Self-care covers any time you take to nourish yourself, that you do to help you feel more like your best self, that you do with the intention of restoring or connecting to your higher self. The benefits of taking time to look after yourself have long been studied; researchers say that investing in self-care can help us to reduce stress, improve our emotional health and have an overall better quality of life.
Selfcare is different for everyone depending on our needs at the moment. What works for your friend may not translate for you. Your job is to find ways to support and care for each part of your whole being, including the four key areas of well-being: mind, body, heart, and spirit.
Here are some ways to practice selfcare in each of these four parts of life. Try out some new ideas, switch it up, remember old favourites. The whole point is to find those things that help you feel the most you and do more of that!
Physical – to live, move, and breathe
Physical self-care involves ensuring an overall healthy lifestyle that helps your body be strong, healthy and balanced.
1. Declutter your home or office so that you have a feeling of spaciousness and manageability.
2. Clean up your phone, remove old apps or sort through your pics.
3. Unplug! Take time away from computers, TV, and your smartphone.
4. Enjoy moments to rest and replenish.
5. Get your body moving, it doesn’t matter how, even ten minutes of exercise will get your endorphins pumping.
6. Dance. Sounds mad, feels great. I love cranking up my favourite tune (with earbuds, because babies…) and dancing around my living room.
7. Breathe in, and breathe out. Repeat with mindfulness for 2-10 mins.
8. Take a cold shower, it’s invigorating and will elevate your mood – a great way to start your day.
9. Have a bath, add your favourite bubble bath or bath oil and lighting a candle.
10. Cook a nourishing meal, take the time to enjoy the process and think about what you are putting into your meal and body.
11. Try introducing a new food once a week, or if you’re not a big cook, you could try to cook a whole meal from scratch once a week.
12. Drink, drink, drink your water. Your body has a hard time doing anything if you’re dehydrated.
13. Practice yin yoga.
14. Try self-massage.
15. Eat whatever you like. It’s important to eat healthy but every now and then it’s good for your spirit to indulge a craving or two.
16. Have a 20 minute stretching session.
Emotional – to love and care for yourself and others
Emotional self-care might include setting clear boundaries on your time and energy. Engage emotional boundaries within yourself, surround yourself with positive people and affirmative and inspiring messages.
17. Address an issues or problem that you’ve been avoiding.
18. Spend time with people you care about and who care about you.
19. Help a friend! One of the best ways to feel good is to give love, kindness, and support.
20. Reflect on your day, congratulate yourself for what you’ve done well.
21. Watch a sappy movie.
22. Do a mini facial or just put on a face mask. Investing a bit of time in looking our best can help us feel our best, too.
23. Call someone you love.
24. Write a list of things you like… about yourself!
25. Pick or buy a bouquet of fresh flowers.
26. Sing at the top of your lungs. It doesn’t have to be good or even a song, just get that sonic vibration moving through your body.
27. Say “no” to someone asking you to do something that you don’t want to do.
Psychological – to learn, think, and grow
Psychological self-care activities stimulate your brain and might include personal or professional development, learning something new, or taking time for personal reflection and growth.
28. Notice your inner experiences, thoughts, and feelings.
29. Write in a journal. Could be your own experiences, what you’re grateful for, or work through a difficult time or event in the past.
30. Ask others for their reflection on who you are. This can be difficult but often the way we see ourselves is not aligned with the way others see us.
31. Try coaching/counselling to move yourself forward.
32. Read a book. Doesn’t have to be literature or a text book, just something that captivates you.
33. Listen to an audiobook, and don’t do anything else.
34. Practice positive self-talk. If we are capable of being our own worst enemy, we are also capable of being our own best friend.
35. Get dressed up, when you look good on the outside, you feel better on the inside.
36. Challenge yourself to learn a new skill like a new language, knitting, or macramé.
37. Make the bed.
38. Listen to happy songs.
39. Write a list of “annoying tasks” that have been weighing on you and knock them out in an hour.
Spiritual – to connect with source, purpose, and meaning
Spiritual self-care involves identifying what is meaningful to you in your work and life.
40. Practice mindfulness and being present in the moment.
41. Try prayer or meditation.
42. Start a gratitude practice or journal. This is great personally or with other people.
43. Go for a walk in nature without a goal.
44. Be aware of the non-material aspects of your life.
45. Sit in the grass and watch the clouds float by.
46. Look at the stars.
47. Go for a drive—no destination required.
48. Watch the sun rise or set. Don’t take any pictures or post about it on social media. Just watch.
49. Spend time out in the garden.
50. Enjoy a Reiki or energy work session; clear old patterns, raise your vibration.
51. Spend some time in remembrance of past loved ones. Light a candle and take a walk down memory lane.