Selfcare, though a tired sounding buzz word these days, is more than just about skincare or finding the time to go for a walk. Selfcare is all encompassing. It means taking care of your mental and physical health, wellbeing and hygiene, from top to bottom, inside and out, on a regular and hopefully daily basis. We take care of ourselves so we can be healthy, focused, motivated and do all the things we need to do and accomplish in a day.
Everyone’s idea of selfcare is different but, has the same end goal. That wonderful feeling that you’ve taken care of yourself, you’ve prioritised you and, you are in a good place, mind, body and soul. So, here’s a list of ideas that I’ve cultivated from years of experience (lots of trial-and-error mind you,) hopefully providing you guys with some tips and motivation that you can put into action immediately, to improve your selfcare.
Morning & Night Rituals
Have a morning routine that often gets thrown to the wayside as soon as something comes up? Perhaps you just go straight from a late-night dinner to bed, without having taken the time to reflect on the day or de-stress before sleeping. Often, we create these routines we’d love to follow, but they are too low on our priority list to consistently do. That has to change.
Try writing down your morning and night routines, go over them to make sure they include things that bring you joy, are integral to your wellbeing or simply must be done. Then have those two lists in a place you see regularly, and even when you’re tired, even when you are lacking motivation, tackle that list. It may seem like a chore at the beginning, but eventually you will become accustomed to it, and it will become an enjoyable, stable routine.
If it helps, start referring to your routines as rituals instead. A face ritual, a body ritual, a home ritual. It sounds much more inviting after a long hard day.
Eat Mindfully
Food plays a very important role in our lives, especially on our health, and as such, should be given some priority. If you feel your meals are lacklustre and boring, or find yourself staying away from the kitchen and opting for more takeaways, this is a good time to look at what you’re eating and decide whether it’s time for change.
If you do feel like your diet needs a change, then have a good sit down and think about what you want to be eating. Look up recipes that take your fancy, shortlist ingredients you want to try or really love and, watch a few cooking videos to get inspired. Once you’ve made your plan, order those groceries and try them out.
If you find yourself struggling, you can always try a meal delivery service. Hello Fresh, Simply Cook, Dishy and Gousto are all available, and reasonably affordable options if you live in the UK, with a pleather of options to suit your dietary needs. Using a meal service doesn’t have to be a permanent thing, you can use it as a stepping stone to get you started and then cancel said service and continue on your own.
Exercise The Body, Work The Mind
You probably hear this a lot, that being physically active can improve your brain health, help you manage and maintain your weight, lower your risk of disease, so on and so forth. However, in this case, exercising is an important part of self-care because it can drastically improve your mood, leaving you feeling happier and more relaxed, as well as reducing stress. It can even be helpful in alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety. Exercising, in a way, is an expression of self-love.
So, whether it’s yoga, swimming, cycling, try to pick up something you’ll enjoy, or at the very least, not completely hate – after all, who actually likes cardio? Go slow at first, till it becomes a routine that neatly slots in with your life. Both your body and mind will thank you for it.
Relax With Some Skin & Body Care
It’s no secret that I heavily promote skincare and body care on this blog. I think these two things are important in our daily routines and essential when it comes to self-investment. That being said, I believe the biggest benefits of a skin/body care routine, other than boosting confidence and being mood lifting, is that it’s relaxing.
Skin and body care routines are a little time to yourself, to shower and scrub away the stressors of the day and revitalise your skin and your mood. It’s important to really focus on yourself in these moments, and use them as time away, from well, everything else. It’s also a good opportunity to pay attention to your body and it’s needs. Is your skin looking more dehydrated than usual? Are you having a break out or think a product isn’t really working? Use this time see what your skin is saying about your health and current routines, and adjust accordingly.
Time To Find A Hobby
Ever heard that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop? Mental health is important to selfcare, and hobbies are a great way to fill a void you may be feeling in your day-to-day life. If you can spend your free time doing something that brings you joy, why not do it?
Hobbies can be anything, from cooking, organising, painting or even rock climbing. It’s completely up to you, but I highly recommend taking up a hobby or two and fitting into your weekly schedule. I have a few friends that recently took up blacksmithing, though a hobby that requires quite a lot of money and dedication, they both find it has enriched their lives. Personally, my main hobby is reading. There is nothing quite like a good book to settle down with after a hard day, atleast in my humble and completely unbiased opinion.
If you are unsure of where to begin or what kind of hobby would interest you, there is a brilliant article on The New York Times called How To Find A Hobby, which is worth a read and should help point you in the right direction.
Mental Health Habits For Peace Of Mind
As mentioned above, mental health is a part of your self-care, and now is the time to start making healthy, thoughtful mental habits that will get you through even the toughest days. Some great tricks I have for caring for your mental wellbeing are:
- Journalling
- Keeping your space clean and decluttered
- Finding things that bring you joy
- Taking the time to cultivate relationships
- Spending atleast one day a week relaxing, no responsibilities, no work (or as little as physically possible.)
- Learning something new
However you choose to approach it, find the time to take care of your mental health. It’s a vital part of your life and heavily impacts your thoughts and emotions. Being emotionally healthy promotes productivity, aswell as allowing you to cope with adversity and the ups and downs of life.
Hopefully this list gave you some ideas that will help you invest in your mind and body, and will have you on your way to feeling like you are truly nurturing and flourishing your life.
Let me know in the comments if you followed any of these tips or have any recommendations of your own. Remember to keep AltEdition bookmarked, as I have more content coming your way.
Thanks for reading!
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