Breaking bad habits while making good ones
Beneficial habits like self-care often go by the wayside during stressful times. It can be difficult to focus on anything but the bare minimum when life gets hard. The fact is, though, that these are the days when you most need to take care of yourself. One way to have a self-care toolkit to help you out during these instances. Having a list of self-care routines can make it easier for you to implement them when needed. There are some other tricks you can employ to get you through the tough times, too. Let’s start with your self-care backup plan. This is a list of at least five activities you can easily fit in your life during the most stressful periods. Having such a reminder at arm’s reach will let you gain the benefits of caring for yourself without having to think about it too much. This list can include simple reminders like go to bed early so you get enough sleep, eat nutritious food to keep your energy up or asking for help whenever you need it because these are all things you might forget when you’ve got a ton on your plate. During times of trouble, the very basic foundations of self-care can be the most important.
Creative and Artistic Ways to Practice Self-Care
Self-care activities doesn’t only involve going for a walk or meditating. There are a few creative activities that will channel your inner artist or writer, and still provide excellent self-care benefits. Here are some creative and artistic activities to help you practice self-care.
- Draw, Paint or Colour – Adult coloring books have been popular for a while, and they are definitely not going anywhere. The more recent ones that have gained popularity are the Mandala colouring books. There are many different types of colouring books, depending on what you are interested in. Self-care doesn’t have any hard or fast rules. It is simply about doing activities that makes you feel good about yourself, can distract you from what is causing you stress, and help you spend more time focusing on yourself. You want to make sure all your time is not spent working, cleaning, or providing care (be it your kids, elders or members of your community). You should nurture various hobbies and activities you truly enjoy just for yourself. Grab a sketchbook and some art tools to draw, sketch, or paint as you wish.
- Learn a New Craft – What better way to express your creative side than to learn something brand new? This is the perfect opportunity to get out there and try a new craft or form of art. You don’t have to be naturally artistic to be creative and enjoy any type of creative activity. Doing the activity isn’t the only way to taking better care of yourself, but also in learning how to do it. Think of some hobbies you always wondered about, like oil painting, making jewelry or metal stamping, or giving sewing or knitting a try.
- Writing – Writing can be very therapeutic for you. This can be anything from writing in a journal to writing short stories or working on a novel. One good practice to start writing is to set a timer for 8-10 minutes, then just start writing whatever comes to mind. Continue writing without taking a break until the timer goes off.
- Make a Care Package – Another way to boost your chances of keeping self-care at the focus during hard times is to prepare a care package ahead of time. This can include some of your favorite little indulgences like a good book, herbal teas, facial mask, fuzzy slippers and a music playlist. Include anything that brings you joy. Being able to reach for this package when you’re stressed can mean the world and make a huge difference to your outlook.
- Involve Your Crew – When things look bleak, you may require a bit of help to get back on track. That’s why it’s a good idea to reach out to trusted friends and family now to enlist their help for the future. Talk to your closest confidantes and let them know you would like them to always encourage your self-care routine. Share with them the benefits it’s provided you and tell them you’d appreciate their assistance if they see you aren’t caring for yourself as well as you should be. Sometimes those who know us best can see things we don’t. When your crew knows to look out for you in this regard, they can reinforce your self-care needs during times of stress.
Taking steps to plan now can make maintaining your self-care routine easier in the future. Always remember it’s during the hardest times that you need to nurturing yourself the most.