A Guide to Self Care at Any Age; Because Self Care isn’t Selfish
What is Self Care and Why is it Important?
Self-care is important to maintaining a healthy relationship with yourself. It means doing things to take care of our minds, bodies, and souls by engaging in activities that promote well-being and reduce stress. Doing so enhances our ability to live fully, vibrantly, and effectively. The practice of self-care also reminds both you and others that your needs are valid and a priority (source:activeminds.org).
Now that we know why it’s important, we ask — Do you practice self care? Do you have poor self care? Do you totally rock it, do you have a self care Sunday routine? Are you a Self care 101 guru?
While many of us live healthy lives, it’s often that we might not prioritize our own needs. We may put our needs last. Life gets busy. You may find yourself working endless hours, taking care of a family, or spending hour upon hour studying. There’s no judgement here. Tru&Well is a safe space where you can find peace in being where you are in your current life.
That being said, it’s never too late to add some self care activities into your routine! You’ll find a list of 16self care ideas and tips below. Hopefully some of these ideas are new for you and adding them to your daily routine will bring you lots of joy and happiness.
16 Self Care Ideas
- Use morning affirmations. Every morning, wake up and say nice things about yourself, think about positive things happening to you during the day, and set the tone for a wonderful day. If you don’t know where to start, use these:
2. Turn on your favorite song and dance it out. Feel the music and let it move through you!
3. Journal. Some wonderful journal ideas are: writing about your future self, writing a love letter to your body, writing about what you’re excited about today.
4. Spend time outdoors. Go outside with no agenda — feel the air, notice the sun, take time to embrace nature!
5. Spend a full day without your phone! Ditching your device can be one of the best self care secrets of 2021. If you can’t go a full day without your phone, pause your notifications for a few hours. Allow yourself to be present.
6. Take a bath or long shower. Turn on some calming music, light candles, and use a bath bomb if you can.
7. Move your body. Do some yoga, pilates, or barre. Getting in exercise daily can improve your mood and reduce anxiety.
8. Forgive yourself. If you’re human, it’s likely you’ve done something that you’re not proud of. What is it? Write it out. Think about things that are weighing heavy on you and then let it/them go. Free yourself of the baggage.
9, Paint, Draw, or get creative! We all can’t be Picasso, but there has to be something fun and crafty you enjoy. If you don’t have any ideas, create a vision board!
10. Give yourself a manicure and pedicure. If you get your nails done professionally, give yourself a foot and hand scrub,
11. Call a family member or loved one.
12. Bake yourself a treat or healthy meal. Nourish your body with foods that will be good for your health.
13. Wash your sheets. There’s nothing like sleeping in a clean bed!
14. Declutter your space. Physical clutter can lead to mental clutter. If you need to start small, organize a small space and then see how you feel.
15. Get a Massage.
16. Buy yourself something nice. If you have the luxury of being able to buy yourself something nice, go for it! If you’re watching your budget, go buy yourself a coffee or a small treat. It’s not the price of the item, it’s about showing yourself some love.
Now that you’ve made it to the end of our list, what self care activities will you incorporate into your daily routine?
For an extended list of 33 self care ideas, check out our blog here!