Today’s post is all about taking care of yourself. I have seriously been lacking in the self-care department lately, and I have a feeling I’m not alone. With the state of the world right now, it’s easy to get so wrapped up in things that we forget to take a moment for ourselves, so I wanted to write this post as a reminder to be kind to yourself. And if you need a little inspiration on how to do that, this post should give you some ideas!
1. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep
Sleep is so important! There are so many things that can go wrong when your body and brain aren’t resting enough, so aim to get about 8 hours a night. In order to fall asleep easier, try to have a set nightly routine that prepares you to sleep. Meditation, a warm bath with essential oils, or reading are all great ways to help put your brain in a relaxed state. The environment your sleeping in is also important; try to rid your bedroom of any light or distractions (like a TV or phone), and make sure the curtains are closed so the sun doesn’t wake you up too early.
2. Exercise for 30 minutes a day
Exercising has so many benefits for both your brain and your body. Along with the physical benefits of keeping your body fit, exercise also helps improve your mood by releasing endorphins that make you feel more relaxed, which helps reduce stress levels and has even been shown to reduce your risk of depression. Exercising has also been shown to reduce risk of heart disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and it helps improve your sleep! If that’s not worth 30 minutes of your day, then I don’t know what is!
3. Go Outside
There’s something about nature and breathing in fresh air that is so soothing. Studies have shown being outdoors boosts your energy, boosts your immune system, and can even help boost creativity. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I like to go out and do a quick walk around the neighborhood. As someone who overthinks a lot, being outside, breathing in the grass and feeling the sun on my face can really help things slow down.
4. Cook a healthy meal at home
Fueling your body with the right nutrients is essential for it to function properly. Takeout food is often lacking in the essential vitamins and minerals we need that help improve brain, gut, and mood health, and is often high in things we don’t need, such as saturated fat and sodium. Cooking a well-rounded meal at home can go a long way in improving how you feel and the way your body functions.
5. Organize something
If you’ve been feeling a bit frazzled or overwhelmed lately, pick an area in your house that has accumulated a lot of clutter and organize it. Clutter is always in the back of your mind, and picking areas to go through will help your brain feel more organized and will help it function better.
6. Read a book
Reading a book is always a great way to practice self-care. Reading calms stress levels, boosts creativity, and helps improve vocabulary (as a writer, having a diverse vocabulary is extremely important to me). Pick something that you can get lost in and just enjoy yourself.
7. Write in your gratitude journal
Reminding yourself what you’re grateful for in your life is a great way to boost your mood ad positivity. I recommend doing this in the morning to start your day off in the right headspace.
8. Buy something you’ve been wanting
Now I know this isn’t always an option, especially if the thing you’ve been wanting is expensive, but if you can, buying something you’ve been wanting is a great way to treat yourself. When I do this, I try to focus on things that will really help improve my life. A new book, a journal, some cute workout clothes. I try to stay away from food as a treat because this can cause unhealthy thought patterns around food. I also don’t consider essentials (like laundry detergent) as something that fits in this category. It’s usually stuff that I want but don’t necessarily need.
9. Meditate
I’ve mentioned meditation in quite a few of my blog posts because there are just so many aspects of your life that can improve from meditating. Meditation is essential to my mental health; it helps ground me and bring me back to the present; this helps to slow things down, which is really important for an over-thinker like me.
10. Take a break from social media
All that is on your social media is other people, which is why taking a break from social media can be an act of self-care; it gives you some time to just focus on yourself and not worry about what anyone else is doing.
Alright guys, those are my top 10 ways to practice self-care! Let me know what you think in the comments below, and tell me some ways you practice self-care! Be sure to subscribe if you want to see more posts like this in the future.
Featured image is by Ryan Moreno on Unsplash
Love this Lex! Self care is so important. And I definitely think people underestimate the benefits of a good night’s sleep! Getting outside and being active are probably the self care things that help me the most when I’m feeling a little out of sorts! Bonus points if I can exercise outside! Thanks so much for the tips!
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A good nights sleep can go a long way for sure! And outdoor exercise is my favorite way to exercise! Makes it much more enjoyable. Thank you so much for reading!
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These are such good ideas. Self care is so important and I feel like we all forget to do it and get so caught up in everything else. I personally love to go outside and read a book, it’s how I feel most relaxed! Great post!
