Self-Care Routines
Self-Care Routines: How to be Your Best Self
Living in such a fast-paced world, people seem to forget to stop and smell the roses. Simply going through the motions isn’t enough; that’s a surefire way to cause burnout. Oftentimes, there is so much going on in our lives we forget to be present. We’re stuck dwelling on a mistake we made in the past or we’re too concerned about planning for the future. We put so much pressure on ourselves to be great, we forget to just be. If there is one thing everybody could use a little bit more of, it’s self-care and self-love. Creating self-care routines for those days you just need a little pick-me-up is vital to maintaining a positive and healthy sense of self. If there’s one major point you take away from this article, let it be this: SELF-CARE IS NOT SELFISH. Let’s just make that very clear. Self. Care. Is. Not. Selfish.
Now, there are certainly ways to go overboard with it. Your cheat day becomes a cheat week; your “treat yourself” weekend left you bogged down in debt; you get the point. If the world becomes too much and you just need to take a step back to focus on yourself, there is nothing wrong with treating yourself, just do so responsibly.
In order to give your best to every aspect of your life, you need to actually BE your best self. The only way to do that is to listen to your body. Ask yourself how you’re doing. On a scale from 1-10, how are you feeling? If you’re on the lower spectrum of that scale, what can you do to boost yourself closer to a 10? Think about it, make a decision, and just do it.
Daily Self-Care Ideas
Need some self-care inspiration? If you’re one of those people who constantly puts everyone else before yourself, here are a few suggestions to learn how to take time and care for the most important person in your life: YOU.
Do more things you enjoy- whether it’s reading, hiking, listening to music, painting, etc. always make sure you allow yourself time to relax and unwind.
Spend time with people you love. Sometimes the best thing for the soul is just a girls or guys night out!
Meditate every morning or every evening. Alone time is essential to connecting with your inner self.
Practice yoga to destress and get more in touch with your body.
Exercise! It’ll be pretty hard to feel low-spirited with all the endorphins flowing through your body after a killer workout.
Take periodic breaks from work throughout the day. This is especially important if you work a desk job. Get up and walk around in order to get your blood flowing. This will actually increase your productivity and is so much better than being stuck in your office all day.
Get an adequate amount of sleep every night. We say this all the time, we know, but it’s SO important!
Shower yourself with love. For example, leave a little note on your mirror to remind yourself what a badass you are, hang a sign by your door saying, “You’ve got this!” and read it before you head out the door every morning, set a reminder on your phone to say, “You’re amazing!” in the middle of the day. These little moments of self-appreciation can really make your day.
Say no to things that don’t bring you joy or stretch you too thin. If your friend is trying to convince you to go to an event that you really just aren’t feeling, it’s okay to say no. The only person you need to please is yourself.
Take a bath. Grab your favorite crystals, light some incense, include a few drops of your favorite essential oil and you’ll be relaxed in no time. Clear your mind, focus on your breathing, and just soak up all the good vibes.
Spend time with your pets. Play, go for a walk, or even just cuddle them. Your furry little friends love you more than anything in the entire world and will always make your heart feel full and happy.
Enjoy a nice meal. If you’re feeling grouchy or down in the dumps, take a second and ask yourself, “When was the last time I ate?” Sometimes all you need is a decent meal to feel like your normal self again.
Write a list of accomplishments at the end of every day. Once you’re settled in at home after conquering the day, take out a notebook and write down everything you achieved that day. Whether big or small, it’s nice to celebrate your victories.
Clean and declutter your room/apartment/house. Sometimes your life feels like a chaotic mess, but it’s really just the environment you’re surrounded by. Organizing your personal space can actually take quite the burden off your shoulders.
HAVE FUN! Even if you’re the biggest stickler for rules and responsibilities, we all need to let loose and be free sometimes.
There are so many different ways to practice self-care. Not all of these suggestions are great ideas for everyone. Everybody is unique so self-care routines will be different by person; some of the above activities relax certain people while they completely stress others out. Just find what works for you. Whatever makes you feel good, whatever brings a smile to your face, whatever causes a light to shine within- that’s what you should do to practice self-care.