Wellbeing Wednesday Self-care kits
Today our lives are busy with a heap of different activities, these may include study (School, TAFE, Uni), work, sports, volunteering, and of course spending time with family and friends. Between all of this, it can be easy to become overwhelmed and stressed out - which is totally okay and totally normal.
One way we can manage through the stress and overwhelming emotions is through self-care. But what is self-care, you can have a read through a refresher here.
This week I thought we could focus a bit more on self-care and create our very own self-care kit which is unique to ourselves.
So have a think about the things which help you, soothe you, and make you feel as awesome as you are. Some generic suggestions include
- Journal or art diary to write, draw or scribble through your thoughts.
- A soft bear to cuddle
- Squishy or stress ball to squeeze
Your self-care kit can be as specific or as broad as you like. As BIG or as small as you like.
Activity:
1. Think about what things or activities help you feel awesome and soothe you
2. Create your self-care kit - you can go and create a big box full of stuff that you can pick up in an instant, or you can space things around in your everyday life for a bit of self-care everywhere 🙂
Comments
My self care kit 
- Creating playlists
- Creating mood boards
- Curling up in bed with a good book
- Drinking a warm cup of tea
- Working through a CBT Workbook
- Practicing calligraphy
- Venting to my mum
- Being alone to recharge
- Yoga or Pilates
- Dancing in my room to music
- Meditation
- Journalling
- Sleep
Writing out this list has made me realise now that there are so many ways I can support and look after myself if I have had a hard day or something goes wrong - thank you for this!
I find for me it works if I have a bit of self-care everywhere
So here are some things that are in my arsenal, and are at my desk at home
- Colouring books and pencils (those who know me well, know this is a favourite hobby/self-care act for me)
- A tangle (because I love fidgeting with them and twisting them)
- A couple of cards/letters I have from some of my closest friends - they make me smile so much.
- A bottle of water to keep me hydrated
- A glitter jar - so sparkly!! 😍😍😍
I also have a couple of things in my handbag which I take with me when I'm out; these include 2 tangles (see image below) and 1 stretchy/squishy caterpillar 🙂
Love love love this activity, thank you for posting @Bee and for suggesting this activity @Tiny_leaf!
I have had a ton of self care boxes over the years and they are such a handy way of reminding what helps when having big or heavy feelings!
I will make a new one on the weekend! Thing I will put in my box:
- Bath bomb/bubble bar
- Hand moisturizing cream
- Puzzle book (eg: sudoku)
- A pair of pliers, some beads and wire to make earrings (always relaxes me to make something!)
- Some photos of my favourite places and memories
- My journal
- Some stones I painted with bright colours- they are super grounding!
- My old ipod
Would love to hear what others will have in their boxes!
@Bananatime04 @xXLexi_Lou122Xx @liv1611 @Tay100 @MisoBear @SomeoneNADJS @Tiny_leaf @Eden1717 @MB95
Have you had a self care box? If so what was in it?
If not, what self care items would you put in a box?
What a fabulous idea!
My self care box is actually a draw lolololol but same difference I think
It has
A heat pack
chocolate duhhh
Herbal tea
Vitamin tablets
Essential oil
Eye mask
Basic but effective guys
@Bananatime04 don't worry, I feel the same way! I got my Wreck This Journal about seven years ago and I have only completed about four pages because I'm too afraid of messing anything up and regretting it later! 
I love the concept and seeing other people's creations, though!
I have (items around my room that I should one day put in a box together):
- A tub of kinetic sand I got this week -- I absolutely love it, and I play with it all the time, haha.
- A fidget cube.
- Homemade slime making kit (plus some homemade slime that's probably off now, haha).
- Sticker colouring books -- colouring really sets off my anxiety tbh (fear of making a mistake) but the books where you 'colour' with stickers by putting them in the matching numbers are amazing!
- Journals for notes -- also, I've been getting into journaling a positive thing that has happened every day, with an app on my phone (having it in a book is nicer, but on your phone is so much more accessible and convenient!).
- Bath bombs!
- Glitter jars (I should really make some more!).
- Cat toys, because playing with my cat is self-care.
- Any book I'm reading at the moment!
- My headphones, to watch Netflix or listen to some music.
- Peppermint tea.
- Photos + collection of items from some cool memories.
- Squishies!
