At the first wave of smoke, she runs to find a towel to cover her hair. She has been standing in front of the charcoal for more than 15 minutes, and for some reason, it won't light. She finished the old notebook with the child's drawings and couldn't get it to light. The urgency creeps up on her like a slap in the face, and she curses, quietly, but she curses.

When the red flame finally breaks through the carbon monoxide, she places the coffee pot on the stove and queues up the two fingers of milk for the little boy watching her from the living room. She tries to sweeten her words, to smooth the furrow between her eyes... then she remembers that the refrigerator, which is dripping right now, is completely empty.

She has to be at the hospital before 8:00 a.m. The white coat hanging on the coat rack is a constant reminder, but Isabela carries the hole in her specialist's wallet on her back. There is no oil left at home, the last package of sausage is gone; she cannot buy chicken, nor does she have detergent to do laundry over the weekend. To make matters worse, the blackouts quickly depleted the charcoal bag.

Half an hour later at the bus stop, she feels her chest rumbling. Around her, she looks at the people waiting so calmly. And she is tired of the soot, of not having enough money, of looking at the powdered milk on a store shelf in US dollars that she cannot afford, of not having had liquefied gas for more than three months; and her son's father transferred her 1,500 pesos to get through the month. Isabela feels like she is drowning at 35 years old.

The collapse, that Thursday on call, was no surprise, nor was the arrhythmia discovered by a colleague, or the certainty that the white spot behind her ear was vitiligo. The countdown had already begun long before, but the string of misadventures in recent years was gunpowder in her broken head.

Like her, many women today carry a broken world on their shoulders; some have partners who don't understand how a team works and jokingly comment that the wrinkles around their eyes have become more visible.

It is not difficult to lose your composure in these times. Anyone, from a distance, dares to judge the strength of Isabela, and many others, but beware... The blow of inflation against a professional salary, the inaccessibility of necessities, and the annoying blackouts, as reality reveals, are twice as difficult for women.

Without underestimating the role of other family members, it is mostly women who take on caregiving roles, who stay up late to air out the house, kill mosquitoes, light the charcoal stove, and whip up croquettes when there is no main course. On the other hand, they are judged more than men socially for their appearance and personal care; however, the mere thought of dedicating some time to themselves seems to be an undeserved benefit.

But self-care is not selfishness; it is love for yourself. No matter how difficult the processes we face daily may be, experts agree that they play a key role in preventing certain diseases, as well as speeding up recovery when we have health problems, and contributing to people's overall well-being.

It is not a cult, but rather care for the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of each person, starting with recognizing our needs and taking steps to meet them, with or without professional help. It is time to focus on what brings us pleasure, whether it is going to the gym, collecting plants, watching TV series, or reading a book. It is a kind of armor for self-care in a more hostile environment every day.

According to psychologists, it is about making decisions, without waiting for ideal conditions to exist, in relation to being physically active, eating healthily as far as possible, avoiding the consumption of toxic substances, making responsible use of medications, not ignoring symptoms of physical or emotional discomfort, prioritizing a good night's sleep, and seeing specialists when you cannot manage a problem on your own.

I know it's not easy, because there's a lack of time, resources, and often a lack of support and motivation, but try to make your “cave” a safe place. Focus on your inner strength, on what makes you unique and irreplaceable. And if that weren't enough, I also invite you to join the sisterhood.