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Self-Care Isn’t Always Candles and Baths: What It Looks Like for South Asian Women
Opening Reflection Self-care has been marketed as lavender baths and $40 face masks. But for many South Asian women, it’s not aesthetic — it’s survival. Self-care looks like setting boundaries with toxic relatives, reclaiming time to rest without guilt, and quietly unlearning generations of silence and shame. It’s messy. It’s radical. And it’s necessary. The Reality of Self-Care in South Asian Homes In many South Asian households, the idea of putting yourself first is labeled selfish or shameful. Women are expected to be caregivers, emotional anchors, and problem-solvers — often at the cost of their own mental and physical health. So the version of self-care we’re sold online doesn’t always…
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“Looking Down to Feel Better: A Trauma Response Disguised as Pride?”
It’s a tough thing to admit — but have you ever caught yourself judging another woman, even just a little, just to feel a bit better about your own situation? Maybe it sounded like, “At least I’m not like her,” or “She doesn’t have her life together like I do.” It’s subtle. Often quiet. But it’s there. And for many South Asian women, this isn’t about arrogance or true pride.It’s survival.It’s a trauma response dressed up as confidence.It’s what we learned to do in a world that constantly measured our worth — and made us feel like we were never enough unless someone else was less. Why It’s Not Really…
Daughters of Strength, Bosses by Choice