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Is it just me, or is everyone talking about self-care nowadays? Don’t get me wrong, I love it, but it can be a bit overwhelming. Anytime I open up a social media app, I am flooded with people’s “perfect self-care routine” or “slow-life living.” I love to see others taking care of themselves, but it can be a bit daunting. When people say “you NEED to do this” or “you NEED this,” instead of it being helpful and inspiring, it is just intimidating.
Self-care is not a shoe that can fit multiple people, it is a personal experience to bring you back to your centered self.
Getting my nails done could be the difference between having a great day or a day leading to a full-on existential crisis. Seriously, has your internet stopped working in the middle of work, and then you look down and realize your cuticles are busted? It is like the icing on top of a panic attack cake.
But maybe cracked cuticles create zero emotional response from you, and that is okay! Self-care is personal. You can practice self-care however you want, whenever you want, and with whatever you want. Take this article not as Bible, but as an idea guide to inspire your own practice.
The Why
Before jumping into your facemask collection, identify your why. Why do you need to practice self-care at the moment? Is it because you want to relax, is it because you want to grow, or is it because you want to remove yourself from the rest of the world for a few hours?
The why is just as important as the how.
Remember what I said, self-care is not a one size fits all. Maybe you are already as calm as a cucumber, but you want to challenge yourself and learn a new skill. Well, taking a bath is not going to help you with that. Or maybe you need a few hours of quiet time, listening to music is just going to stress you out.
Makes sense?
The How
After identifying your “why,” it is time to figure out how you want to practice self-care.
Like many of us, I struggle with anxiety. Therefore, needing to chill the **** out is typically my focus when practicing self-care. To do this, I have some things I consistently or as-needed. Check this out.
My Practice
This is my way, but this doesn’t have to be yours. Here’s another example:
For the "I'm Always Busy" Person
Scheduling.
Why: I know this doesn’t sound like self-care, but sometimes the lack of time is due to a lack of organization. Taking time to organize your day, can alleviate mental space and emotional stress.
Massage.
Why: When you are always on the go, your body is in a place of constant tension. I know how exhausting that can be from experience. Relieving this tension can help you deal with your growing list of to-dos.
Social Media Detox.
Why: Let’s face it, social media is addictive. If you are always on the go or too busy to practice self-care, why spend your precious free moments looking at someone else’s life. This is time you can put back into yourself. To center yourself.
20 Self-Care Ideas
Once in a while, you may know your why, but get lost on the how. Trust me, it’s normal. Here are some practice ideas to get your mind going.
- Taking a bath
- Practicing breathing exercises
- Cooking
- Drawing
- Financial planning
- Investing
- Journaling
- Learning a language
- Getting a massage
- Meditating
- Napping
- Redecorating
- Shopping
- Singing
- Indulging in skin-care
- Social media detoxing
- Socializing
- Walking
- Working-out
- Playing a video game
Time to build your self-care practice. Once in a while, you may feel off-centered even if you have been consistent with your routine. That’s okay. Your self-care practice is as fluid as water. It is all dependent on who you are at that moment; not who you were at another moment in time. That off-centered feeling just means you need to reconnect with yourself.
