Self Care
There is often times where we need to take time out and look after ourself. Sometimes it can be hard to know what to do to look after ourself, we can be stuck for ideas on how we can be nice to ourself.
Many times I've found when I've been told to do something nice for myself I sit there and think "what am I supposed to do?". It's different for everyone and I'm wondering what other people do.
What is one nice thing that you have done for yourself today?
(If you're unsure take a look at what other people have said and try and do somehting similar for yourself)
I'll start, I lit my lavender candle put some calming music on and played mahjong before doing some study
I've also been going through some old magazines which I'm findign to be quite relaxing 🙂
How is everyone else going with Selfcare?
They are, and now that I'm calm I'm going to go through some more mags 🙂
Falling alseep to a meditation track worked wonders for me. I've done it once or twice since. I found the guided meditation track on youtube "Blissful Deep Relaxation" it goes for about 55mins, and then I fell asleep to another (unguided) mediation track I have. The other things I find is calm songs help too 🙂
I've been searching up covers by people on youtube, I found one artist who I really really like.
If you search 'Maria Z' she should come up (I can't remember how to spell her last name, the tracks I got only come up as 'Maria Z'.)
I really like her cover - Diamonds Let me love you - Rihanna Neyo. It's a mix of the two songs, but it's really good and soothing 🙂
Today I put on some music by Yimra (pianist) and lay on the floor and listened, while writting the poem I wrote yesterday into my book 🙂
And now I'm going to dive into creative mode and search through some more old magazines 🙂
A few nights ago I did something I haven't done in years - I painted my nails.
I always see you mentioning it on here Bee and I forgot how nice of a thing it can actually be.
I think it's made me a bit happier this week.
@Birdeye: Aww this made me smile! Well done 🙂
I painted my nails Monday and added the finishing touches Tuesday. I've resorted to nail art, and boy am I loving it! I've done two sets now, I'll try and upload a photo once I get my camera batteries charged - which means I need to find a charger as mine broke and then finally stopped working altogether 😛 but it's ok, it lasted me quite a few years, wasn't bad for $10!
@Lex: awww! Another huge smile! 😄 That's soo good that you did that for your friend. I bet she would have really appreciated it!
The night before last I listened to a guided then non-guided mediation track when I noticed my other music wasn't helping me calm down but more revved up.
Last night I took myself to bed after starting my rational (due tomorrow) and let my mind take me away to anotehr place instead of listening to any music. Woke up feeling better.
Today I took my frustration out on the fridge and gave it a massive haul over, (think clean out, rearranement,) lets just say that now the fridge is nicely organised! haha 🙂
Once I finish my 500word rational due tomorrow I am going to take some time out and relax, not quite sure what I'll do just yet, I'll see how it goes. But I'm going to see my teacher latter this afternoon when he doesn't have class and talk to him about it.
What else have people done? It can be anything, from a simple thing like having healthy food to taking some to really relax like doing yoga or some meditation. As the saying goes, you're only limited by your imagination 🙂
Has anyone got an amazing story like Lex to share? Or maybe someone has done somehting like that for you, any stories?
Last night was really good. I know that cause I wasn't a walking zombie at work today.
I always watch a movie before I go to sleep and then end up getting only like 4/5 hours. It's terrible. Hopefully when the new week starts I'll be able to get some much needed rest.
I texted my friend the moment I could to have her cheer me up because I realised I needed some cheering up.
I've drank plenty of water - which stopped me from becoming dehydrated in Sydney, esp with all that walking & rushing about 😛
I've tried to overcome small fears, I faced the crowds In Sydney instead of running away! & I walked with my head held high, I was going to be okay 🙂
& these past couple days I've gotten to bed at reasonable times and woke fairly reasonably and gotten the recommended 9 hours sleep! Wooo! Now if I can keep this going 🙂 (Which means I should be in bed right now - oopps! 😛 )
As I've been surrounded by homework for most of my free time I've made sure to give myself breaks. The last couple of weeks I've even given myself saturday off from any school work.
I've also been making sure I eat something for breakfast each day (which is quite a new thing for me).
edit: Reading your post Bee reminded me, I've made sure to keep the hour I go to bed and wake up reasonable. Even on Friday and Saturdaay nights I haven't got to bed at a ridiculous morning time and I haven't slept too close to noon.
On Sunday I made something new and healthy to eat. This is actually quite a major thing for me.
On Monday when some scary (but not actually dangerous or anything) stuff was happening, I immediately called my parents to come home and generally make me feel safe. The entire day I was vocalising to my mum how I was feeling in the different situations.
On Tuesday I identified the escalation in how I was feeling and arranged for myself to have Wednesday off and created a coping bank.
Today I've let myself have the day off. I began trying to do some homework, then realised how unhappy/distressed it was making me and stopped. I know I can make arrangements for it all.
I also painted my nails. I'm not all that happy with them, but it's something I did for myself and that I'm happy with.
Lastly today I've taken to posting around here a bit.
😄
I've been trying to eat healthily and regularly the past few days (I've gone back to eating wholemeal bread, and am only drinking water instead of soft drink)
Yesterday I went for a 45 minute walk which is something I really enjoy doing but haven't been able to do in ages. It works wonders for burning off stress chemicals 🙂
I've also been setting realistic goals about doing homework, and not beating myself up if I don't get as much done as I would have liked. Rewarding myself for each little thing I do, too 😄
@Birdeye wrote:
A few nights ago I did something I haven't done in years - I painted my nails.
I always see you mentioning it on here Bee and I forgot how nice of a thing it can actually be.I think it's made me a bit happier this week.
