Its so easy to get caught up in the day to day lives that we tend to keep pushing ourselves that we forget about caring for ourselves and providing ourselves with the needs we have to have to be happy. Its also important to STOP and take time out for ourselves so we can reward ourselves and minimize those emotional and physical stresses, self care is a movement that teaches us to rely on ourselves for help.
If you have been feeling down, a little flat or sluggish and feel at a loss as to how to get back on track then you need to read the six self care ideas you can use as self care activities. Whether you use all of them, one of them of if it just helps to get you inspired and on your way to an amazing self care journey that works for you and you.
1. Exercise
It’s no secret that exercise is one of the most simple and effective keys to happiness and health. When we exert ourselves, our bodies release happy-chemical dopamine into our systems, causing us to feel pleasure and wellness. Exercise is free of charge, and can be as simple as stepping outside and going for a light jog. Why not set aside 3 hours a week and dedicate them to exercise in the name of self-love? What a necessary yet simple procedure that we should all incorporate into our lives to alleviate our stresses. Whether its signing up to the latest craze at F45 Training to get pumped up and energized or just taking a stroll for 30 mins after work. Find out what you enjoy and keep doing that, be consistent and create a routine.
2. Nutrition
Another widely known fact is that changing your diet changes your disposition. It has been proven that eating the right foods at pivotal moments can drastically change your mood for the better. You are what you eat has never been truer, and although there is no “one diet fits all” to a tee, there is definitely a diet that suits your physicality out there.
Whether you decide to test this theory by visiting a nutritionist or simply by sampling trial and error, you’re bound to find those foods that make you feel your best. Remember to drink plenty of water, preferably more than two litres per day, and you’ll be feeling great in no time at all.
3. Meditation
The notion that understanding yourself and your place in this world would ultimately lead to happiness is something that appears very sound. Understanding and appreciating yourself is vital to your mental and emotional health, a process which requires time to reflect. Meditation is a means to finding your direction and understanding yourself on a sophisticated level, and ultimately being able to accept yourself and see yourself in a different light. We certainly recommend taking 15 minutes a day to close your eyes and think, whether it be traditional meditation or a self led reflection, the most important part is that you gain a higher understanding of who you are.
4. Plants
Having plants around is not what comes to mind typically when contemplating improving levels of happiness. However, when reflecting on how important plants are to maintaining our ecosystem and literally creating oxygen which sustains us, the idea doesn’t sound so outlandish. We were intended to be outdoor-dwellers, however due to industrialisation humans spend more time indoors than ever before, which is depressing to our bodies. Having four or more plants in our houses and workspaces brings the outdoors in, and makes our bodies feel more at home, happier and lighter. You can buy indoor plants from the Littlest Plant Shop In melbourne who deliver to your door and have a great selection of affordable plants.
5. Look Your Best
This doesn’t mean get dressed to the nines and go full glam every day necessarily (although if that’s what makes you happy then go for it!). Looking your best means doing something every day that you feel makes you look wonderful. Set aside a little money to splurge on this one little treat, whether it be wearing your favourite colour eyeshadow, or
having a spray tan to feel like a million dollars every day. Whatever it may be, find it and find happiness in this secret vice. Its never a waste of money if you are doing something to make yourself feel good about yourself. A way to help you take care of your physical appearance would be to get you hair cut or coloured regularly and even if you don’t feel like leaving the house you can always book a mobile hairdresser to come to your home.
6. Take A Weekend Off
Take a weekend for yourself, and plan some special activities for yourself. Understandably, we can’t all afford to jet off to some exotic location and sun ourselves, but we can all afford to plan things to do that make us feel happy and healthy, at home in our bodies. Take that Monday off, get in your car and drive to a B&B for the weekend. Look at the ocean for hours, read a book, write down everything you’ve been bottling in. Take this time for yourself, because you are worth it.