Happy birthday to me, Happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear Suuuuusssssssan…Happy birthday to meeeeeeeee!
As I’ve said before, self-care is a daily ritual. Sunday is the perfect time for additional self-care for many of us. And this Sunday just so happens to be my birthday, so, this week it’s all about indulgence!
Here’s my plan:
Pre-planning! Some of the things I plan to do on my birthday Sunday require a bit of pre-planning & set-up. Doing things now to make things easier later is like self-care for your future Self!
Sleeping late! While sleeping in isn’t always an option (or a good idea!), occasionally sleeping until you wake up naturally can be a sweet indulgence. If spending some extra time in bed is in your plans, you can make it even nicer by changing your bedding. Nothing feels better than slipping into bed between fresh, clean sheets! Spray your mattress/pillows/bedding with linen spray for some easy aromatherapy. You can purchase linen spray(affiliate link!), or make your own.
Breakfast in bed! This is a self-care tip that we could use every day if we wanted to. It might mean setting up a tray the night before, along with the coffee pot or tea fixings, maybe even getting up a bit earlier, but having coffee and breakfast on a pretty tray while propped on your pillows is a treat we all deserve, even if we have to treat ourselves.
Pedicure! Because pretty toes make me smile.
Long phone visits with faraway family and friends! My oldest and dearest friend (we literally played in the playpen together as toddlers, and have been friends ever since) lives hundreds of miles away, but an unhurried phone call with her closes the miles in an instant. Staying in touch with the important people in our lives is one of the best things we can do to nurture and care for ourselves.
News blackout! Keeping constant tabs on all the bad things going on in the world is the exact opposite of self care. Taking a break from the incessant onslaught of horrors is so important to our mental, emotional and physical health. There’s literally nothing we can do about most of it, which leaves us feeling sad, anxious, hopeless, and angry. And if the world ends while we’re not looking? Oops, missed it!
So that’s my day, sorted! What are you going to do for you today?
Hello lovelies! Happy Sunday, and Happy September!
Even though it’s not officially Fall (I keep saying that, don’t I? lol), it is September now, which means FALL IS HERE WHETHER IT KNOWS IT OR NOT! (and it doesn’t, by looks of things…)
This is also a holiday weekend in the U.S. (Labor Day), which means lots of folks get an extra day off. There will be barbecues, cook outs, parties at the lake. Maybe you’re hosting or going to a get-together; maybe you’ve been invited to hang out, but aren’t sure if you want to… Which brings us to this week’s Self Care Sunday tip:
Take your inner social butterfly out to play!
I know, I know…Sometimes all we want to do on the weekend is stay home, watch Netflix, do laundry, decompress from last week and rest up for the week ahead. Sometimes that’s exactly what we need to do. BUT, sometimes we need other people, too, especially if we’re introverts, or have hermit tendencies (that’s me: a hermit).
Spending time with people we care about is important to our mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. It doesn’t have to be a big do; getting together for coffee, or a walk in the park, or just sitting on the porch chatting with the neighbor are all social interactions that have the potential to make us feel better. So, even if you don’t have (or want) to do a big ol’ Labor Day party, do make some time this weekend for face-to-face interactions with people you enjoy. We’re all in this together, after all.
“Self care” . . . What do you think when you hear that word? Indulgence? Luxury? Wishful thinking? Survival? Oxford defines it as “the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness“.
In other words, self care is something we all do to some degree, and something we could probably all use more of.
The easiest way to approach self care is to incorporate it into our daily routines, and sometimes that’s as simple as looking at what we already do from a different perspective.
Here’s a list of eight ideas for self care to get you started today.
Breathe. Your breath is always with you, you’re always able to control it, it’s free, and it works to help you feel good, even better, maybe your best. Slow, deep breathing has been proven to help with “stress reduction, insomnia prevention, emotion control, improved attention” and more. It’s something you can do any place, any time (unless your head is underwater, in which case we do not recommend this technique).
To experience the almost instant benefits of intentional breathing, simply inhale steadily and deeply through your nose for 5 seconds, then exhale through your nose for 5 seconds. One breath is good, three are better…see if you can keep it up for 5 minutes, or longer. Try to do it every day. Then work up to three times a day.
NOTE: this technique helps you quickly calm yourself in moments of stress, but it is also highly beneficial to practice in moments of calm, while intentionally thinking positive thoughts and feeling positive emotions. It feels good in the moment, and has real, long-lasting positive physical and emotional effects. I know it sounds woo-woo, but it’s evidence-based. Which isn’t at all to say that it’s not magical.
