Everyone does self care, whether that’s taking a shower or treating yourself to a full spa day. Self care is an essential part of being a functioning member of society. Without it we’d be smelly, useless messes. You hear the term self care and you automatically think of face masks, wine, and ice cream; that’s not always the case. Sure, the things previously mentioned are definitely forms of self care but they aren’t the only ways of caring for yourself. Self care can look different for everyone. Self care for me is going into my closet, laying on the floor with my dog, and letting myself have a good cry to sad teen movie soundtracks. That may sound weird and that's because it is a little, it’s something I'm doing out of my ordinary routine to give myself time to take a mental break and ground myself emotionally (and literally).
There have been times where I wouldn't leave my house for days because my mental health was so bad and taking a minute to have that hot shower, or watch my favourite show, or walk my dog, would save me. It’s about reminding yourself that you are a person worthy of care and that you are capable of giving it to yourself no matter what the circumstances are. It doesn’t have to be this big thing, it doesn’t have to be a shopping spree, or a spa day, or a bubble bath with candles and fancy things; it can be a cup of tea, it can be taking 15 minutes out of your very busy day to play your favourite video game, it can be writing in a journal. Anything that you could find comfort in doing for yourself is self care.
I know I'm not the only one who thinks that self care is important and yet struggles with actually doing it. There are times where I feel so stuck in a depressive state that I feel like a shell of a human being and the thought of getting up to shower is like climbing a mountain. I know that there are times where you feel like you have no motivation or energy to do anything but lay there. The important thing to remember is that it’s okay if that’s all you can do, self care doesn't need to be a physical act; it can be something as simple as reassuring yourself that you're doing your best and that you can try for more tomorrow. Being kind and gentle to yourself is a care that only you can provide.
Everyone is struggling right now with what’s going on in the world. We’re all (hopefully) social distancing and even self isolating to minimize the spread of this virus. It’s important now more than ever to be able to practice self care. It’s easy to feel discouraged and scared when we’re stuck in our homes for an unknown amount of time, the unknown is the hardest part. It’s crucial to give ourselves a break from our worries every once in a while. Turn off the news, take a deep breath, and spend a few minutes doing something that will make you feel any kind of comfort.
It can be hard to think of simple ways to “treat yourself” so I’m gonna leave this with a few of my favourites.
-take a long hot shower
-make a cup of your favourite tea
-wash your bed sheets and sleep in them right out of the dryer
-have a glass of wine, you deserve it
-do a puzzle
-write in a journal
-cry it out
-facetime your friends
-bake some cookies, and eat most (if not all) of them
-take a few really good deep breaths
As always, thank you for reading and for your support.
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