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In the humdrum of daily life, we keep trying to meet expectations from others. Rarely do we stop and think what we as women want.
We as women always prioritize others and the perception of that others have of us. We are so very dedicated to taking care of others, that often we forget the most important person in our life, “US”.
Since childhood we are taught to take care of others and as we grow older, the responsibility, if only, increases. From being a daughter, sister, wife and mother, we grow to reflect what others think about us.
Women are expected to come with the ticked boxes in a checklist, slim and trim, fair, caring, sensitive, docile, etc, etc, etc.
And in the humdrum of life, we keep trying to meet these expectations. Rarely do we stop and think what we as women want.
The consumerism in India doesn’t help either. With brands promoting fairness, age reduction crème, long shiny hair, and other such parameters of unrealistic beauty standards, it is hardly having a positive impact on women of today.
People and brands talk about a picture-perfect image, verses wellness of women. The celebrities posing photo shopped images on the covers of crème de la crème fashion magazine are making the women of today to behave irresponsibly towards their wellness, to come close to these unrealistic personas. The quick fix solutions marketed by the chemical brands do more damage than good. And in the process, lead to a lower self-confidence and insecurity in the users.
And we end up with the majority of women today not just having physical health issues but also mental and emotional health issues.
There needs to be a change and awareness about wellness and health of women and should be the focus too.
This change needs to start with the women themselves. They need to make choice every day for themselves, to nourish their body and soul and to not fall in trap of the current marketing gimmicks. Women should priorities body positivity and personal growth; education and learning. In this age and era women are not supposed to be defined by looks alone.
Women are pilots, army officers, politicians, CEOs; leading nations and companies towards a newer and more evolved era.
What women should aspire is for wellness. And this Women’s Day we should pledge to prioritize ourselves.
We should dedicate that one hour for yoga, meditation or exercise, spend time on hobbies, read books, listen to music dance. Take a break, breathe and live in the moment.
Yes, women have taken care of others for long, now it’s time to take care of themselves.
Happy Women’s Day to all women from all women.
Image source: a still from the film Listen, Amaya!
Experimenting with experiences is the mantra of my life. Writing is a passion that helps me channel my emotions and recreate memories, publish points of view and create stories. A self-proclaimed creative soul, I read more...
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Neena was the sole caregiver of Amma and though one would think that Amma was dependent on her, Neena felt otherwise.
Neena inhaled the aroma that emanated from the pan and took a deep breath. The aroma of cumin interspersed with butter transported her back to the modest kitchen in her native village. She could picture her father standing in the kitchen wearing his white crisp kurta as he made delectable concoctions for his only daughter.
Neena grew up in a home where both her parents worked together in tandem to keep the house up and running. She had a blissful childhood in her modest two-room house. The house was small but every nook and cranny gave her memories of a lifetime. Neena’s young heart imagined that her life would follow the same cheerful course. But how wrong she was!
When she was sixteen, the catastrophic clutches of destiny snatched away her parents. They passed away in a road accident and Neena was devastated. Relatives thronged her now gloomy house and soon it was decided that she should be married off.
Women today don’t want to be in a partnership that complicates their lives further. They need an equal partner with whom they can figure out life as a team, playing by each other’s strengths.
We all are familiar with that one annoying aunty who is more interested in our marital status than in the dessert counter at a wedding. But these aunties have somehow become obsolete now. Now they are replaced by men we have in our lives. Friends, family, and even work colleagues. It’s the men who are worried about why we are not saying yes to one among their clans. What is wrong with us? Aren’t we scared of dying alone? Like them?
A recent interaction with a guy friend of mine turned sour when he lectured me about how I would regret not getting married at the right time. He lectured that every event in our lives needs to be completed within a certain timeframe set by society else we are doomed. I wasn’t angry. I was just disappointed to realize that annoying aunties are rapidly doubling in our society. And they don’t just appear at weddings or family functions anymore. They are everywhere. They are the real pandemic.
Let’s examine this a little closer.
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