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I agree! Being outside with a great book is such a great way to relax! Thank you for reading!
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Love it! These are all excellent choices. Thank you for sharing! It is so important to take time for yourself to reset and recharge. I love taking walks outdoors.
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Yes! It’s so good for your mental health to take time and recharge! Thank you for reading!
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I like the idea of starting a gratitude jourmal. This morning on my Facebook I made a post about writing three things they are grateful for. Thank you for the tips.
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Writing in my gratitude journal has changed my life, I highly recommend! Thanks for reading!
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Great tips to take care of ourselves in this tough time. It might give me some inspiration to do exercises regularly. Thanks for sharing!!!
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Getting your body moving has so many health benefits, you definitely won’t regret it. Thanks for reading!
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Great ideas! I need to meditate more. This reminded me to take the time!
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That’s great! I’m glad I could help! 😊
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Hi,
I love your post. Great tips and ideas to survive and be kind to yourself.
I do meditate every day for 15 minutes but I need to work on Number 2 from your list! ( Exercise for 30 minutes a day)
Thank you for sharing.
Love and hugs
from
5 star cookies
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That’s so great that you take the time to meditate everyday! I don’t know many people who do! Thank you so much for reading!
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These are great suggestions! I have been so busy with my blog that I have not been taking time to stay organized. The clutter is really starting to bother me! Also, I really want to create a home office, but I am not sure if I should use my savings for this purpose, so this article somewhat entitles me to, right?! 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration!
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Yeah, staying organized is definitely the hardest thing for me to do on this list. Funny enough, I actually just made one of my bedrooms into an office! It was so worth it to have an area just for me to work on my blog. I very highly recommend! Thank you so much for reading!
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Staying organized and being outside has definitely always benefited my mental health. I have always been skilled at organization and something about the breeze outside is always so calming especially when I am feeling stressed. Thank you so much for sharing these self-care tips!
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Yes, me too! Whenever I start to feel anxious, the first thing I do is go outside. There’s nothing like fresh air! Thank you for reading! 😊
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You have some great ideas, particularly getting enough sleep and getting outside, 2 things I need to do more often. 🙂
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Thank you! It can be difficult to do when you’re busy, but I think it’s very important to take time for yourself! Thanks for reading!
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These are some great tips. Sleep is something I need to work on because I know I’m not getting enough.
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Yeah, sleep is something a lot of us need to work on! It’s difficult to prioritize when we have such busy lives! But getting on a schedule really helps!
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These are all such good ideas! I’ve been really trying to implement eating healthier, which I thought was going to be much more difficult than I thought it was going to be. Sometimes when you’re so busy, it’s hard to take the time to take care of yourself. Great post lex xxx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
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Thank you Melina! Eating healthy can be so daunting, but with all the resources we have these days, it can be very doable for cheap and quick! You can do it for sure! 😊
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Starting a gratitude journal sounds like such a good idea! Thanks for the tips (:
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Yes, it has changed my mindset completely! Focusing on the good is really important right now!
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Reading and journaling are two of my favourite self-care practises, they’re both so relaxing! I love to get outside and walk too, always refreshing. Lovely post!
Anika | chaptersofmay.com
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Yes, those are great ways to relax! Thank you!
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Getting enough sleep is so important, it always makes a difference to my mental health.
Love, Amie ❤
The Curvaceous Vegan
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Yes! I never used to get enough, but since I started, I feel so drained when I go without it!
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Nice self care ideas. I try my best to sleep and eat well, I haven’t really been reading books lately but I’ve been reading blog posts like this that is still being of help to me. I love the idea of journaling too and getting something for yourself, that’s what I’ll like to try out.
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Thank you! Sleeping will do wonders for your mental health! And it doesn’t have to be a book, as long as what you’re doing is relaxing you, you’re taking care of yourself!
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Yes, thanks 😃
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I cannot tell you how much organizing something does for me! Whether it be my clothes, a cabinet, my emails, getting something under wraps feels so good. Getting good sleep, plenty of water, and exercise make all the difference too!
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
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Oh my gosh, I’m glad I’m not the only one! I don’t know what it is, but when I organize something it’s like a weight has been lifted. Thanks for reading!
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