Don’t get us wrong, we love a good face mask, but when it comes to self care, there is so much more that we need emotionally, mentally, and physically than a night of applying beauty products and soaking in a hot bath. We’ve found there are 7 types of self care steps you can do that can significantly help you to reduce stress and to feel better, overall.

Each of these suggestions are things that have helped us overtime and so we’d like to share them with you in hopes that you will gain something valuable from applying any, some, or all of these into your self care routine.

7 Types of Self Care For You To Practice:

The wonderful thing about self care is that you will know what works for you and what doesn’t. Your body will tell you, so it’s important to listen. This way, you can make adjustments as needed.

The other thing that is great is that none of these suggestions require a huge time commitment nor do they depend on one another in order to work. You can pick and choose what you like. Whatever you feel works for you – do more of that. So select one or two items from the list below and try them to see how they make you feel. If they make you feel bad, then stop and select something else to practice. If they make you feel good, then great. Do more of that.

If you want to try all of them, go ahead, but we caution that you don’t overburden yourself with attempting to do everything perfectly. Perfection is not the aim here: feeling better is.

#1: Nourish Your Body to Nourish Your Mind

How do you feel after you eat an order of a hamburger and greasy french fries? Your taste buds might be happy, but your body and your mood are most likely not.

How do you feel after you eat a portion of baked salmon and broccoli? If made well, your taste buds will be happy, and so will your body and your mind.

When you consume whole foods, not only are you nourishing your body but you’re also nourishing your mind. As a result, you will have more energy, your mood will be more balanced and your mind will be clearer. No more low-energy mornings and no more sluggish afternoons.

You can try one of our favourite baked salmon recipes here. And for an incredible broccoli recipe, try this Broccoli Salad. Our mom was so hesitant to try it – maybe even a little annoyed that we were serving her raw broccoli – and now she asks us to make it for her on a regular basis.

#2: Practice Movement Each Day

Perhaps because we each practiced movement each day when we were younger (Isabel was a cheerleader and Marilyn was a dancer), we know that we feel better as soon as we move.

One thing we’ve both come to realize is that you don’t have to overly-exert yourself each and every time you do physical activity. You can challenge yourself and do a Crossfit class if you like, but if you can’t summon the time or the energy to do a rigorous activity, doing stretches in your living room is more than fine.

Just move.

15 minutes is all it takes for you to reap massive rewards in terms of your mental health and emotional health, not to mention your physical health.

#3: Spend Time in Nature Every Day

The same goes for spending time in nature every day. You are not meant to sit at your desk from the moment you wake up until the moment it’s time to go to sleep.

You deserve to take a break. Going for a walk in nature for 15 minutes has proven to have long-reaching benefits for one’s mental health and well-being.

According to the National Geographic, Forest Bathing, which is “taking in the forest atmosphere” has been studied since the 1990s and the results are what you’d expect: time spent in nature is good for you. This is not to say that you have to forest bathe. If you can’t afford the time or access a forest, a simple walk around your neighbourhood will serve you well.

#4: Write in a Journal

Whether you write in a journal in the morning or in the evening, or whether you practice writing morning pages or evening pages, writing down your thoughts is one of the most important types of self care you can do for yourself.

According to Psychology Today, journaling can improve symptoms of anxiety and depression, effectively help with stress management, be an excellent source of self reflection, and help people in recovery. Journaling is a soothing activity that is simple to do, but incredibly powerful and transformative.

In her book, Take Time For Your Life, author Cheryl Richardson shares this tidbit of advice: Before you start to journal, spend time selecting the right journal for you. Pick the one that speaks to you. The one you love the look of and whose pages you love the feel of.

That’s your journal. Dive in.

Be sure to download our 25 FREE Journal Prompts to Help You Get Unstuck!

#5: Channel Your Creativity

Remember when you were in elementary school, high school maybe, and you spent blocks of time painting on a canvas or learning how to play a musical instrument? Remember how happy you felt?

When you engage in a creative activity, you are increasing positive emotions and decreasing your stress levels. Also, studies have shown that it also helps with long-term issues, such as helping to boost your immune system.

Even more good news is that creativity is an endless well. As Maya Angelou said,

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”

#6: Clean Up Your Digital and Physical Environments

Unfollow the person whose instagram bothers you.

Block the bad ex-boyfriend’s number and his new girlfriend’s social media accounts.

In general, be careful of what you consume. Be mindful of who you talk to, what TV shows you watch, and what you read – say goodbye to doom scrolling (if you can’t stop this habit completely, then try to limit how often and how long you mindlessly scroll).

Cleaning your house or your work space isn’t always fun to do, but having a clean house or works space feels so incredibly good once it’s done.

According to Forbes, there are mental health benefits to cleaning your space. These include improved focus and regulated emotions.

We’ve recently stumbled across a couple of Instagram accounts that focus on cleaning and they can provide inspiration to help you get ready to tackle cleaning. These accounts also offer some helpful tips to get rid of stains or organize your entryway.

Our favourite cleaning Instagram accounts to follow are: Roo’s Home and Jamie’s Journey.

#7: Get Enough Sleep

There have been a lot of studies regarding how many hours of sleep people need, including a recent study that claims women need more sleep than men.

Only you know how much sleep you need.

The important thing to note is that you allow yourself the amount of sleep you know you need to feel your best. You should also be aware that the amount of sleep you need this month might be different for you next month. That’s normal.

As the seasons change, as your body changes, as your needs change, alter how much sleep you need accordingly.

Let us know in the comments below which one of these 7 types of self care rituals is your favourite.

-Isabel & Marilyn

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