Hand care, skin care, health care, what about self care?
Do you ever feel like a plastic bag, drifting through the wind? How about a house of cards, one blow from caving in? Thanks to Katy Perry, we’re all aware that feeling like that isn’t exactly the greatest. Luckily, we can help you find some ways to unleash your inner firework.
We’re talking about self-care, which is exactly what it sounds like – any activity that you can do to take care of yourself. What would be the point of that? I don’t have time in my busy schedule for that! I can hear the protests already. Believe us when we tell you that self-care can leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated and the positive effects are too many to list here.
So how do you go about this self-care thing?
Sometimes you just have to…
Interested in learning more, or just want to discuss your self-care activities? Join us here at 8pm AEDT on Monday December 5th for a conversation about all things self-care, or post a reply right now. We look forward to meeting you there!
@Alison5 I'm glad you're starting to recognise and apply the importance of self-care. And I can really relate to that idea of stopping everything for a day and then doing some lighter activities when you feel ready. I did that on the weekend, cancelled my plans and took it slow, and I felt much more relaxed!
Seems like you know how, it's just hard to have the energy to actually practice the self-care, is that about right @loves netball
@loves netball don't worry, i don't think that's weird. i love hugs too. and hugs actually release oxytocin in our brains, which is a chemical that promotes warm fuzzy feelings. 
@lokifish in regards to your question (hope you don't mind me answering as well, I just really loved it), I think self-care can become an unconscious thing sometimes, but if we're really stressed out/under the weather it might become or need to become a conscious thing...
I'm seeing some great answers so far! It sounds like self-care can look different for different people, but it's doing something for ourselves regularly, especially when the going gets tough, but also when it isn't so we don't end up having a tough time!
It's an interesting thought about how conscious self-care has to be. I think it's something we need to actively make time for and work on, and in that way it's conscious, I think sometimes certain self-care activities can become habit or we do self-care things without even realising!
To me self care is looking after my body's physical & psychological needs when it's needed, and before it becomes well overdue
oooh good question @letitgo, I think the ones I practice unconsciously are just the things I've put a lot of work into consciously doing, if that makes sense? Like I start by consciously doing them and then sometimes they just become automatic go-to things 🙂
So we've already mentioned that there are different ways we can practice self-care, which leads into our next question:
Do you have any experience with practicing self-care? What are some of the things you do?
Do I have experience with practising self-care? Lots.
Some of the things I do are paint my nails, go for a walk or write in my diary. The diary I try to do everyday, just as a maintenance kind of thing, but other things, like painting my nails, I tend to do only when I need them
My form of self care:
-Run/gym/bike ride - or little forms of exercise e.g. push ups/ chin ups/ burpees
-Eat something other than chocolate
-Baking
-Hugs (Big Ted) or my cat (who hates hugs)
-Youtube (netball)/positive music
-Colouring in
-Showering/clean clothes
-Wearing yellow clothes
-TIP (when things are really intense)
Or whatever else I feel like doing
@loves netball that's a great list of self-care activities you've got there!
Oh I forgot about writing @letitgo. I do loads of it. I'll write fiction as a form of self care as like a distraction, but also like a stream of consciousness thing if I need To write stuff down and get it out and just process it.
I'm exactly the same @roseisnotaplant in terms of the stream of consciousness thing to just get stuff out and process it. Sooo helpful! Do you prefer typing on a computer or using pen/paper?
Pen and paper for stream of consiousness @letitgo. It doesn't tell me when I spell a word wrong or forget a punctuation mark, so I can just pour words out with out looking back. I'm not likely to read over it again anyway, so spelling and whatever is irrelevant.
I'm the same for stream of consciousness @roseisnotaplant although I find for fiction or other work that I'd want to look over/perfect, I feel way ore comfortable typing, because them it doesn't have to be in any particular order - I can just cut and paste later if I have to.
Sounds like we're all in agreement about making it an everyday thing @roseisnotaplant @Randomness @Alison5 @loves netball 🙂
I think that you can practise self care when things are tough, but also when things are fine and dandy, and I think that there are types of self care for both of these instances. I think working some small act of self care into everyday life would be beneficial, but you should also have other self care strategies that are maybe just meant for when you're feeling real down.
Eating properly and exercise should be a daily form of self care
@Alison5 sounds like we have similar ways of taking care of ourselves 🙂 Naps are always great
@loves netball that's a huge list of self-care activities, I love it 😄
Yep, I have experience doing self care. It's usually something pretty casual like YouTube after a tough day at school, but if I'm feeling down i'll go to an activity that I know makes me feel better like guitar or (don't judge) pulling weeds.
@roseisnotaplant no judgement here! if it helps, that's great! And I get what you mean about using something casual like youtube - after a long day, sometimes I need to let my brain unwind, so I'll scroll through Facebook or Twitter, or watch an episode of a TV show
Do you have any experience with practicing self-care? What are some of the things you do?
I have lots of experience with practicing self care, key word is PRACTICE! Doing self care, especially when i don't feel like it or liike i deserve it is the most important thing... so in terms of things i do, well there's a huge range, and i work hard at finding more things i like doing. But the main thing for me is just doing them often, every morning, every afternoon, every night before i go to bed.
It could be something little like grabbing a nice coffee and watching my garden grow for 5 minutes before i head to work, riding the long way home and watching the sunset on the giant bridge next to my work, eating something super tasty, buying a thing that i have wanted for a while, doesn't matter too much what, just that i try and do it. Lots 🙂
