When Writing Becomes an Act of Self-Care

When writing becomes an act of self-care

The other day, I was talking to one of my mentors in the world of Yoga and Ayurveda, and he said, “The work we do is intense, Sweta. Take care of yourself.” I sat with his words for a good month before making this decision, “I will start to write fiction, again, in 2023.”

Let me backtrack a little bit! I am an author. Yes. But I am also doing a doctorate in Ayurveda, founder of a wellness company, write weekly wellness columns, help clients, work a day job, and manage a home. I am aware that I am not the only one juggling, and I hope those of you reading this essay also find the courage to practice self-care and follow what sustains you.

When the pandemic hit, those of us in the wellness world were asked to show up. We did, with pride, grit, trepidations, determination, and gratitude. The world changed as we knew it. In-person became virtual, and we were in survival mode… but helping others. I taught mindfulness and Ayurveda workshops at large corporations, high schools, and colleges. I brought breathing techniques to incarcerated men and women. I was on wellness panels talking about the importance of emotional and mental well-being, especially during the pandemic. I started writing weekly columns for some meaningful magazines.

With aging parents, the pandemic brought with it newer financial responsibilities. Like many of you, I have an elderly parent and parents-in-law. Except mine live overseas. From November 2021 and November 2022—between my husband and I—we have made five trips to India because of family crises and hospitalizations. All these trips meant we had no vacation time, so we took care of our parents during the day and logged into work all night. I turned down a promotion at work because I couldn’t fathom more responsibilities even though our expenses went up.

By late summer of 2022, I was badly burnt out. Trust me; I did all the textbook things: eat healthy, walk 5 miles daily, practice yoga asanas every morning, meditate, spend time with good friends and family, donate to causes etc. etc. My daily practices kept me going, but they weren’t enough to keep me fueled. In taking care of others, I forgot about my innate needs: Writing fiction. It is pure joy for me.

As a speaker and Ayurveda & Wellness Coach, people feel it’s safe to constantly share their struggles with me. The pandemic instilled a fear of losing people, so I stopped saying NO to anyone who asked for help. As a result, my mind felt rarely quiet and was constantly worried about family, friends, and clients. In the past two years, I have written and published more essays than I have in the last 5 years about health, wellbeing, selfcare, emotional wellbeing, and mental wellness.

I feel grateful for all the opportunities to build communities, inspire healing, and share what I know. But in writing what others seemingly needed, I didn’t hold space for what I needed: writing for fun. While my writing helped others, I had no outlet for my intense work. Honestly, I was too exhausted and felt guilty complaining about “paucity of time,” when I had a job, roof over my head, and food on the table to eat.

The process of writing fiction transports me to a different place, which has nothing to do with my day-to-day life. Doing research, developing characters, and building a whole fictional life is a lot of hard work but also nourishing. Life happens when we are busy planning it. But in a novel, you get to design a life and give it endings of your choice.

In hindsight, maybe I should have written fiction when the world went on PAUSE in March 2020. But the world, during the peak of the Coronavirus, felt like a horror movie. I had no bandwidth to create an alternate reality through my fiction writing when real life was so demanding, scary, unpredictable, and draining. Trying to keep a job, business running, family healthy, and staying alive was a lot. Being able to write nonfiction felt like a privilege; writing for pleasure became an alien concept with all the other responsibilities.

Most of us do the best we can given our circumstances. But I didn’t realize that I picked a non-sustainable model. No one can constantly give without replenishing themselves. You can’t possibly shove your needs to the bottom of the pile and not expect frustrations to catch up. Maybe it’s time that we define boundaries for ourselves! Ask deeper questions about our individual needs without any shame. Make room for the writing that nurtures us, not just what supposedly sells, or our profession expects us to deliver. Just being able to write what you want to write is ample self-care on some days.

My goal, starting January 2023, is to create a non-negotiable “space” for fiction writing every week. It might be 50 words or 500 words, but I intend to show up for it with dedication. There is no pressure to finish that story or novel. I remind myself, over and over again, that writing fiction is an act of self-care. And self-care isn’t selfish or inaccessible. Taking care of yourself, your body, your needs, your health, and mental well-being is important! It not just helps you feel better but also fuels your creativity and supports you to perform better in the long run. You’ll be able to help others better.

How will you take care of yourself and your writing in the New Year?

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“Self-discipline is self-caring.” ~ M. Scott Peck

BIO: Sweta Srivastava Vikram is an international speaker, best-selling author of 13 books, and Ayurveda and wellness coach who is committed to helping people thrive on their own terms. Her latest book, “A Piece of Peace,” (Modern History press) was released in September 2021. As a trusted source on health and wellness, most recently appearing on NBC and Radio Lifeforce and in a documentary with Dr. Deepak Chopra, Sweta has dedicated her career to writing about and teaching a more holistic approach to creativity, productivity, health, and nutrition.

Her work has appeared in The New York Times and other publications across nine countries on three continents. Sweta is getting a doctorate degree in Ayurveda, is a  certified Ayurveda health coach, and holds a Master’s in Strategic Communications from Columbia University. Voted as “One of the Most Influential Asians of Our Times” and winner of the “Voices of the Year” award (past recipients have been Chelsea Clinton), she lives in New York City with her husband and works with clients across the globe. She also teaches yoga, meditation, and mindfulness to survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence as well incarcerated men and women. Find her on: Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

www.swetavikram.com | sweta@swetavikram.com

A PIECE OF PEACE

Join Sweta on a Journey of Mindfulness and Recovery from Illness

A Piece of Peace is an autobiographical account of one woman’s unique struggle with a near-fatal disease. In 2018, Sweta had already earned acclaim from having written a dozen successful books and for her work toward amplifying women’s voices.

Suddenly overtaken with a massive health crisis, she entered a fight for her life that lasted more than six months. Her journey back to wellness through mindfulness and Ayurvedic healing show us both the true resilience of the human spirit as well as laying out a practical day-by-day plan that anyone can build on to restore health and recover from chronic health losses. Sweta shares her vulnerabilities, makes recommendations, interviews experts, and reminds us all that how we respond to a situation determines our path in life. Additionally, you’ll learn about:

• The power of mindful living.
• The impact of finding and owning your voice on your well-being.
• A reminder about the role of wellness in the lives of writers & creative professionals.
• Essays and stories on coping with the pandemic, mindfulness, Ayurveda, meditation, resilience, productivity, and more.
• Tips, tricks, wisdom, all packed neatly with compassion to help you navigate life no matter what’s thrown at you.

“I’m confident that A Piece of Peace will prove to be of immense benefit to anyone interested in achieving a state of healthy physical, intellectual, and spiritual well-being.” Nitin P. Ron, MD, Speaker, Expedition Leader, and Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics

“The recipe for being your most creative and productive self is in this book. Through Sweta’s journey of survival she shares the power of mindful living, the value of Ayurvedic healing and how to be the best version of yourself. A Piece of Peace is a must-have for your bookshelf.” Paula Rizzo, author, Listful Living: A List-Making Journey to a Less Stressed You

BUY HERE

 

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Category: How To and Tips