outside their control will define their lives. But in reality, its most often the quality of our character that shapes our destiny. In other words: Life is what you make of it.

Think of yourself as a light socket: You come with your own power source. The light bulb screwed into you is your current thought. You can always unscrew that light bulb and lay it on the table; without you, it has no power. Whenever you find yourself dwelling on thoughts that dont feel good, unscrew that light bulb and screw in a better-feeling thought.

Ninety-five percent of the time, our brains are operating from the subconscious. This means that thoughts outside of our control govern our behavior. The way to change the subconscious mind is through feeling. Lets bask in positivity to create positive feelings. Scientists believe it may take as little as twenty seconds of thought or feeling to influence the subconscious mind. Think of a time when something worked in your favor, an event that you really enjoyed, or any time you were feeling really good about life. Keep your mind there and revel in the way it made you feel. Bring up the details in your mind. Where were you? What was the weather? Was it day or night? How did it smell? Stay in that feeling for as long as you can. If your subconscious thoughts matched your conscious thoughts, your life would be one big magic dream ride.

Water cleanses, heals, energizes, and nourishes our bodies. Dont underestimate the power of drinking enough water. Charging your water drinking with intentions is one way to stay mindful throughout the day. This can be as easy as taking a moment to give thanks to your water for the energy and health its going to give you. Picture it going into your body and doing its job, such as hydrating your skin or energizing your muscles. Allow this simple and tiny act to take on its true magnitude in your mind.