Taking care of yourself doesn’t have to be a luxury. Practicing radical self-care on a daily basis should be mandatory, especially in our day and age. You don’t need expensive things to do that – you don’t need material stuff at all. Treating yourself with kindness and warmth should be your main focus.
Let’s get something straight first: self-care is not about being selfish, far from it in fact. You are keeping yourself happy and healthy so that others benefit from this version of you. You know that with emotional balance and a clear mind you can achieve anything. Here are 15 simple steps you can take for your mental and emotional well-being:
1. Learn to say no. It’s important, that’s why we get this piece of advice all the time. For your sanity, know your priorities.
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2. Listen to the music you love on a daily basis for relaxation. It will surely take your mind off things.
3. Forgive yourself for tiny mistakes. There is a small lesson to learn from all of them.
4. Write your thoughts and feelings as often as you can (short entries count too!). Journaling is an effective tool for dealing with the madness of the world. Or even madness within.
5. Think of at least 3 things to be thankful for every single day. Make a mental list before going to bed or write it down. Cultivating gratitude will help a great deal.
6. Learn to receive a compliment in a way that makes you feel empowered instead of awkward. It’s not easy, but we can do it.
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7. Practice self-awareness. As much as you can. Until it becomes a habit.
8. Do something creative each day – this will feed your soul like no other activity.
9. Practice meditation as often as you can. Leaving at least 15 minutes per day for yourself, in silence, doing nothing will impact your brain significantly. It’s science.
10. Resist the pressure to please others. Spend your free time as you wish and in a way that you find nurturing and pleasant.
11. Set boundaries. Always. And respect other people’s boundaries too.
12. Pay attention to how you speak to yourself – you may have internalized a lot of negative messages. Engage in positive self-talk and do it consciously.
13. Rest. Rest your body, rest your soul. Only when you find yourself replenished will you be able to achieve all the things you want.
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14. Allow yourself to feel your emotions and to process them in your own time. But most importantly, feel them, especially when it comes to pain. Avoiding it will only make it come back stronger and in uglier ways.
15. Start off the day on a positive note. Smile and compliment yourself and get ready to face the day, with any challenges it may come, with courage and optimism.
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