Are you feeling exhausted? Overwhelmed? Stressed?
Are you sick and tired? And sick and tired of being sick and tired?
So am I.
Today I did something to manage my stress, to reduce my overwhelm, and recharge my energy. I practiced self-care.
Here I am in my hotel room in Denver at a 5 day business training, and I am giving myself permission to take care of myself. Taking care of myself means I changed my plans, changed my focus, and took the day for self-care. I skipped out on today’s session to get some much-needed rest, catch up on one of my favorite tv shows (nerd alert: I watch Arrow), and spend the day alone as us introverts love to do!
I used to be great at self-care until recently I lost touch with my most-valuable skill. I needed the reminder today to take care of myself and since I’ve slipped out of my formerly good habits, I’m making a list of self-care practices to help me get back on track. I’m sharing it with you because you need it just as much as I do!
I’m sharing with you 100 ways to practice self-care. Here are a few ways to put them into practice:
- Write down 30 self-care practices and try a new one every day.
- Pick your top 5 self-care practices and do all 5 every day for a week.
- Chose a self-care practice that is challenging for you and create a new habit.
- Keep a list of self-care practices and do whichever ones you need.
- Join my self-care challenge (details below!)
However you use these self-care practices, use them every day.
100 Ways to Practice Self-Care
01. Notice your body. Are you hungry, tense, or tired?
02. Notice your feelings. Are you happy, sad, or angry?
03. Say yes to an opportunity for growth.
04. Say no to a request you’re unwilling or unable to agree to.
05. Respond, don’t react in a difficult conversation.
09. Get a good night’s sleep.
10. Take a nap.
11. Go for a walk.
12. Smile.
13. Laugh
14. Enjoy a good cry.
15. Ask for help with a difficult task.
16. Get hugged.
17. Eat a satisfying meal.
18. Sing along to your favorite song.
19. Dance.
20. Get a massage.
21. Take a break.
22. Take three deep breaths, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.
23. Roll your shoulders down and back.
24. Stretch your body.
25. Wear comfortable shoes.
26. Wear your favorite outfit.
27. Read a book.
28. Watch a movie.
29. Play with a child.
30. Walk a dog.
31. Pet a cat.
32. Go on an adventure- try a new restaurant or even just a new route to work.
33. Be curious.
34. Be playful.
35. Tell a joke.
36. Show compassion for yourself.
37. Color a picture.
38. Play air guitar.
39. Garden.
40. Follow your heart.
41. Say something nice about yourself.
42. Make a list of what you like about yourself.
43. Accept a compliment without justification or explanation.
44. Leave work undone.
45. Leave the party if you’re not having fun.
46. Be curious.
47. Enjoy the little things.
48. Forgive someone. (Hint: It might be yourself.)
49. Let go of something you’ve been holding onto.
50. If you can’t think straight, stop thinking and feel.
51. Write a letter to your feelings.
52. Help someone else with their problem.
53. Say, “I love you,” to yourself in the mirror.
54. Take a hot bath.
55. Plan your next vacation.
56. Meditate.
57. Do yoga.
58. Go for a run.
59. Ride a bike.
60. In one situation, with one person, ask for what you need.
61. In one situation, with one person, ask for what you want.
62. Try something new.
63. Write down your worries on paper, them rip them up and throw them away.
64. Get rid of a material possession that doesn’t bring you joy.
65. Turn off all digital devices for one hour per day.
66. Unsubscribe from an email list.
68. Put your thoughts down on paper.
69. Do one thing you’ve been avoiding that you know will benefit you.
70. Celebrate an accomplishment.
71. Admit when you make a mistake. (Mistakes are okay!)
72. Today, do one thing exceptionally well.
73. Check one item off your to-do list without doing it.
74. Floss your teeth.
75. Drink a glass of water.
76. Eat a vegetable.
77. Listen to music.
78. Spend an hour with friends or family.
79. Spend an hour alone.
80. Notice where your body feels tense and relax that area.
81. Delete an unread email. (One that doesn’t really require your response.)
82. Pay a bill.
83. Pass on buying that thing you don’t really need.
84. Reach out to a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while.
85. Choose to have a good day.
86. Write down an inspiring quote and hang it where you will see it every day.
87. Re-read this list of 100 ways to self-care.
88. Experience your 5 senses- what do you see, hear, smell, touch, and taste?
89. Do nothing for 5 minutes.
90. Think of a happy memory.
91. Spend 20 minutes in your favorite spot.
92. Enjoy a delicious treat.
93. Prepare a meal with love.
94. Try a new recipe.
95. Give yourself permission to do something that’s difficult for you.
96. Be silly.
97. Be spontaneous.
98. Do one thing simply because it brings you joy.
99. Give up one thing that brings you pain.
100. Do your best and forget the rest.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but ideas to get you started. How will you take care of yourself? What self-care practices are you going to try? How are you going try them?
Do you enjoy my content that focuses on self care? There’s a lot more of it in my book, Beautiful Badass: How to Believe In Yourself Against the Odds! Check it out here!