For The Sake Of Self-Care
We put so much emphasis on promoting self-care, it’s starting to sound like just another buzzword or seasonal trend. Sure, it’s easy to throw up a quote on your Insta stories, but how many of us actually implement it? When it comes down to it, most of us aren’t taking time for ourselves, and we allow the excuses to pile up.
We’re “too busy,” “too tired,” “too anxious,” to give ourselves a personal time-out.
Yet, self-care is not always entirely about bathtubs and beauty rituals… and it also doesn’t have to take up a ton of time or planning ahead.
Here’s a few ways that help me incorporate — and stick to — self-care rituals:
MASSAGE YOUR FACE: Can jade rolling be life-changing? Sure. Throw a jade roller in the fridge for a few minutes, slowly roll it over your face and feel the stress dissolve. I’ve been doing this in the AM after washing my face, and then at night, post-shower. There’s a reason why it’s been around for centuries. Whether it actually “works” or not, at least it forces me to focus on one thing for a few minutes.
DELETE, DELETE, DELETE: Clean out your inbox — just like when you clean out your closet, hitting delete and emptying your mailbox can be oddly satisfying. Do you know how good it feels to finally hit “unsubscribe” on all those emails that have been adding unnecessary clutter to your life?! Unroll Me is a great app that’s helped me.
Oh, and while your at it, update your apps on your phone. I swear, those little red bubbles can be anxiety-inducing.
STAY-IN, GUILT-FREE: Don’t feel like going? Don’t go. Stop holding yourself to this notion that you need to be somewhere. Sometimes, being still (or in my case, being lazy on my couch and catching up on my favorite shows) is all you need to reset for the week ahead. No explanations needed, no crafting up excuses or reasons why. Just allow yourself to be... and not feel guilty about it. Go off-the-grid and be unreachable for once. There’s a sense of freedom that comes along with it.
WATER YOUR PLANTS: No, I’m not trying to get all philosophical here. Seriously, just water your plants. There’s something oddly meditative and fulfilling about it. Yeah, I might’ve had a stressful week, but at least I can keep some (key word, some) plants alive. A small success, but a success nonetheless.
Need some more suggestions?
Make some tea. Drink more water. Be present. Stop impulsively checking your work email. Hit snooze in the morning, to just lay there and not check all your socials.
Get Opinionated below — what are some ways you implement self-care into your daily routines?