Self-Care Rituals That Work

It seems like self-care is the word of the year… for the last 3 years at least. That’s not meant to downplay its importance, but there are so many mentions of the word that sometimes it seems it becomes less special each time I hear it.

I take self-care very seriously and you should too. In fact, I incorporate a bit of self-care in each and every one of my days. It need not take long, though sometimes a short bath just isn’t enough! Here are a few of my favorite self-care rituals that work to reduce stress, anxiety and overwhelm.

Daily Affirmations

Every once in awhile, I like to take a second to think about what I’m good at, what I bring to the table and what I love about other people. It can truly be day- and life-changing to take a second to recognize something great about yourself. We take care of our bodies, but too often we forget to take care of our self-confidence.

If something goes wrong at work or in a social situation, I like to sit back and reflect on something (or multiple things) that I did well so that I’m not dwelling on the negative. The affirmations I most often like to repeat to myself are: “I work very hard”, “I am great at learning from mistakes”, and “My knowledge is a great asset to my social media clients”. Don’t be afraid to be confident, especially when talking to yourself!

Take a Bath

This one is so obvious, yet so valuable. I’m not a huge bath person (I also don’t really love hot tubs) but there really isn’t anything better or easier than running a hot tub with bath salts and essential oils. Extra points for candles and ambient music, but I typically just take my book with me… and end up on my phone. Not only does it soothe your muscles after a hard week of stress and exercise, but it also helps cleanse your mind.

Go to Yoga

There is something about the intentional mindfulness of a hot yoga class that refreshes my mind, soul and body. Or maybe it’s the fact that I sweat it all out. Either way, if you haven’t tried hot yoga, lukewarm yoga or any kind of yoga, you totally should.

Turn Your Phone Off

I know… the panic is already setting in at the thought. The best thing I did for myself was setting up Do Not Disturb to automatically set on my phone each night from about 9pm to 7am. I was the type who would get an email at 10pm and immediately suffer a panic attack about how I needed to respond. Or I’d receive a text message in the middle of the night that would wake me up in a panic.

I also highly suggest if you’re in a stressful moment, while working on an important project or during said panic attack, to turn your phone off until it passes. I don’t have children, but when I do, I plan on incorporating ‘no cell phone’ time into our daily routine so that we (Andy and I) are both present and alert with no distractions.

Take a Walk with a Friend, Podcast or Pup

I’ve made it a point to go on more walks this year, especially with friends. I recently learned I’m Vitamin D deficient so getting all the sun I can helps! It also helps to get your blood pumping while talking through all of the bad and good in your life to a great friend, which I love. My friend Jordan and I made a deal to plans Thursday as our walk days, so when we’re free we talk a long walk where we air all of our grievances and give each other advice. Having outside support helps so much in caring for yourself! Rooney (my pup) is also a great friend, though her advice is a little elementary.

Which of these self-care rituals do you regularly partake in? I hope you found some new ones to add to your routine!

Header Photo by Holger Link on Unsplash