by Sonya Keshwani, Founder of StyleEsteem Wardrobe, Cancer Survivor
When was the last time you were romantic with yourself? By romance, I mean self-love. Self-love is the idea of nurturing yourself through acts of kindness toward yourself, in your everyday life. Just like you shouldn’t wait till Valentine’s Day to tell a loved one that you care, you shouldn't need a reason or occasion to be kind toward yourself either.
When I started chemotherapy at age 29, life slowed down quite a bit. The hussle and bussle of my exciting career turned into long days of recovery from treatment. Since this created plenty of “me time” I decided to start approaching this as the ultimate time to nurture myself. Through spiritual, physical, spontaneous and other acts, I began turning self-love into a more consistent and intentional ritual in my life.
My favorite acts of self-love - many of which I still practice - include:
1. Finding 5 minutes of stillness during the day.
Finding stillness not only brings peace, it grounds you and helps you move forward in your day from a place of strength and confidence.
2. Giving the scalp a massage with warmed oil.
Scalp massages are relaxing for the mind, excellent for hair growth, and a wonderful way to honor your crown - past, present and future. Try coconut oil with a few drops of lavender or rosemary oil.
3. Lighting a candle at dinner time.
This always helped me wind down at the end of the day and savor my meal - especially at a time when eating was sometimes difficult.
4. Keeping hair accessories in a special drawer.
Staying organized helps de-stress the getting ready process, while also giving your crown the spotlight it deserves in your daily routine.
5. Frothing morning coffee.
Enjoying a special coffee gives me something to look forward to as soon as I wake up and makes an everyday experience more decadent.
6. Leaving a chic sweater in each room of the house.
To deal with the extreme coldness caused by hair loss, I kept a chic cardigan in each room of the house. This ensured I would be cozy and look my best no matter what.
7. Putting healthy snacks in special jars.
Doing this creates a bit more joy and makes reaching for a healthy snack and special experience.
8. Wearing cute matching lounge sets and turbans.
I always say you are the most important company you keep - so you should dress for it too! Coordinating your at-home outfits - from your turban to your toes - will change how you see yourself in the mirror and give you confidence.
A fact of life is that the longest relationship you’ll have, is the one you have with yourself. So shouldn’t you be the greatest source of love in your life too?
New turban release shoot at Tiffany & Co. Fifth Avenue Flagship location, in the private salon. More to come about this shoot later!
To capture how beautiful self-love can be, we created the “Something Glam, Something Blue” couture turban. Inspired by romance, it features a handmade appliqué with assorted jewels and ostrich feathers, and the fabric has a feminine pattern with a satin finish.
This turban is for the woman who doesn’t need to wait for anyone to love herself. She doesn’t need to wait for a special occasion to wear something special. And she doesn’t need a sign from the universe to be kinder to herself. When you wear this style, I hope you feel beautiful, confident, and loved. And when you look in the mirror, I hope you remember that you deserve these things - every single day.
