In order to be your best self and be able to give to others, try practicing some of these self-care ideas daily! They will refresh your mind, body, and soul.
Hello, I’m an introvert. But I haven’t always known that.
I went to college very NOT self-aware and felt like something was wrong with me because I didn’t feel like being as social as everyone else seemed to want to be. Yet I forced myself to be social all the time, afraid I was going to miss out on something.
I definitely was not practicing these self-care ideas very often, if at all.
That caught up to me. It exhausted me. Somewhere along the line, thank goodness, I learned that I’m an introvert, and I need a lot more alone time than many people.
Since then I’ve been on a journey of becoming more self-aware, and taking better care of myself. A huge reason self-awareness is important is that it enables you to know how to take care of yourself.
In college I wasn’t taking care of myself by prioritizing the resting alone time that I needed to recharge. But that’s changed, a lot, to where now I give myself so much permission to spend time at home that sometimes it’s a struggle to push myself to get out and socialize!
As you learn to be fully in tune with the needs of your body, soul, and spirit, taking time to practice these self-care ideas should become a habit. Morning and nightly rituals, seeking 15 minutes of alone time in the middle of the day, and taking time to do something refreshing rather than defaulting to social media are all ways to make it a daily practice.
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Here are 35 of my favorite self-care ideas.
1. Keep at least one night of your week free for you to rest and do things for yourself.
Actually block it off on your calendar!
2. Watch one of your favorite movies.
Mine are Pride & Prejudice and Les Miserables – they never fail to make me happy.
3. Cook or order in some of your favorite comfort foods.
4. Visit a museum or a zoo alone or with a friend and take as much time as you want looking at each exhibit.
5. Light a candle, or make one.
6. Go see a movie by yourself or with a friend.
7. Don’t feel guilty saying no.
If you don’t want to go be social, then don’t. That’s probably a sign you need some time alone to rest and recharge.
8. Take a day off work for mental health if you need to, and don’t feel badly for it.
9. Spend time journaling your thoughts, feelings, and prayers.
I do this every morning with my coffee or tea and it helps me start off my day feeling mindful and focused.
10. Listen to music that’s comforting or brings you joy.
Discover new music or create a new playlist.
11. Take a walk outside.
Get some sun! It’s so good for you. Visit a local park or hiking area you’ve not tried before.
12. Spend time with your pet.
If you don’t have one, see if you can play with pets at a pet store or even volunteer at an animal shelter.
13. Call a friend or family member who you know will understand you and encourage you.
I know for me, this is one of the most important things on this list of self-care ideas for me to practice. Sometimes I don’t feel like talking, but I almost always feel refreshed and encouraged afterwards.
14. Go to a coffee shop alone to chill for as long as you want.
This is one of my very favorite self-care ideas! I especially love the feeling of total anonymity when I’m in a coffee shop in another city. People watch, read a book, or work on your computer if you need to, just enjoy the atmosphere.
15. Take some time off from social media or your phone.
The times when I’ve resisted being on my phone in bed I’ve felt amazing and probably got more sleep. I like to read right before bed instead.
16. Do yoga.
I’ve been loving these beginner’s yoga videos!
17. Take a nap or go to bed early.
18. Plan a trip or event you can get excited about, even if that just means having a couple friends over for games or a movie.
19. Read a book that makes you feel good.
20. Buy yourself flowers or go pick some wildflowers.
(You can make a pressed flowers DIY with them after a few days if you want!)
21. Listen to a podcast.
I enjoy listening to TED talks to learn new things, This American Life for interesting stories, and That’s So Maven for wellness topics, as well as messages from my favorite speakers.
22. Take a few easy steps to declutter something in your home.
23. Do a DIY – maybe you have a DIY Pinterest board of project ideas you’ve never actually tried.
Now is a great time! Here are some DIYs you can make with tree branches!
24. Pamper yourself.
Paint your nails (preferably with non-toxic polish), do a DIY facial, or take a long bath.
25. Spend some time gardening or purchase an indoor plant.
26. Write down 20 things and people you are thankful for, or 10 amazing things that have happened in your life recently.
27. Plan a form of therapy you’d like to start – massage, acupuncture, or seeing a counselor.
28. Make yourself coffee, tea, or a smoothie.
29. Snuggle with someone you love.
30. Start a dream journal, writing down all the things you’d like to see and do in your life.
31. Make a list of 5 things you love doing, then make plans to schedule those 5 things into your life.
32. Do your favorite form of exercise or try a new way of exercising.
33. Find some positive affirmations or declarations that you like and practice using them.
Make a habit of saying them daily.
34. Diffuse some essential oils.
I got this essential oils diffuser for Ryan for his birthday and we LOVE it! It holds enough water to last through the whole night, unlike many, and I love the wooden look of the base. I diffuse lavender essential oil in my room in the evening to help me relax for peaceful sleep.
35. Wash all your blankets and sheets.
I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love crawling into bed with fresh-smelling sheets and blankets! It helps me feel cozy and relaxed.
2 comments
Thank you for this post! I love the list of positive affirmations- those thoughts are so encouraging :D. I was also inspired to start a dream journal to which has been very inspiring and a good way for me to sort through my thoughts! I would love to see more self-care posts! 😉
Julia, thanks so much, I’m so glad you are using some of these ideas! I will definitely think about more post ideas related to self-care 😉