10 Self-Care tips as well as 3 useful books to get you in a healthier mindset.
Welcome to my first blog post! Todays topic will be self-care tips to help get you into a healthier mindset!
Self care is extremely important. It can be something as small as just taking some time to relax at the end of the day. It can make such a big difference in your life. During these unprecedented times, it's become even more important. So, what are some self care activities that you can practice. Well, let's discuss 10 self care tips, note, these are not in any particular order.
#1 Take a hot bubble bath, I always find that just taking a half hour and winding down with a hot bath really relaxes me. It relieves muscle pain and tension in your joints. Taking a bath also improves the condition of your skin. Overall, it's an amazing way to take care of your body and mind.
#2 Take a walk. Getting outside and getting some physical exercise is a great way to maintain a healthy mind mind and a healthy body. The fresh air is also incredibly helpful for our minds.
#3 Talk to friends, family or a therapist. Talking to people is a really good way to get things off your chest. Especially someone like a therapist. If you struggle with anxiety, like myself, therapy can be a great option. I speak with a therapist myself and I've found it really useful, she's given me some great coping strategies. Talking to friends and family is also a great way to cheer yourself up and stay connected.
#4 Meditate. Now, I know this may be hard at first, but meditation is honestly very helpful. Just taking a few minutes out of the day to close your eyes and breath, limiting any other thoughts and focusing on breathing can be amazing for your mental well being.
#5 Clean/organize your space. Now, I know you might be thinking "ugh cleaning" but just hear me out. Cleaning and organizing your space creates an environment that feels restorative, restful, and peaceful. It makes for a calming environment which will allow you to relax and gain mental space.
#6 Read a good book or article. Reading is one of my favourite self care activities. You can learn so many new things in books, its an amazing way to take care of our mind, body and soul. Researchers found that reading was the best way to overcome stress and it can even help prevent certain forms of dementia.
#7 Do some yoga. Yoga is about healing the self through self discovery and self acceptance. It teaches us to overcome internal and external obstacles that come with everyday life. It's such a relaxing way to unwind, not only is it improving you mentally, but physically as well.
#8 Watch your favourite show or movie. This may not seem like a self care activity, but it actually can benefit our mental health. Watching movies encourages emotional release, it can have a cathartic effect and also make it easier for a person to become more comfortable in expressing their emotions. I personally recommend Gilmore Girls, it's such an interesting show, extremely motivational as well! It's currently available on Netflix.
#9 Practice gratitude. I do this at the end of everyday. I pick 3 things I am grateful for and write them down. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. It's a small step toward a better you.
#10 Have an unplug day. Take a day and shut off your phone, spend the day doing some of these other activities such as going for a walk, meditating, yoga, taking a bubble bath. Take this day as a pamper day for yourself. These are all small steps you can take to improve not only your mental well being, but your physical well being as well. I have so many more self care tips that I will share with you in the next few episodes.
The final thing I will discuss today is 3 books regarding self betterment. Like I mentioned before, reading can be extremely beneficial, so why not read about something that can help you!
#1 Mindsight by Daniel J. Siegel. This book contains everything you need to know to reprogram your brain and to optimally use its capacity of neuroplasticity. It's extremely useful and a great read!
#2 Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. I just recently started this book and I can already say I love it. It explains in simple words how our thinking is divided in two systems: one fast and one slow. it's so interesting to learn about!
#3 Failing Forward by John C. Maxwell. This book teaches us about how failing is bound to happen, but it teaches us lessons in order to move forward.
I hope these books can be of some help to you! I have linked them below before you to buy if you are interested :) That brings us to the end of my first blog post. Take care, and feel free to ask me anything, I am an open book <3
Mindsight: https://amzn.to/3hPRfs3
Thinking, Fast and Slow: https://amzn.to/3yzECHf
Failing Forward: https://amzn.to/3oTw5uA