I have things scattered around my apartment rather than a box.. but they include:
- Chocolate
- Face masks
- Stress and lavender spray
- Meaningful messages I have received
I also rely on a few activities for self-care (I wish I could put them in a box):
- Gym
- Playing video games
- Reading
@Bee thanks so much for starting this activity, I think it's one of my favourite ever Wellbeing Wednesdays!
I really love the idea of having a tangible box, or place in your home for wellbeing stuff. I have loved reading everyone's different ideas, @Bananatime04 , @xXLexi_Lou122Xx , @Tay100 ,you've seriously inspired me.
My ideas are:
* Some gardenia-scented handcream I just bought myself, it's my favourite flower and also reminds me of my mum (they're her favourites too), I love having a quick hand massage and it's such an easy self-care thing for me to do!
* My collection of Polaroid photos of my family and pets - the camera we have used to be my father in law's, and it feels really special to still be using it (he passed away a long time ago) and we have a great collection of photos now that bring back heaps of good memories.
* My old iPod that I barely use anymore but can't bring myself to throw away because it has 12 years worth of my old favourite playlists and sentimental songs
* I love the idea of cat toys! I'd put our weird grooming mitt thing in, we use it to pat our cats and it also helps get rid of their shedding fur - they are both white and even though they're just short haired cats they shed like crazy!
I found this GIF and it freaked me out because it looks so much like our kitties! They also spend a bit of time play fighting.
* Scented candles
* My paper journal
Hi @Jess1-RO,
I don't have a self-care kit yet. To be honest, I struggle a lot with self-care and don't have much spare income at the moment, so the kind of things I'd like to put in my self-care kit aren't really within my access/or things I struggle to believe that I deserve to have. Sorry to be negative, I'm not in the greatest headspace to think about this right now, but I'll come back when I'm feeling a bit better and have a good answer for you!
Thanks for tagging me in this @Jess1-RO ❤
I've just been reading through everyones posts and think it's such a wonderful idea!!
I too have been having a bit of a rough patch so am going to give myself a few more days before I attempt this as I'm not thinking straight at the moment. But I know that having a self-care box I can just pull out when needed will hopefully help me from ending up where I am at the moment. So thanks heaps for sharing guys! You've given me some great ideas for mine 🙂
@Jess1-RO wrote:
Oh @Jess1-RO I looove this GIF! If I could put my kitties in a self-care box I would 😉
I looove the idea of photos! I am going to print my favourite photography pictures and pop them in a soft display book to appreciate their beauty! 😄
@Bananatime04 "wreck this journal" is sooo awesome! I've seen it before but didn't buy it. DO you enjoy it?
@Eden1717 As Bananatime04 said it absolutely doesn't matter how many things you have in your box, as long as they work for you. This is also something you can build upon too, so it doesn't have to be a finished box today What art things would you have? What do you like to do for art mostly?
@xXLexi_Lou122Xx I love your box lid!
I love how everyone has different things in their box, and it's interesting that there's a bit of an arty theme happening across the contents of the box's! 😄
If you aren’t like me, I’d highly recommend getting it as I’ve heard it’s a great distraction.
Now that I've thought about that, I might try and find it again 😄
@Jess1-RO I tried one but there isn’t a lot I would put in it. My journal, a few art things, something soft...
Here's my self-care box!
Colour in post card books from typo.
Fashion designer pad, I love this one.
Face masks, nail polish and nail glitter.
Prayer journal, and writing journal.
Will add other stuff later!
Thanks for tagging me in this @Jess1-RO
I have a self care box as well as a distraction box. I decided to keep them separate as one of them helps me with anxiety and the other helps me with depression.
Self care box:
~ chocolate clay mask, charcoal peel of face mask and a cleansing mask
~ My skin care routine from proactiv
~ Hand cream and hand sanitizer
~ nail polish along with other nail products
~ stress oils for my air humidifier
~ body butter and body yogurt from the body shop
~ my earphones and speaker for music
~ bath bombs, bubble bath, bath oils and other bath things
~ hot chocolate packs
~ a little positivity book
~ helpline card with people I can contact
Distraction box:
~ ’wreck this journal’
~ adult colouring book with gel pens
~ a journal with motivational quotes and activities on every second page (other pages I write down my thoughts, feelings and worries)
~ squishies
~ putty
~ puzzles
~ mind games
~ trivia cards
~ stress relief toys
~ another helpline card just in case
there is other stuff that I would be here typing for years if I named them all 
Awesome idea @Tiny_leaf and awesome ideas for a box @Bee, @Jess1-RO!
I'll just try and make one up now, and make a list and post a pic of what's inside it!
