Your MUST Needed Guide to Self-Care

STRESS!

We hate it but it loves us.

Stress has a deadly hold, it is always reaching for you and refuses to back down like that toxic ex you can't seem to get rid of.

It's important to know how to deal with it before it moves into your house and starts leaving clothes everywhere. School, work, family, friends, and even you can stress yourself out.

Prioritize yourself and take the time to cleanse yourself from the daily grime of life. Time for yourself is essential. It's okay to take a day off from work or miss a day of school. It's okay to call a babysitter or cancel plans. It's okay to be selfish sometimes.

Nowadays people are afraid of doing these things and disappointing others when by doing this you can be disappointing yourself. Burn-out is real. By taking the time for yourself and maybe being selfish for a bit you can actually be doing others a favor by giving them 100% instead of 50%.

If you've been feeling down or like the world is against you, rest. Take at least an hour of the day to practice self-care every night. Unwind from your day. How do you do this, you ask?

Let's start with the mind.

- Meditate. At least 5 minutes of the day, get out of your head! Find a comfortable position and close your eyes. You don't have to stop thinking just watch your thoughts as they come in. Breathe. Take in the new and release the old.

-Get a journal. Writing down your thoughts and feelings is a great way to destress. A lot of people often feel stress and may not even know the cause of it. Write out your feelings. Get to the root of them. Sometimes seeing them on paper make them seem so small. On another way, write out solutions to your problems. We can make things seem so scary but every problem has a solution you just have to find it. You can even take the next step and take that page with all those confusing, angry, tired, etc... emotions and crumple or burn the page. Something about seeing those worries in flames can be very...relieving.

-Take breaks from social media. We are constantly scrolling and mindlessly wandering. By taking at least a couple hours without social media your mind won't be working all the time processing information and if you're not on socials chances are you''ll be productive and might even do that work you've been so worked up over.

-Nature! Sit by a river or park. Be present in your environment. Clear your mind.

-Take yourself on a date. This one is my favorite. Yes, dates with other people are great, but theres nothing like enjoying your own presence and taking the time to treat yourself. Go to that restaurant you've always wanted to try. Sit at that cafe and look mysterious like you always saw in the movies. Eat whatever you want!

-Change it up! Update your appearance. Get that haircut you saw on pinterest. Get a new pair of jeans or shoes. Buy that thing you've had in your cart forever. Bring life back into your life!

Self-care for the body is just as important, anything active can help you destress and be back on your merry way.

-Stretch every morning. Imagine all those cracks are your worries breaking away. Do some light yoga. Not only is this great for your health but it also sets your tone for the day.

-Physical activity. Go for a walk, run, head to the gym etc... This makes you feel so much more ready to handle anything that comes your way. Even a 10 minute walk can do a lot.

-Sleep! If you're like me, you might like this one a lot more than the physical activity one. Get at least 8 hours or if not possible, moms I'm talking to you, try to take a good power nap. I always say sleep is the human on/off button. We heal when we sleep so it's important to get as much as you can.

-Shower or bathe. A good shower can wash always a lot of our worries. Take the time to wash your hair, shave, do whatever you need to do. Light a couple candles and enjoy.

We can be taking care of our mind and body but if we aren't caring for the soul then what's the point.

-Music. We all know music has been proven to improve peoples lives. Music therapy can be extremely beneficial to those suffering from PTSD and other diagnoses. Imagine what healing it can do for you. Listen to your favorite artist or album or maybe make a new playlist.

-Clean. Tidy up your area. Clean room clean life. Maybe not but it's a step.

-Be grateful. Write a list of things you're grateful for. You'll be surprised by how many things you can find yourself putting down.

-Laugh. Have a good laugh. One of those "I think I'm going to pee" laughs. One of those "I think I have abs now" laughs. They're important and things always seem to such happier after one of those.

-Look at the moon or stars. Sometimes we forget we are on a floating rock in space. That test we failed or that boyfriend seems so insignificant after that.

-Do something artsy. Paint or draw something. Color if those aren't your strong suits. Do your makeup. Build something. Create things you love so you aren't worrying about the things you didn't.

It's okay to feel down and stressed. It's okay to feel your emotions. Cry it out. Laugh it out. Write it out. As soon as you learn how to handle your stress and pain and all of those emotions we will feel throughout our lives, they get a little more bearable.

Rest!