A female friend of mine went through a really tough breakup a couple of weeks ago. I noticed she wasn't taking it well so I bought her a bottle of her favourite colour of nail polish — "sea foam green" — and offered to be her "gal pal" (I'm a guy) for the evening by joining her to watch a couple of "girly" movies and supplying (too much) chocolate.
I may not have understood everything that happened in the movie "Now & Then", and the heady odors of nail polish mixed with the pain of eating a lot of chocolate for dinner made me feel a bit naueseous, but that evening was a turning point for her in coming out the other side of her breakup and getting ready for a new single life. It was the nail polish that made the biggest difference.
Plus doing that nice thing for her made me feel good about myself too. 😄
Tonight I am looking after myself by listening to Brooke Fraser and journalling to get rid of the thoughts that have been bothering me today.
Self care means Health care. You must care your healt in order to look beautiful and Fit. Jion any Sports Activity, Take Green tea, Eat Vegetables, Avoid Fast Food and Soft Drinks, These all thinkg will make you Healthy & Fit. It will be beneficial for you
Aw thanks guys!
Just thought I'd give you a quick update 🙂
Yesterday I had the best night of sleep that I've have in 2-3 months and I feel so much more refreshed. After this I realised how important sleep is (I know took me a while) and so I've decided to enforce my own bed time (10:30pm). I'm thinking this will help with my stress a lot! We'll see how I go though :).
Good luck 🙂
The past few days I have taken out for myself, I've watched half of season 1 of glee, and I've played mario kart multiple times... I got creative and finished my etching of my cats and started and finished my horses.. I've made cheese pancakes, tidied my room, washed my dirty clothes and went for a learner drive. And planning on starting my assessment and doing the work I've got to finish before starting yr12 in a week & a half in the next few days and dragging them out over the last week and a bit of holidays 🙂
How is everyone else going with self care?
@Bee...wow you have been busy!! That's so great!
Self care wise I have started really getting back into my meditation. I had a bath, I finished reading Eckhart Tolle's 'The Power of Now'...and I will turn back to the beginning and read it again. It's profound and really where the world needs to direct their attention.
I had friends over the other night...was lovely and will have one over tonight, which will be great!
Onto self care, I actually haven't done anything amazing for myself... Anything nice? Maybe, not sure.
I'm wondering whether other people feel this too? That they are unsure what they can do for themself that is 'nice', or feel unsure of a way to treat themself?
@Bee wrote:
@Sagira: I guess I was busy. I kept myself busy with different things and tried to mix it up a bit... I didn't really think of myself as being busy, it was more oh I'll do this cause I'm bored type of thing...
Onto self care, I actually haven't done anything amazing for myself... Anything nice? Maybe, not sure.
I'm wondering whether other people feel this too? That they are unsure what they can do for themself that is 'nice', or feel unsure of a way to treat themself?
Hmmm...yeah I get what you mean. Sometimes it's hard to find peace and comfort in just 'being'. But really, that is the most natural state.
I find it difficult because I often feel like I don't deserve certain things. I defininitely find it difficult to like myself, let alone love myself. So I guess for me it's about treating myself to things. Like pampering without feeling guilty about cost, time, what I should or should not be doing. Eliminating all forms of guilt is a big one for me.
I find the best way to like yourself is do something that will help you like yourself better, eg if I used to curl my hair just for the sake of it, same with doing my makeup, I used to paint my nails a lot, and that was my way of doing something for myself, so every week I would have different coloured or pattenerd nails...
Right now I'm doing my nails. I recently got the new magnetic nail polish by BYS, it looks amazing! and it works really well too 🙂
@Bee wrote:
@Sagira: I totally get what you mean by feeling guilty about doing something! As well as wondering/thinkging about what you should be doing.... I think we need to find a strategie to help combat this...?
I find the best way to like yourself is do something that will help you like yourself better, eg if I used to curl my hair just for the sake of it, same with doing my makeup, I used to paint my nails a lot, and that was my way of doing something for myself, so every week I would have different coloured or pattenerd nails...
Right now I'm doing my nails. I recently got the new magnetic nail polish by BYS, it looks amazing! and it works really well too 🙂
Yes, I most definitely agree with you. It can be difficult though. Knowing it's not helpful and self talk sometimes helps me. But usually it's something that I need to work through, or just get past. I'm not very good at it.
Oh yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I was feeling pretty low this afternoon as I didn't really want to go out (funny you mentioned the hair thing. I am in desperate need to get mine redone. I booked the hairdresser for Monday, but it can't come soon enough!) so I didn't want to go anywhere. My sister just got back from overseas so I thought I might talk to her...but no. She's actually got a lot to do with my mood. She really bothers me and gets to me...so I liked it when I came back home and she wasn't here for a few weeks. Anyway I've been spending my night making a plate and a porcelein baby mobile for my friend who's having her baby soon.
I also had a glass of wine. I bought this wine about 2 years ago from the Hunter Valley when I went away for my birthday with a couple of friends. Well I thought...hell why not, I'm gonna treat myself tonight!
I've started to be a little more creative with my nails. Can't do them at the moment though as I'm on clinical placement. But yeah that's entertaing and fun as well!!
I cleaned the house today 🙂 its wierd but cleaning the house releases a lot of crap in my body and relaxes me a lot 😄
Hope you are all having a fab weekend
Having an early night tonight now that I'm back in Melbs. I reeeeally need to get into a better sleep routine
Much earlier today I made sure I stayed outside for a while and not be scared inside because of a bunch of people I didn't want to see me.
Just now I've sent off to someone I've been wanting to reconnect with.
