Self-Care for Veterans: "You Gotta Nourish, to Flourish" • The Havok Journal

by Moriamo Sulaiman-Ifelodun

“You gotta nourish, to flourish”

What is Self-Care?

Self-care is often beautiful, but often times, it can be a very un-beautiful thing. Nowadays, self-care has become a buzzword. It is awesome to go for a walk, or turn off your phone for an hour or so to disconnect from the world. However, it is much deeper than that. Women have come to be known or expected to be great at self-care. Obviously, as a woman, and as a veteran, I can tell you that is far from the truth. Over time, I believe self-care has become more about going to the spa, getting that new weave install, and the normal ‘treat yo’ self’ activities.

Nothing is wrong with those activities, but those would be categorized as consumer self-care. The sales pitch is, “you need to buy this item, or have this service in order to feel good.” This can get a bit overwhelming and overbearing. Actual self-care is building a life you don’t need to regularly escape from. True self-care is not all about the manicures, pedicures, shopping, and spa days. Often times it is making a spreadsheet to track your budget, or going through a tough, grueling workout, or cutting off that toxic friend of 12 years. It doesn’t come from a bottle, a pill, social media, or something you see on TV. Actual self-care is what you need to do or whom you need to be with to make your soul happy.

It is looking at yourself square in the eye and accepting yourself for who you are. You will make choices; some good, some bad. You will make some friends and family happy, and disappoint others. At the end of the day, it is about becoming who you want and are meant to be. It is realizing and understanding your full potential, and becoming a force so great that no one can stop you.

Take care of yourself. You gotta nourish, to flourish.

Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, Moriamo Sulaiman-Ifelodun is an active duty Army Officer stationed overseas. Although her undergraduate degree was in Biology with a focus in Toxicology, she is currently working on her Master’s degree in Public Relations and Corporate Communications at Georgetown University. She is interested in communications, social media, and the effect it has on the population and international relations. She enjoys telling stories through writing, photography, and film-making. She is prior-service enlisted and previously completed a combat tour with the 1st Special Forces Group.

Additionally, she is a selfless servant and enjoys helping people in any way possible, specifically mental health challenges Service Members, and Veterans face on a daily basis. Her hobbies include outdoor adventures, history, education, reading, diving, Spartan racing, and she is an avid CrossFitter. This article represents the author’s personal opinion and is not an official position of the US Army or any other governmental entity.

This first appeared in The Havok Journal on August 2, 2019.