Drink. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Still – just keep yourself hydrated.
Eat. More often than not, choose the {tastiest + most nutritious} option available.
Bathe/shower. Better for so much more than “just” getting our bodies clean, a soak in the tub can elevate your mood, help you sleep better, ease aches & pains, and soothe your skin, for starters.
You may already have all or most of what you need to make your daily ablutions more intentionally special, like a place to set a drink within easy reach, and a waterproof (just in case!) bluetooth speaker for listening to your favorite music, podcast, or audiobook. If you’re a thrifter, I guarantee you can find any kind of anything you want as far as mood and decor go. Here’s a list of bath and shower essentials available on Amazon (affiliate link), and a fun and easy DIY bathroom rug.
Add bath salts, bombs, oils, and/or essential oils to your readily available, temperature controlled water (a wild luxury for which to be deeply grateful in and of itself), light a candle, and steep yourself in the magic.
Showers may not seem as self indulgent (although I love those, too!), but the pleasures – and benefits – can be the same.
Read. How long has it been since you read something that wasn’t the news (or someone’s opinion of it), or a report from work, but for pleasure?
I typically read for pleasure at least half an hour a day, but I’ve been through long spells where I couldn’t focus/relax enough to get through a whole novel. During those periods I’ve turned to collections of short stories, which are less of a commitment. Magazines can fill that gap, too.
I do 99.99% of my reading digitally, and because my kindle books and audiobooks sync across all devices including my phone, I’m never without something to read (or have read to me). Kindle Unlimited is a monthly all-you-can-read service from Amazon and many selections come with free audio included. You can try it free for a month here (affiliate link), even if you don’t have a kindle; the kindle app is free to download for apple, android, mac, and pc.
If you have (or can get) a local library card, try the free Libby app. With your library card, you can borrow ebooks and audiobooks via the app, and because the book returns itself when it’s due, there are never any overdue fees!! Browsing your library’s offerings doesn’t require a card; my library has a great selection.
Sleep. Yes, I really am saying you should get more sleep, as if it’s just that easy. If you can’t sleep later, go to bed earlier. In fact, go to bed earlier anyway. Get in bed before it gets dark; set your morning alarm just in case. Turn off the lights (including screens), open the curtains or blinds, and watch night roll in. Lay there quietly and watch the sky change; notice as the light in the room fades to darkness. Don’t think about anything in particular. Listen to the sounds. Feel the difference. Maybe you’ll fall asleep and sleep all night.
Play. Playing is something you do because it’s pleasurable and enjoyable, rather than for any practical purpose, and it’s not just for kids! Playing with kids is a great excuse to play (if you think you need an excuse), but there are endless perfectly acceptable ways adults play without kids, too. . .
Sports, board games, card games, video games. Crosswords, jigsaw puzzles. Rolling down a grassy hill, swinging on a swing, riding a roller coaster. Adult coloring books, trivia night, tabletop RPGs. LARPing. Paintball. Karaoke. Playing fetch with a dog (or cat, or bird).
Whatever you consider “play”, do it because it’s fun, with the added benefit of knowing it’s also good for you. Check out this Ted Radio Hour about play on NPR.
Outdoors. Many of us view the outdoors as something to get through on our way from one climate controlled environment to the next. I get it – it’s grossly hot out there, or miserably cold, or raining, or whatever. But we’re not meant to live in a state of constant separation from the natural world. Camping, hiking, biking, even long walks are all wonderful ways to spend time in nature, but you can enjoy smaller, daily doses, too.
Choose a time of day that’s not terribly hot/cold/rainy, and go outside. Drink your morning tea on the porch, balcony, or standing in your doorway. In the evening, step outside to hear the night sounds, maybe catch a glimpse of the stars or the moon. If you can’t do that, sit near a window with a view of the trees or sky. Open the window if you can. Try to do it every day.
Roll down the windows in the car occasionally. Stick your hand out and feel the raindrops, or the freezing wind.
Houseplants near a window can provide you with a healthy dose of nature indoors.
Find an opportunity to sleep outdoors, even if it’s only for a nap.
Remember that everything on this list – breathing, eating, playing, reading – can be done outdoors, exponentially upping the good vibe quotient!
I know this list is short and basic, but that’s generally the best place to start. What are some of your favorite self care tips? We’d love to hear from you!
