It's important to look after yourself - we all know this. We talk about self care sunday, spa treatments, taking a mental health day, prioritising yourself etc. The thing is, another way that we need to look after ourselves is by taking responsibility, even if it means doing things we've been putting off. Usually it makes us feel a thousand times better afterwards, but we put it off and stress about it in our heads instead. Sometimes self care means paying your bills on time, cooking a meal (and doing the dishes) or taking a shower.
Take a look at the Self Growth Workbook, for more self growth tips and prompts for shadow work and journaling.
self care tips that actually work
If you’re anything like me, then you’ve probably tried a lot of things already when it comes to self care and mindfulness. Or maybe you’ve heard a lot about it on tiktok but never really paid it much thought more than that, or known where to begin.
As a kid I used to love having mini spa days with my face masks, some bath salts and my beloved bathrobe. I think it must have been my mum who introduced the idea because she’s a big fan of baths and pampering. However as I got older I realised that sometimes life will throw things at you that The Body Shop just can’t fix – sad as that is.
Without digging too deep I can honestly admit that I struggled a lot with my mental health, sometimes still do. So I know what it feels like when you just want to lay in bed, watch netflix and act like you don’t exist or have any responsibilities. It took me a long time to realise what worked for me in terms of functioning and fitting in to my place in this world, so I wanted to share this with you in case you also find this helpful.
Get ready
Even if you’re not necessarily going anywhere that day, change your clothes, wash your face, brush your hair or whatever you usually do when you get ready for the day. Trust me this will help and you will accomplish a lot more if you’ve changed out of the clothes you slept in – and that doesn’t mean you even have to put on jeans.
make yourself a healthy meal
You think differently when you’re hungry, and you think poorly when you eat poorly. Sugars and other snacky food ingredients won’t help you feel better. They trigger a reward chemical in your brain that tricks you into believing you feel better. What will actually make you feel better is probably some vitamins and minerals. Oh, and some water.
Take a break
It’s okay to say no. It’s okay to cancel plans. Just don’t make it a habit.
It’s very easy to get stuck in isolated and unproductive patterns when we’re feeling overwhelmed, but we need to remember that this is a temporary state. Sometimes we need to recharge our energy, and sometimes the best thing we can do is get out of our own way. Knowing when to say no and when to push yourself is an important lesson to learn about yourself.
do the things you are avoiding
I cannot tell you how many times I struggled with this one – but the things I have put off doing never turn out to be as difficult, complicated or hard as I imagine them to be. The anxiety I used to put myself through by overthinking everything that needed to be done, was so damaging to my health. Nothing has ever turned out to be as awful as I built it up in my head to be. Most of the time things actually work out completely fine.
Trust me, whatever you are putting off is much worse in your head than it is in reality.
Write down your thoughts
Whether you are journaling or writing a message to someone. Put your feelings into words, listen to what they are saying about you. A lot of the time what we are actually upset about turns out to be something much different or deeper than the current problem.
I know, trust me, I rejected this idea for so long and I don’t even know why. I always loved writing, but I was never a diary person or a journaling person. But the things I have discovered about myself in the process of journaling makes me understand why it has become such a viral trend. If you don’t know what to write about, you can download or the self care workbook with tips and prompts.
Re-Align with your inner vibration
Sit down with yourself and just breathe. Even better if you meditate. Meditation benefits are widely known and it was another one of those things I actually put off for ages. There was a time where I couldn’t have imagined anything worse than sitting alone with my thoughts. If that is you then believe me when I say, you probably need it more than anything.
Clearing your mind and organising your thoughts will help you approach situations in your life with a completely different perspective.
Sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves is to take care of ourselves and our responsibilities. This can be the most difficult thing to do especially if you’re in a bit of a rut. But burying yourself in bad habits will only foster more bad habits. Although we need to allow ourselves to relax, we also need to prioritise ourselves in healthy ways.
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