31 simple ideas for a happier life!
SELF-CARE…it’s been all over my Pinterest feed and on Instagram as the new year started. At first, I thought self-care was just pampering yourself with beauty products and using it as a hashtag to look cool. I got curious and decided to research more into self-care and what it meant.
What Self-Care IS NOT
Despite all the lovely #selfcare photos on Instagram, it is not just about pampering yourself or taking selfies at the gym.
Here are a few more examples of what doesn’t count:
- Consistently staying inside in your pajamas binge-watching Netflix and eating junk food because you had a bad day.
- Eating one healthy meal and then eating junk the rest of the week and saying you practiced self-care. Self-care isn’t a one-time thing.
- Retail therapy because you had a bad day and blew hundreds of dollars on clothing you really don’t need.
What IS Self Care
Self-care is balancing and maintaining your physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and social health. It’s about making your life happy, balanced and preserving your well-being.
It’s also:
- Creating boundaries for yourself and saying no to things that do not bring health and happiness to your life.
- Eating a healthy diet and spending a few hours a week meal prepping healthy meals.
- Getting 7-8 hours of sleep at night consistently.
- Treating yourself every now and then to a tasty dessert with friends.
What Self-Care Means To Me
After processing all of this information on self-care, I decided I didn’t have enough of it in my life.
When I sat down to create my goals for 2020 I made self-care a goal. I made a list of ideas that appealed to me. Then I incorporated them into my daily routines and scheduled time to do things for myself.
Two months into 2020 and focusing on my goal, I have significantly increased time for my well-being, feel less stressed and overall happier.
Self-Care Idea List
As I mentioned previously, self-care isn’t a one and done thing. It should be consistent and part of your lifestyle for it to be effective. All of these ideas can be added to your daily routine to create healthy habits.
- Have a Spa Night
- Order Take Out and Watch Your Favorite Movie or TV Show
- Do Meditation
- Do Yoga
- Drink a Cup of Herbal Tea
- Journal
- Read
- Go for a Walk
- Touch Base with your Goals and Planner
- Take Yourself on a Date
- Catch Up with a Friend
- Bake or Cook
- Get in the Woods
- Unplug from the Internet, Your Phone and Social Media
- Organize Something
- Clean
- Work Out
- Listen to Music
- Drink Water
- Positive Affirmations
- Get Creative (color, draw, doodle, paint, etc)
- Buy Yourself Some Flowers or a Houseplant
- Take a Break/Time Off
- Light a Candle
- Diffuse Essential Oils
- Create AM & PM Routines
- Learn Something New
- Eat healthy foods
- Stretch
- Call a Family Member
- Declutter
What are your favorite ways to practice self-care? Are there any that didn’t make my list? Let me know in the comment sections below.
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12 Comments
I love these ideas! Thank you so much for sharing. Self-care for me is a few hours to do what I want to, whether it be read or chill and watch a box set
February 27, 2020 at 4:09 pmYou are so welcome! I do that too! Every week I try to have a night where I just relax and read or watch Netflix. It really helps to recharge me!
February 28, 2020 at 8:32 amYaaasss!! This is so refreshingly spot on! Self-care is NOT mistreating yourself with unhealthy binge eating and allowing yourself to wallow in whatever misery you’re going through. It’s the opposite, taking control of your own life and loving it. Absolutely loved this, thank you for sharing! 🙂
March 4, 2020 at 11:54 amThank you!
March 4, 2020 at 3:08 pmThe header design for your website is so stunning – did you design this yourself?
Also, I really like how you broke down what self-care is and isn’t and what it means to you. I totally agree with you that the term gets tossed around so much and is often applied to one-time things that aren’t beneficial to someone’s overall self-care routine.
Sleep is easily one of the most underrated forms of self-care!!
March 4, 2020 at 12:27 pmThank you! I created it in Canva so the design isn’t my own I just changed the colors around.
March 4, 2020 at 2:46 pmGreat post, in fact this is one of the best posts I’ve read recently and one that I feel everyone should read. Thanks SO much for sharing!!
Holly x
March 4, 2020 at 2:17 pmhttp://www.adailydoseofholly.com
Thank you so much!
March 4, 2020 at 2:46 pmThese are great ideas for self care. Looking after yourself is so important.
March 5, 2020 at 7:04 amThank you!
March 5, 2020 at 7:54 amThis is such a great post! I love how in depth you go with self care!
March 6, 2020 at 2:41 pmThank you!
March 6, 2020 at 3:57 pm