OG Self-Care Rituals Women Should Bring Back, According to Rujuta Diwekar
OG Self-Care Rituals Women Should Bring Back, According to Rujuta Diwekar
Self-care wasn’t always about expensive serums, retreat packages, or digital detox checklists. Before the concept was turned into a trend, it quietly existed in our everyday routines — especially for women. It showed up in the smallest of gestures: an afternoon nap, a cup of chai brewed just right, or the quiet joy of polishing old jewellery. These were acts of love that asked for nothing in return.
Nutritionist and author Rujuta Diwekar recently took to social media to remind her followers of these original, no-frills forms of self-care. In a world where curated wellness is often bought and sold in glass bottles and fancy routines, her message is a grounding one: the best kind of care is often simple, rooted in tradition, and deeply personal.
Her first suggestion is charming in its simplicity — “‘Put yourself first,’ in the gentlest and coolest way, was women keeping some fresh milk aside from their morning stock. No explaining, no guilt-tripping, just the best brewed chai on a breezy balcony in your own company.” That quiet act of setting aside milk for oneself wasn’t just habit; it was a daily ritual of self-prioritization, long before hashtags like #selflove existed.
Rujuta’s second tip invites us to embrace rest — not as a luxury, but as a necessary reset. She recommends a short nap after lunch, lasting just 20–30 minutes, and without the intrusion of screens. She gently critiques modern skincare routines that demand too much, writing, “12-step skincare routines can never replace an afternoon nap.” She reminds us that true beauty often comes from what we call “beauty sleep” — rest that keeps the hormones in balance, gives the skin its glow, and softens the heart.
Another OG self-care practice she highlights is the ritual of wearing and caring for jewellery. “Adorning the body with jewels (even flowers) was routine. But more importantly, younger girls in the family knew which piece was coming to whom. ‘I will give this to you’ was routine too. Celebrating the body in the moment while accepting its eventual death normalised and mainstreamed it.” This wasn’t just about appearance or vanity; it was about legacy, bonding, and seeing the body as something to cherish — not just perfect.
What makes these practices so timeless is how easily they fit into daily life. No apps, no expenses, no need for validation. Just presence, intention, and a little space carved out for oneself.
Rujuta gently critiques the curated perfection often seen on platforms like Instagram, pointing out how it rarely reflects the beauty in mundanity — those overlooked rituals passed down by generations of women who knew how to care for themselves quietly and consistently.
She ends her post with a heartfelt reminder: “They have been left behind by women who lived before us, notice them and make room in your heart to celebrate life on an ongoing basis.”
Many resonated with her post, with one user commenting, “Thank you for reminding us of our lost traditions and heritage. It’s such a breath of fresh air in today’s world.” Another added how they’ve created their own no-phone tea ritual to enjoy the little moments of the day.
Rujuta Diwekar has long been a voice for bringing back balance — not just in food, but in how we live and care for ourselves. Her perspective is a gentle nudge to return to the basics, to notice what women before us already knew, and to treat self-care not as a task — but as a way of life.
