I was really struggling this week. Working way too hard, skipping breaks and meals, not staying hydrated, not showering, not taking my meds. it was bad. even at the busiest times, self-care is so so important. if I needed help, then I’m probably not the only one. all of these lil ideas are small and relatively easy and I highly doing something nice for yourself, even if it’s not on the list. hope you all have a wonderful day/week/year.
(my personal favourites in bold)
wash your hands and face with cool water
get a blanket and snuggle it around you
snuggle an animal/stuffed animal
buy your favorite candy from the gas station
close your eyes and listen to your fav song on repeat for 10 mins
put on some throwback jams (high school musical, mamma mia, 90s, u do u) and dance around ur room in ur undies
call a friend/relative just to say hi and hear someone else’s voice
rewatch cute/funny/happy clips from ur fav tv show/band/movie on youtube
put on a skirt and twirl (yes boys/agenders/trans u can do this too)
scribble really hard with black pen on a blank page and scream
look at the sky/moon/sunset/sunrise/stars
watch kitten/puppy/small animal live streams on youtube
go outside, even if its just by ur front door, and take some deep breaths
eat something - fruit, veggies are best
change ur contacts/clean ur glasses if you wear those
if u can’t get urself to shower, wash off w a damp washcloth/baby wipe
put on a cute/comfy outfit that makes you feel good about urself
dont put eye makeup on so you can rub your eyes & they wont feel heavy
stretch, do some yoga or meditate
get a breathing/meditation app and use it (headspace is gr8)
turn off bright harsh lights and use smaller, warmer lamps
unplug. give your eyes/brain a break from screens for a half hour
get one of those pet/family apps/games and care for someone else for a change
find cool people on tumblr and send them anonymous compliments (that you actually think are true - spread love)
find a quote, write it/print it nicely and stick it on ur wall
boil some cinnamon sticks/vanilla bean for 5 mins so ur house smells pretty. if in ur room, use essential oil drops or candles
wipe down ur desk w some disinfectant
clean something - a backpack, small area, fluff ur pillow, put away one shirt
do your makeup all pretty and nice just because/dress up just because
research into your dream job/vacation/city/whatever
open up pages/canva/photshop/etc and make something just for fun
build a fort and crawl under it
find an easy diy and do it/ be proud of ur creative genius
make a list of things that make you happy. stick it somewhere you’ll see it all the time
print a picture of someone/thing that’s pissing u off and throw things at it (tape it to a dart board if u have one)
reread a book that makes you happy
clip your nails, clean the dirt from under them
send some good old fashioned snail mail to someone u like just for fun
take some selfies if you’re feelin it (see #40)
fuzzy socks. enough said.
make yourself a fancy meal/cocktail/coffee/tea latte/drink/whatevs
open ur window or put on a fan/air purifier. get some air circulating
draw, even if u think u suck.
reach out to kids help phone (canada) or a suicide hotline if you need to talk to someone about more serious matters. you deserve help and care and support. (message me if you need resources)
donate to a local animal shelter (if u have the means obviously)
go for a walk/run/bike ride
shave ur legs and moisturize
go on spotify/youtube and find some new music you love
make a really fun upbeat playlist for next time u get the aux cord
scroll through some wholesome or funny meme accounts. whatever you’re in the mood for.
take some cool pictures of whatever you want
change up your room in any small ( or big) way that you can
teach urself a new skill on youtube (simple like a hair style, or complicated like an instrument, whatever u want)
sign up to volunteer at a library/homeless shelter/soup kitchen/retirement home/daycare center/etc. help those who need it. be giving.
put on sad music and cry. let ur mascara run. be dramatic. let it out.
put rock music on and stomp and scream throw (soft) things. let it out.
teach urself the words to a fast rap song thats cool right now so you can impress ur friends/classmates/family
print off some kid colouring pages and dont stay inside the lines
brush your hair, take it out of a ponytail if its been like that for a while, or put it up if its down and in ur way
diy a hair mask (coconut oil) and do that
exfoliate ur whole body and feel like a whole new person
clear out ur phone/laptop. delete old messages, numbers of people u dont like/hang out with, get rid of photos of shitty friends, apps u dont use, etc
find cards against humanity online (or if u have it use the cards) and play with urself - make funny matches just because
empty a drawer (or multiple) and fold ur stuff neatly
do something that will make u sweat (gym, dance, clean) then take a nice shower
take a second to listen to ur body. unclench muscles that are clenched, fix ur poster, massage/stretch tight areas
move to a different area of the house for a little while. clear ur head.
go out, anywhere. window shop, go to a coffee shop/library and work. people watch if ur broke.
make Pinterest board/real life vision of things that make you happy for when in this situation again
find a youtuber you like and watch their videos
lie on the floor, listen to music and do nothing for a while
give yourself a pep talk in the mirror and then stand like superman for a few mins. sounds silly but it works. its called powerposing. look it up.
repeating this bc important: hydrate!!!
order something online so u have something to look forward to
go sit with a family member and keep them company. u dont have to talk to them.
the app ‘trump dump’ will make u feel better about the current us political situation
read happy news: find stories of students doing something cool, women kicking ass, men being amazing, whatever. bonus points if this inspires u
sort your garbage from recycling and help the environment
smile at people you see just because. smiling is good and nice.
look at old pictures of u and ur fav people
go through old yearbooks and take a second to appreciate how far you’ve come
go to a park and watch kids play. remember what it’s like to be young. realize you are still young. go on the swings and go as high as u can
play in a sandbox just because u still can
