What is self-care? Oxford languages describes it as “the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own wellbeing and happiness,” you often hear it a lot regarding mental health. Now to be honest there are a lot of groups that either do not have a lot of time for self-care or worse. Examples of these groups are parents; I hear a lot about how they are do not have a lot of time for self-care but they need to employ it because they matter to. There are also in my opinion certain career fields that self-care is a vital thing and I feel that there is a certain amount of pressure that you will fit it in while working essentially 24 hours a day in high stress jobs. This encompasses several career fields.
A quick google search will give you longs lists of ideas what you could do for self-care. Now there are ones that I do not do like Gardening which is a very common one that people do. I how ever have a lot of stress when gardening because I am not great at it. Yet I love writing and for other people that may be stressful. Everyone is different and what one person uses for self-care others may not. That does not make either person wrong.
While this is my list of what I am doing currently for self-care there is one area I am still working on for self-care and that is physical activity. I like to go for walks, but that is about it for things that I am practicing. Now there are forms of exercise that I do like and that I can find relaxing. Using the rowing machine at the gym is fun for me. I have always though that part of the problem was that I am not in the habit of doing exercise every day. This maybe the case for a lot of people but it may be in different areas of their life.
Writing
Writing for me is the easiest way I have found to express myself. I love sitting down and just start writing a first draft of something. Just letting stuff flow on to the page and see where it goes. Sometimes this will take the form of Poetry, other times it may be the start of a short story. Though when Journaling this helps me just get out what I am feeling and when I am done with the Journal entry I do feel better.
I do understand for some people this could be a very stressful thing for any number of reasons but for me is just flows and creates something.
Epsom Salts
Epsom Salts are truly an amazing thing, I use them to help sleep with the Melatonin one and to sooth aches and pains from long hard labour days after work. As well as just a really great way to relax in general. I like to mix ones with melatonin with a different one that soothes pain and fatigue. I have also discovered some that you can just soak your feet in. I have not tried them yet but am excited too. While Epsom salt baths are a way of self-care for me, some weeks they are the only way to make it through the week. They are that thing that you may need to look forward to at the end of the week or even the end of the day.
Walking/ Hiking
This is not on here as a way of physical self-care, this is something I do because I have always found peace in nature. That is not to say that this is not a great way to do physical self-care, I just use it to help my mental health. Though some will probably tell you that exercising is a way to help your mental health. After a workout the body tends to release endorphins which help you feel happier. My therapist had recommended when going for walks to make sure to look up and see the world around me not focus on the ground. I have found since putting in a bigger effort to look up the world does not seem so bad as often.
I am not a huge hiker; I have been trying to get out hiking more because I love being in nature. I am not at a fitness level that I can go up the side of mountains hiking yet. This is kind of an interesting fact as I live in the Pacific Northwest and hiking is a big thing in this area. The thing that I have been learning is that there are different levels of trails that novices like me can still Hike. This is something I have found I very much enjoy and both walking and hiking help get my creative juices flowing.
Facials
Oh, this has to be one of my favourite self-care things. I got into this trying to learn to take care of my skin because I wanted it to look its best and make the future wrinkles be hard earned ones that didn’t just come in. Which lead me to realising how much our skin takes a beating, and I found a good estatichin who is helping me not only take care of my skin but shown me a few ways different types of therapies can help with other things. Which has been cool to learn about and let her do to help me.
Facials allow a person to take a certain amount of time and take care of a part of their body that many people overlook. They are good about moisturizing but that is only part of it. Now this is one of the things in my list that can go pricey but there are ways to do them or get them and not shell out a lot of money. You don’t have to get them religiously every month but getting them every so often to make sure you are on the right path with your skin.
Retail Therapy
This may confuse some people as to why I would include in this, well first this is what works for me. The items on this list are what work for me, and they may not work for you. I don’t go out and spend a ton of money, what I do though is go into a store where there are people. For some reason with my depression, I get to points where I need to be around people in well lit areas because darkness had an affect on me. Walking through a store and seeing their things can also just take my mind off what might be bothering it.
Online shopping should not be discounted either. I do online shop as well not as often because I am someone who does like going into the stores. It does do the same thing for me though, scrolling through different stores items can help my mind calm down or refocus for a little bit taking my thoughts away from what might be bothering me. Just a reminder this one for me does not mean buying everything in sight. It is more a way of just doing something for me and distracting my self at the same time.
Alone time
I am an introvert, and one way I recharge is taking time for me. Many of my friends and family might say I have to much alone time. But that is a whole other thing to get into. But back to the point while going out with friends, going with family to Sounder games is a blast and I would not trade it for anything. Having time alone allows me to unwind. Now this may not be an easy feet for everyone especially if you have kids this is a hard thing to come by. That does not negate the importance of it I have found. I have heard from parents that they neglect on time just for them. It doesn’t have to be a whole day or a long period of time. Just enough time for you to be able to take a breath, and refocused. The beauty of this one is you can incorporate other things in it. Alone time while doing retail therapy for example.
So many times, I think everyone neglects to take alone time, time away from the busyness’ of life. Like I have stated previously this looks different from person to person. Alone time can be just going to get a Starbucks coffee, a bubble or Epsom salt bath, or it can be an activity that takes the whole day.
Finding Beauty in my Reflection
This one may make you question my sanity, but this is one I have been trying to implement daily. I look in the mirror and then identify what I like about what I see. The most common one is my eyes, and then at times depending on the light my skin. If the mirror is big enough then I will also include what I like about my outfit and or body. I don’t always remember to but I am trying to get better about it. The idea I have in doing this is that I nee to love me no matter what size or how I feel like I look. If I don’t then I may run the risk of never liking me and thinking I am never enough no matter what size I am.
It is not one that must be done first thing in the morning. Due to the fact I work as a custodian often when I am cleaning bathrooms at work specifically cleaning mirrors is when I remember the most. We all must use the bathroom throughout the day so if you did try to implement this one it could be done when ever and maybe multiple times a day. Up to you.
Reading
This is not a go to for me, but it is one that I enjoy and always implement it when I am going for alone time. It is on the list though because it does help me recentre and reading in general is a way of escape for a little bit. It is not something that you need to do with other people, and you can also incorporate getting a favourite drink like Starbucks as well if that is a way you show your self-care. This is not for everyone though some people may find reading tedious and a stressor for them. My go to book is Lord of The Rings, it is one that I can just pick up and currently have by my chair in the living room.
This is not a stressful one for me, but it useto be and took a long time for me to find any amount of enjoyment out of it. Thus why it does not come as a go to one but it is one that I do, through the work of finding something that I actually like to read aside from Lord of The Rings another favourite book of mine is Little Women.
UV Lamp
This is another one that you can incorporate with other things such as alone time, reading, watching a movie depending on where you lamp is. My lamp is currently over my bed so mostly reading or doing things on my computer. This is something I also do to help with my depression as well as self-care. I highly recommend it for both though as it feels nice.
Coffee Place
I do not drink coffee, but I do love green tea, it is one of the most refreshing things I have had. This one is something I do the most and can incorporate the most. Spending the little extra getting a drink that I enjoy. I can again incorporate this one with the UV lamp and or reading, as I can finish it or use the lamp after I come back from getting the drink.
I encourage you to try these and others and figure out what works best in your life and that you like. The last two years have been hard on everyone, and we all need to take time for ourselves so that we can give the world the best version of our selves. I hope at the very least this gives you a starting point and that you will take your own self-care journey from here.
Lemons or Lemonade 