Mental Health

The Ultimate Self-Care Guide Everyone Should Follow

We all have those days where sometimes, it’s just hard to get up in the morning knowing you have to face the world. For some of us, we have these days more often than others. We’re all having our own problems and fighting our own battles. However, even if you’re not necessarily going through anything and your life is pretty content right now, that doesn’t mean you’re any less valid. Here is the ultimate self-care guide for anyone and everyone to feel their best!

1. SLEEP.

While I shouldn’t be talking because I stay up like a vampire, I have to admit, getting enough sleep and rest does wonders for both your physical and mental state. So try to get enough sleep as you can. Your body will thank you.

2. Drink plenty of water.

I don’t know why I just never took it seriously when people would tell me to drink more water when I was younger, because it just sounded silly to me for some reason. While I live on coffee and tea, water is essential and I definitely feel my best when I’m hydrated.

3. Read a book.

Come on guys, lay off the technology for a bit and pick up a book. If you’re stressed from the real world, sometimes it’s good to take a break by getting lost in another world for a bit. I love those days where I can just sit at home in my bed reading a book while having Earl Grey tea.

4. RELAX.

Listen to some music and light up some candles. One of the best feelings ever is knowing that you can spend a whole day off in your pajamas doing whatever the hell you want in the comfort of your own bedroom. So sit back, put on a good movie, and relax.

5. Aromatherapy.

Believe it or not, aromatherapy can do wonders for your mind and body. Certain scents can even increase a boost in productivity and provide stress and anxiety relief your body needs. I’m sure those who know me well are quite aware of my obsession with anything that has lavender in it.

6. Keep a journal.

Writing really helps me to express myself in a comfortable way without feeling like I’m being forced to watch my tongue with what I have to say when I’m opening up. Keeping a journal is great because you’re free to open up as much as you want, however you want in the blank empty pages, allowing creativity to follow.

 

However, there’s something you should know about self-care.

Self-care is not just about lighting candles and taking a warm bubble bath after a long day of stress. Sometimes, self-care is simply waking up in the morning and being brave enough to admit that you need to put yourself as first priority before anything else.

If you’re really not feeling up to it today and your anxiety is about to hit the roof, it’s completely okay to call in sick and take the day off to relax yourself. Often we tend to push ourselves over our limit, and while that’s a brave thing to do all on its own already, knowing your limit is also just as brave.

Every day, I’m looking at the people around me and all that’s running through my mind is “All of these people seem to have their life together, but what’s wrong with me?” I’ve always wondered what I was doing wrong. Everyone around me seemed to have everything under control, and then there’s me, having breakdowns after breakdowns in the middle of the night constantly.

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Eventually, I came to realize that the way I dealt with things had a huge effect on my mental state. I’m not a person who likes to open up and express myself to others, and it’s something I’ve struggled with since I was little. However, the older I get, the more I know on who I can lean on for support whenever I need it. Not saying you have to rely on others to fix you up and pick you back up on your feet though; you have yourself for that. It’s nice to know you have people to help you up though.

Self-care isn’t about doing it all by yourself

Self-care is a lot of things. When we were kids, it was really just running to our mom for a Band-Aid and a kiss for the scrape we got on our knee. But we’re older now, and all of a sudden self-care holds a lot more many different meanings.

Self-care is knowing your limits and not pushing yourself to the point where you both physically and mentally can’t handle it anymore. It’s knowing your worth and leaving somewhere or someone because you know you deserve better. You can say no without feeling guilty. Eat whatever you want without saying “I’m so fat, I shouldn’t have eaten” after.

Be brave enough to let go of yourself and just walk into a loved one’s arms. Admit that you could use a bit of cheering up today rather than just bottling up like you usually do. Putting yourself first is not selfish in any way. I think it’s safe to say that being the best you can be is everyone’s goal for their future. You deserve to be happy, and like Leon Brown said, “It all begins with you. If you do not take care of yourself, you will not be strong enough to take care of anything in life.”

What do you do for self-care!? Share in the comments below!

Featured Image: weheartit

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Chloe Yan

Student in Toronto studying New Media and Journalism. A Virgo baby who has a deep love for tea, getting lost in bookstores, and hanging out in retro coffee shops.

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