It is too easy to fall into the social ideals of what it means to be ‘fit’ and ‘healthy’ and the pressure to see exercise as always enjoyable.
For Dilpreet Kaur Taggar, she previously always felt exercise was like punishment and admits she still sometimes does to this day.
But that is why finding opportunities to honour her body in ways she finds enjoyable is so important — and why it’s important for all of us.
And for Dilpreet, a good dance session does the trick.
Dilpreet is an independent journalist, entrepreneur and founder of South Asian Today, Australia’s first media startup for South Asian women & non-binary folks.
She is passionate about celebrating stories through a South Asian lens; an experience that is both unique and shared.
She also has some excellent advice regarding solitude.
“I encourage every woman reading this to spend some time with just yourself, too,” she says.
“A space where it’s only you. Solitude can teach us so much about ourselves, especially as we live in a society that has an inescapable male gaze.
“A stronger relationship with our own bodies, emotions, and thoughts is a form of therapy, and I am willing to die on this hill.”
Dilpreet is the latest to feature in our ‘how I manage my health’ profile, a weekly health series that looks at how dynamic women of different career backgrounds maintain their physical and mental health. Read her full profile below.
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In the morning I…
I struggle! I am not a big morning person so a nice splash of cold water stops me from snoozing that alarm one more time. But, nothing really wakes me up quite like chai. A steaming hot cup with some ginger and cardamom is the kick I need to start my day. Even if it’s a disastrous day, at least the chai is always good.
My exercise routine includes…
Does running a Harry Potter marathon count?
Everyone sort of expects me to know Yoga but I couldn’t even tell you on asana! I’ve been getting into cardio lately, so a good jog on the treadmill helps me unwind my day. I do enjoy a fair bit of boxing too. I always punch up, though.
My favourite workout is…
I love a good Bollywood or Bhangra session! A classic tune from the 90s and I don’t care who is watching. It’s truly my happy place. Growing up in an environment where exercising meant rigorously pushing yourself to a point when you no longer can, or beating yourself up to achieve a smaller size, I often looked at it as a punishment. I won’t lie, I still do sometimes. So a dance session where I can move however I want to, for as long as I please, and to whatever beat of my choice, it’s easily a favourite.
I find balance in…
Knowing that not everything is under my control – including mental, physical and financial health. I find balance in realising that life is uncertain and some things like chai and boxing can help me in taking in one day at a time, but I must look after myself beyond them as well. Grounding myself by living a life where I can give as much love and care to people around me brings gratitude back to me. I am happy I now know the difference between ambition and competition. Wanting to be the best ate up a lot of precious years of my life, I am finding the balance between doing what I love , being passionate but also knowing where to draw the line before it becomes toxic. It’s quite nice!
On health, I encourage women to…
To never compromise. So much is often taken away from us, health is something we need to fight for. The idea of overtly exhausting, proving and spending our energy to simply survive must go. I saw my mother tired from work, still cooking for everybody, waking up earlier than everybody else to do household chores and it effected her mental health quite badly later on. Having seen it so personally, it scared me. From that day onwards, I have learnt how to put myself first. Many confuse it with being selfish, but you can absolutely take care of yourself while being decent person! One doesn’t have to cancel the other.
I encourage every woman reading this to spend some time with just yourself, too. A space where its only you. Solitude can teach us so much about ourselves, especially as we live in a society that has an inescapable male gaze.
A stronger relationship with our own bodies, emotions and thoughts is a form of therapy, and I am willing to die on this hill.
South Asian Today publishes print and audio stories focusing on gender, race, caste, class, pop culture and more – but with a South Asian lens. Launched in 2020, South Asian Today creates creative and financial opportunities for brown writers and artists. You can buy them coffees or purchase a print from their store to support their work!