20 Gentle Ways To Take Care Of Yourself

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.