For nearly the past year, our world has been flipped upside-down. At times, it’s hard to know if habits now are truly self-care, or upon guilty reflection, self-indulgence.
For now, I’d take the slothful route of self-righteousness: it’s primarily self-care.
Featured photo: Lovely gently liquor soaked cherry gourmet cake with passion fruit outer layer and passion fruit- matcha tea creme centre.
Cycle Write Blog 
Great post, Jean. I go with self-care; we need all we can get!
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We just need not to go overboard! 😉
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We really do (take) care for ourselves in that we keep our disnatces, wear masks, do not go out eating, and do curbside shopping only. But we also indulge ourselves!
Your fish looks yummy, and your crepes with shrimp just gave me an idea as we have shrimp in the freezer.
Take care, and stay healthy,
Pit
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Likewise. Not to diminish the gravity of covid, but we are living in historic times. We all just want to survive this situation. I’m a seafood fan!
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Haha I really enjoyed this post… especially the part about the shorts. Weirdly we are in a community that is now open to outsiders, whereas in March for three months it was not, and is oblivious to Covid. No social distancing, no masks here at the beach in Oaxaca. The saving grace is that everything is outdoors… from yoga to restaurants to anything else one wants or needs to do.
Peta
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No social distancing, no masks…hmmm. I realize it’s outdoors but there have been cases of wedding parties and BBQ (separate) with enough people near by outside. Then there were covid cases from that group…
A friend was in Spain in a city when the March lockdown swooped down there. At first locals laughed at her, etc. Then later, they asked where she got her mask (her daughter sent one to her fast).
Stay safe. Hope 2021 is bright and still positive for you.
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I need to come to your house for dinner lol #2 was my fav last year…I was happy when people decided they really didn’t want to work out outside, after all, leaving the bike lanes and sidewalks all to myself 😉
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🙂 If you are ever in Canada for a snack somewhere…Right, a few years later after this virus is gone. Isn’t it wonderful to have bike lanes and sidewalks for self …just awhile?
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Although it can be a balancing act, I think some self indulgence is a good thing these days.
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Perhaps the antidote to too much self-indulgence…is more exercise? 😉
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I LOVE OUR PICTOCHART! I do keep wondering how folks are getting on. Excluding those who didn’t get hit with major changes, it seems as though you really needed a few things in place for sanity: a peaceful home, the ability to make money from home, and some sort of physical and creative/spiritual outlet. I’m glad to hear you’ve made the best of it 😛 Lattes and all.
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How is the pandemic situation where you are? Hope you have been able to work safely too, Lani. In lieu of lattes, there’s probably another treat of self-care where you are. 🙂 What would it be?
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Chocolate 😛
Thailand’s numbers have been shockingly low for 2020 but this year some illegal activities around the country gave us a spike, but even our spike is minute compared to other countries. It’s a bit of a mystery, really. When folks do get CV they have mild symptoms, but we still had lockdown, etc. Since our city had one of the scares, we were in a second lockdown, but it’s been about 2wks out of it…
What about you? How have things been?
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Our province’s have been one of the highest. We were in our 2nd lockdown…stupidly the govn’t decided to ease off controls this week, when we still have several hundred people in province sick with covid. In our municipality we have mandatory masking in any public area since last spring. I work for the municipality. Crossing fingers for Thailand for covid rates to remain low. The vaccine roll-out in Canada hasn’t been as fast as planned. Right now, Canada is relying all its vaccine supply …from Europe. U.S. President Biden closed off supply from U.S. to Canada just last wk. onward.
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How weird. I hadn’t heard that about Biden, but I haven’t been following the news. Too toxic and diff to get at the truth and I don’t invest the time to dig deep which you need to do these days. Although I have seen newsletters and apps trying to fix that, but ugh, sorry. It’s a tough situation all the way around no matter where you are in the world because we’re all effected by what everyone else does too! Take care, Jean.
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Indeed this past year has flipped our worlds upside down. I do feel this past year worked well for me and the tricky part was not actually getting tired out with all the things I wanted to do.
I feel self-care is more of what we do to take care of ourselves that can impact our lives in years to come. For instance, to me self-care is exercising even if it is just a quick walk around the block, meal prepping to ensure I don’t eat junk food all week long and tidying the house so my mental health will thank me for it later. To me self-indulgence is just another word for treat. Then again, both the terms self-care and self-indulgence can overlap.
That is some decadent gourmet cake there, Jean. You have good taste. It sounds like you made a great investment in walking/bicycle shorts last year. I had a low-buy last year with clothing and recall only buying a jacket for transition seasons and a couple of jumpers. I’ve learnt to be more mindful with my spending more than ever during the last year, and to finally spend with intention in all areas of life. Take care, Jean. May this year work for you and may it be a good one. Best wishes.
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Looks like Aussieland is trying their best to keep covid numbers low, Mabel. For sure, covid restrictions have reminded (hopefully) of good conscious efforts and habits. Unfortunately in climates where we get super cold winter days, going for a walk is abit off-putting. Am hoping for a thaw in a few days to get me out there and also do some food shopping for onions, etc. and other necessities. I doubt where you are, you have this type of extreme climatic barrier to exercise.
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I heard it is snowing quite a bit in many parts of Canada, so it must be cold. Hopefully more sunshine and warmer weather in the next few days for you to do your grocery shopping. May it be winter over for you and COVID will move along when spring comes along for you.
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Today was -32 degrees C (with wind chill -45 degrees C) when wind is blowing at only 26 km./hr. Until I lived in the prairies, I didn’t experience this type of deep dangerous winter cold. It’s actually been several consecutive days of this deep cold. This weeknd looks promising for grovery shopping. 🙂 What is the lowest temp. you’ve experienced
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That is very cold, -45’C. I would not want to experience that. Hopefully now that it is the weekend you can go grocery shopping. The coldest I’ve experienced was just below 0’C think around -2’C or -3’C with windchill in the winter here in Australia. I am definitely not a fan of cold at all. Prefer summer anytime 😄
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Yes for us, we consider -2 degrees C as getting quite warm. Sure it’s “cold” in the fall after a hot summer week.
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Taking “the slothful route of self-righteousness.” Easily my favorite line. You’ve done more than sum up pandemic life, Jean– I think you just summed up human nature!! Shorts? -20C?? I don’t wanna think about it!! Buttery shrimps, roasted fish… I’m definitely coming to your house for dinner, and I’ll be wearing about 16 layers!! Great post, now bust outta that funk and saddle up!! 🚴 😊
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Funny..yea, summarizing human nature! Not that I want buttery shrimps every wk. Hoping for kindness in your life and for everyone else you know, Mark. 🙂 Well, that cycling will have to wait a few more wks. until snow clears up some more.
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I can totally relate on the haircut comment. When I got my first haircut after a year I felt like a new human being — I had been reborn!
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😀
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🙂 It’s a great feeling. Right now, alot of mess…with shedding longer hair.
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Did you make those crepes??? They look divine, and I’d check these off as self-care ❤
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I wish. I definitely am not a crepe maker at all. At restaurant.
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