Self care activities are a staple in my life and keep me sane throughout the week. 

I used to never think that I needed it and that self care would actually make a difference in my life, but it does. 

 

If I don’t use my facial massager everyday, I notice.

 

Walking in the morning a few days a week makes me feel so good. Without doing that, I notice.

 

If I don’t clean my room frequently, the clutter will distract me from things I have to do. 

 

Self care doesn’t have to be fancy or cost a lot of money. It can be these little things that will make a difference in your life and you will notice when you don’t do them (trust me).

 

 

What is self care?

 

Self care is the practice of taking care of or improving your health. 

It’s as simple as that. 

 

 

What are the self-care activity categories?

 

The self care activity categories are:

→ Emotional self care

→ Practical self care

→ Physical self care

→ Mental self care

→ Spiritual self care

→ Social self care

All of the self care activity categories are important for our wellbeing. They don’t have to be worked on everyday. However, working on these self care categories every week is beneficial and will make you feel so good. 

 

 

Emotional Self Care Activities

 

Emotional self care activities involve things that help you connect to your feelings and express them in a way where you honor yourself and the emotions. 

 

Some examples are:

 

→ Journaling

→ Listening to music

→ Draw/paint/create art

→ Make a gratitude list

→ Talk to a therapist

→ See an energy healer

 

Suppressing your emotions is the worst thing you can do because down the road they will come out and it will be worse than if you expressed them when they came up in the first place. Find a self care activity that will help you express the feelings that you need to heal. 

 

 

Practical Self Care Activities

 

Practical self care activities involve completing tasks that you need to get done so that you create a less stressful day/week for yourself. 

 

Some examples are:

 

→ Track finances

→ Clean your room

→ Organize your space and declutter

→ Meal prep

→ Get your laundry done

→ Do the dishes/load the dishwasher

 

These don’t seem to be very fun but in the long run they will keep you on the right path. 

 

Do you hate tracking your finances? Make it fun by lighting a candle and putting on some good music. 

 

Cleaning your room? Put a movie on while you’re making your bed, folding laundry, and organizing your space. 

 

I didn’t realize being practical was a form of self care. It makes sense because getting your odds and ends stuff done will give you less stress and keep you mentally healthy. 

 

Remember, stress causes wrinkles. Let’s avoid that altogether. 

 

 

Physical Self Care Activities

 

Physical self care involves activities that improve your physical health.

This should already be in your regular routine. It can be as easy as stretching in your living room while watching a show. 

 

Some examples are:

 

→ Walking

→ Exercising

→ Workout Classes

→ Face Massage

→ Skincare Routine

→ Wearing your red light therapy mask

→ Take a bath with Epsom salts and a lit candle

→ Do some yoga 

→ Go for a spa day

→ Get a manicure and pedicure at your favorite salon

→ Go on a hike

→ Get an acupuncture treatment

→ Get a yearly physical

→ Go to the gynecologist and get a yearly check up (yes, you need to do this every year!)

→ Go to the dermatologist and get your skin checked.

 

My bucket list physical self care activity is going for a spa day. I have never been to a spa and I am ready to get a facial and get some luxury vibes.  

 

Mental Self Care Activities

 

Mental self care involves activities that stimulate your mind. The brain needs some loving too. It is a muscle, you know!

 

Some examples are:

 

→ Reading

→ Listening to a podcast

→ Watching tv

→ Doing a puzzle (puzzles can be very fun!!)

→ Doing a word search

→ Download Wordle or another brain game to keep your brain sharp

 

 

Spiritual Self Care Activities

 

Spiritual self care involves activities that look into our inner being and allows us to look/believe in something bigger than ourselves.

 

Some examples are:

 

→ Pray

→ Read the bible

→ Join a bible study 

→ Go to church

→ Meditate

→ Connect with a shaman, psychic, or spiritual healer.

→ Start a life group (even if it doesn’t start out religious)

 

Not everyone is always spiritual. It might be too woo woo for you. But when you start evaluating what happens in your life and the amount of times miracles happen, it’s hard to believe that there isn’t. That’s all I’m saying. 

 

 

Social Self Care Activities

 

Social self care involves activities where you build and maintain social relationships.

This is a big one because we as humans need love to survive (or at least I think so). It’s important to surround yourself with people who love and support you. As much as you love your alone time and want to protect your peace, socialization is very important for self care as well as your mental health. 

 

Some examples are:

 

→ Go out to dinner with friends

→ Spend time with family

→ Grab drinks with your favorite people

→ Go shopping and get lunch

→ Go on a date with your significant other or someone new (Read: 30+ Date Night Ideas for the Wintertime)

→ Call a friend to catch up

 

 

What are basic self-care needs?

 

Self care needs can be simple and basic. If you are just starting out with self care, start with eating healthy, exercising 3-4x a week, listening to a motivational podcast, and getting in touch with pent up emotions and releasing them. 

Self care definitely does not need to be complicated, fancy, or cost a ton of money. Some of the best self care I give myself is spending an hour watching my favorite show while eating a bowl of ice cream (hey…self care can be junk food sometimes!). 

 

 

What are healthy lifestyle activities?

 

A healthy lifestyle can involve activities like eating healthy and meal prepping, exercising 3-4 times a week, walking daily, and staying on top of your mental health (however that looks for you!).

 

 

How do I create a daily self-care routine?

 

1. Find self care activities that you want to do every day. 

2. Schedule a time for that activity that will work every day.

3. Show up and do it (keep that promise to yourself & you will build confidence along the way too!).

I have two non-negotiable activities that I do every day. They are my facial massager and my red light face mask. They are something that I have found a time for that I am able to do every day. Before I get in the shower, I use my facial massager. It takes me an extra five minutes out of my day to do. Before I go to sleep, I use my red light face mask while I am watching tv. I always watch tv before going to bed to wind down. See? Two self care activities getting done at the same time. This is called habit stacking and you can read about it in Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear

& it’s okay if you miss a day or two. Life happens. Just start it up again the next day.

You got this!

 

 

Why is self-care so hard for me?

 

If you are struggling with self care, it can be trauma related. Meaning that somewhere in your childhood or even closer to the age you are now, you could have experienced something that taught you that taking care of yourself is not a priority and that you come last. 

If this is you, don’t worry. It is 100% not true and it is only a limiting belief. It is something that you can heal and move on from. The first step is awareness. 

You can’t take care of someone else, if your own needs are not satisfied. It’s not fair to the person and it’s not fair to you. 

Take time (even if it’s only 5 minutes!) and do something that feels like self care. Go for a walk, take a bath, read a book, or watch your favorite show. You are a priority. 

*Childhood trauma is a real thing. It may be hard to heal it and move on on your own. Seek external help if needed.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Self care is important for your health and wellbeing. 

If you thought you weren’t doing any self care, you probably are after reading this post. 

It doesn’t have to be a whole big ordeal when it comes to planning self care activities. 

Pick simple things to add to your regular routine and it will become a habit.

& also plan some pampering self care for yourself too because you deserve it. 

 

Email [email protected] and let us know if you started incorporating these self care activities into your week.