4 Things you must know about yourself

4 Things you must know about yourself

It's difficult to sustain relationships in the days of multi-tasking. Be it with your boyfriend, husband, parents, children or friends... it's hardly possible to do justice to all of them. 

But while you may get lucky with some of your relationships, like with your partner or your children, the person you often ignore is yourself. All of a sudden, when things start to fall apart, you realize that while you got busy taking care of everyone else's needs, someone else forgot to do that for you. You may be aware of your husband's breaking point. You may know what will stop your child from throwing a tantrum. But do you know what makes you snap? The next time you have some time to spend on yourself, make a list of the basic things that you must know about yourself; that's the most important relationship women tend to miss out on - the one with themselves. 

Your dial-a-friend 
Who is that one person who always calms you down? The one who will listen to all your problems patiently? It doesn't matter how much of a loner you are, there should be at least one person whom you can call instantly in time of need. We all need to whine, at times to make ourselves feel better. 

Your breaking point 
Pooja Sharma, a marketing executive with a 5-star hotel, is a calm and dignified person. That is, until a couple of months ago, when a simple difference of opinion with a colleague had her uttering expletives that would upset her, if they came from others. "Tension had been building up for some time in the workplace and personal problems were bothering me too. My colleague got to me and I lost it completely," says Sharma. Since then, she tries to understand her mood better. 

That one stress-buster 
It can be movies, music, swimming, gossip with friends or good old sleep - don't avoid doing things that de-stress you. Women often don't give enough importance to it and end up with a lot of pent up emotions. 

How to say 'no' 
Pleasing people is good, but do not bend over backwards for them. If your friends take you for granted, just put your foot down. If your husband's friends think your house is the only decent place for social gatherings and you are not comfortable with it, convey it to him. You can do it politely. If workload at the office is bogging you down, talk it out with your superior. Learn to delegate. And most importantly, know that it's absolutely alright to say 'no' at times. It doesn't mean you're unprofessional
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