Dear sunsets,

I don't know how you do it but you never fail to evoke awe from me. Just when I think I've seen the best of sunsets, you pull the rug beneath my feet and I'm head over heels all over again.

Dear El Morfi Grill's tiramisu,
You make me cheat on healthy eating but you taste so damn good. More often than not, it's worth it.

Dear Maria of Maria's Signature Massage,
Your magical hands have taken care of my tense muscles, knots and trigger points. You've been such a wonderful answer to my anxiety & stress, and I can't wait to see you next month!

Dear Halloween candy,

I hope you don't tempt me next year as much, if not more, as you did this year. Maybe then I won't eat two bags worth of you.

Dear Mike & Sully pumpkins that my coworker made for our company's pumpkin carving contest,

You are the most adorable pumpkins I've seen. You're one of the reasons why Halloween was such an enjoyable experience this year!

Dear Autumn,

Even though you make it a bit more difficult to work out, the scarves, soft sweaters, warm coats and mugs of hot chocolate & tea make it more than worth it.

P.S. Please make the orange leaves appear earlier than usual this year!

P.P.S. I hope you don't end as quickly as you come!

Dear depression,

You're not going to beat me this season. I'm taking care of myself and too many people give me reasons to be grateful for so I can't let you win.

Dear social media,
I didn't think I would be live so wonderfully AND feel happier without you. 

Dear lavender candle,

You make my evenings so much more delightful than it usually is.

Dear boyfriend,

It's still insane to me how you figure out that I'd like particular Star Trek characters before I even know who they are. It scares me how you know me so well sometimes, but I love how that never stopped you from listening to my silly rants and vents. One of the many reasons why I love you. :)

Dear Christmas Songs,

I'm too excited to hear you while walking on the streets again. Too excited, in fact, that I've started listening to you today. No time is too early to get into the Christmas spirit!

Dear Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle,

You're not quite what I expected you would be. I am very entertained anyway. I can see why my boyfriend loves you.

Dear Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,

I can't believe you've made me cry twice in one month, and all in season one. I'm not lying when I say, I've judged you too harshly from the get go and you've definitely made me regret it. I always look forward to watching more episodes!

Best of love,

Jane

**Post is inspired Naomi, whose blog I've followed since I started blogging on blogspot in 2009.

The discussion and propagation of self-care has recently risen to popularity in the last few years due in part to the masses' increasing regard for health and wellness. Contrary to popular belief, self-love isn't always enjoyable or easy. Sometimes, it feels like hard work, perseverance and determination. I was introduced to the idea of self-care through a good friend, introspection and good old research. While the concept wasn't entirely foreign to me, it wasn't until last year that I understood what self-care truly meant.

I won't pretend that I'm an expert in the topic of self-care because I'm far from it. However, I did feel compelled to write about it because it's become such an important part of my life. Here are some self-care myths that, I realized, aren't always necessarily true:

Eat whatever you want. Nope. Nope. Nope. There's a rampant assumption that self-care is all about taking care of your soul when that couldn't be farther from the truth. Self-care is taking care of your body, mind and soul. Consuming whatever you want without any regard for nutrition leaves your body malnourished, consequently making it more difficult to take care of the rest of you. Go ahead, indulge in a chocolate bar once in awhile but please do yourself a favor - eat better!

Do not force yourself to socialize. This largely depends on the circumstances. I'm an introvert at heart and there is nothing more tempting than to stay in my pajamas, binge watch netflix and drink hot tea for the rest of my life. However, that's not always a good thing. Isolating yourself only plunges you into stagnation and depression. It's good to strike a balance between some good old 'me-time' and tete-a-tetes with loved ones. After all, "no man is an island". **Important side note: If a person is toxic, cut them loose. There's no point in keeping up with people who only add negativity to your life.

Don't do anything! This is pretty much an extension of number two - it also depends on the circumstances. Do nothing day is relaxing. However, more often than not, being productive produces a more positive effect in your life in the long-run. Let's say you procrastinated because you felt like doing nothing. Getting back on schedule will leave you more stressed because you're falling behind. It's important to know your responsibilities and to commit to them. Productivity also increases your sense of accomplishment and self-worth, especially after you achieve a goal. So push yourself - do your laundry, wake up early to get to work on time, exercise. It might not be an alluring prospect as of the moment, but future you will definitely be thankful for it.