Sometimes we expect
too much of ourselves. Especially in this day and age where everything seems to
be based around how successful we can be. It's important to take time for
ourselves and to know our individual limits so we don't become overwhelmed,
stressed out, anxious or depressed. And if you are already feeling the pressure
of any of these, it is even more important to focus on your well being. Here
are 20 easy and gentle ways that you can take care of yourself.
Accept yourself
for who you are
The most important
thing you can do for yourself is learn to know who you are, be proud of who you
are, and love yourself. Don't be too hard on yourself, know you'll make
mistakes and accept that you are only human. It's important to trust your
instincts and know there's nothing wrong with you, you're perfect the way you
are and you're doing the best you can and that is always enough.
Say no to things
that aren't important to you
Having too much on
your plate at once is overwhelming because you feel burdened to keep up with
everything, and when you don't, it only drags you down. Give yourself
permission to focus only on what's important and walk away from those
unnecessary responsibilities that you've overcrowded your life with.
Write a
gratitude journal
Write a few
sentences a day of what you're grateful for at this time in your life. Doing
this will allow you to focus on the positives each day and to really appreciate
the little things. It's also a great tool to have to look back on when you're
having a bad day and need a little extra inspiration or motivation.
Get enough sleep
Getting enough
sleep is one of the most fundamental rules of self care. Our bodies need rest
in order to recharge and replenish. Our minds need to rest in order to stay
healthy and fresh. We often think that pushing ourselves to stay up later and
finish one more task will help us feel less stressed and maybe it will in the
short term, but in the long run, you're just pushing your body to over
exertion. An adequate amount of sleep is really what will help you de-stress.
Eat healthy /
Take vitamins
Eating healthy and
nutritious meals may seem harder and more time consuming than ordering takeout,
but it doesn't have to be. There's lots of recipes out there for quick meals
and you can even spend a few hours one day making enough meals to get you
through the week so you don't have that extra stress weighing on you every day.
Getting enough nutrients will give you more energy, make your body feel better,
and improve your mood. It's also important to take a multivitamin every day! It
takes no time at all and it'll help your mind and body stay healthy (even when
you opt for the processed, unhealthy meals).
Keep in touch
with a few close friends
You don't need to
stay in touch with everyone you know. People understand that life gets busy and
socializing can sometimes take a back burner to other things. But it's
important to keep in touch with the people you're closest too as they are what
make you happy, they are what inspire you. Just the odd text message or phone
call or coffee date every few days will help keep your spirits up.
Write positive
thoughts or affirmations when you're calm to help you through the tough times
When you're in the
middle of an anxiety attack or a dark moment you're not thinking straight and
it's hard to remember all the positive things you have going for you in your
life. So when you're feeling calm, take some time to write down what you want
to remind yourself of during your difficult times. Write down why you're so
amazing, a pep-talk to yourself, some ideas of what might help you feel better,
any positive thoughts that will help you get through those tough moments in
your life.
Walk wherever
you can
It might seem more
time consuming, but it's way more beneficial to walk instead of drive or take
public transit! Not only does walking ensure you're getting exercise everyday,
it also gets you outside, giving your body that well-needed fresh air and
sunlight. All of this will release those feel-good endorphins inside you,
making you feel happier, more energized and more focused.
Ask for help /
Have a support group
Sometimes it's a
hard lesson to learn, but the sooner you learn it, the more relieved you'll
feel - there's absolutely no shame in asking for help! Don't underestimate the
people in your life, chances are they want to be there for you, they want to
help you. Even having someone else perform simple tasks like doing the dishes,
cooking dinner, or doing the laundry can go a long way to reducing the extra stress
that has being weighing you down. Your friends, family, and partner only want
the best for you, they're on your team! If you need moral support, if you need
help with everyday tasks, just ask!
Don't stifle
your emotions
I know it's easier
said than done, but one of the worst things you can do is bottle your emotions
up inside you. Yell, scream, cry, punch your pillow, whatever you need to do,
just let it all out. I promise you'll feel better.
Don't make any
major decisions
Our minds work in
mysterious ways. Often when we're feeling depressed or anxious we make rash
decisions that seem like the best option at the time, only to end up
questioning or regretting our decisions later when we've calmed down. It can
take some self control, but save all your major decision making for when you've
calmed down and can think clearer, especially if your decisions affect other
people and not just yourself.
Make time for
rest
I mentioned the
importance of sleep, but it's also important to just rest. Allow time each day
for you to just be calm - don't think about work, don't think about the chores
building up, don't busy your mind with watching TV shows, scanning the internet
or reading a book, give yourself time to just be. 5 minutes of pure rest,
actually doing nothing, will do a lot more for you than 20 minutes of scrolling
through Facebook.
Be okay with a
little mess
A little mess never
hurt anyone. When you're feeling overwhelmed in life it's easy to let things
like doing the dishes and keeping the house tidy go by the way side but that's
okay, nothing's wrong with that. Don't feel bad about it, you can clean up at
any time, but for now, just let it be and instead focus on the things that are
important.
Break up your
chores or habits into smaller tasks and just do one each day
A long list of
things to do is overwhelming and stressful and can really dampen your mood when
you can't get everything done. Your life is meant to be lived and enjoyed, you
shouldn't feel like you're constantly trying to keep up. Try breaking your
routines up into smaller chunks - wash your hair one day, shave your legs the
next day, sweep the floor one day, clean out the fridge the next day. By doing
this you'll be able to stay on top of everything more easily, and you'll feel
more accomplished when you cross off your chore for the day and know that now
you have time for yourself.
Get sunlight
One of the best
things you can do for yourself is go outside and fill your mind, body and soul
with some natural light. Sunlight is proven to increase your mood and if you
spend a lot of time indoors under artificial lights than it's even more
important that you get that daily dose of sunlight.
Do some easy
exercise like yoga
Not every likes
yoga, and that's okay, but some light stretching or walking or other exercise
you enjoy can go a long way to improving your mood. Exercise releases
endorphins in your body so your mind automatically feels a little happier, a
little clearer, and a little more focused.
Create routines
to keep you on track and make things easier
When we're going
through a rough patch the simplest tasks can become extremely difficult to
accomplish. Creating some routines will help you get through those tougher
times. Try spending one afternoon making all your meals for the week, forgo
wearing makeup or do your hair in the same simple way each day so you can focus
on other things, set out all your outfits for the week so when you wake up you
can just get up and go without worrying about what to wear. Little routines
like this go a long way to getting rid of those little daily stressors that
weigh you down.
Take a hot bath
with aroma therapy scents or candles
A hot bath is one
of the most relaxing things you can do. Use some calming bath salts and light
your favourite candles and allow yourself to indulge in some well needed 'you'
time.
Take the
weekends off
It's important to
make time for yourself. We've become too focused on work and money and being
the best that we forget to just live, to just be us. Allow yourself that
important time to just do what you want to do. No matter what you do during the
week, allow yourself those two days on the weekend to have fun, recharge and
just do you.
Drink tea, not
coffee
I'm not just saying
this because I'm addicted to tea, I promise. But caffeine dehydrates you and
the effects of it only last so long, meaning eventually it'll cause you to
become tired again, and too much can make you jittery and anxious. Tea is a
comforting drink and as mentioned in one of my other posts, it actually has natural
properties in it that help decrease your anxiety.