Self-care has become a bit of a buzz word this year. After all, it has been the year where we’ve all had to embrace the things we can at home and really got to know ourselves. For me, I’ve definitely learnt about the things that I enjoy, which help me unwind and really recharge my mind.
I’ve written my favourite self-care ideas in this blog, which might inspire you to try something new or pick an old hobby back up.
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Journaling
I absolutely love writing my thoughts down in a journal. After seeing lots of inspiration on Pinterest, I bought a journal in 2017 and started a ‘bullet journal’. I got into such a good routine of tracking my daily habits, such as whether I’d drank alcohol, when I woke up and whether I’d read my book, and my mood each day.
I’ve started to get back into bullet journaling and it really does help me to take a step back, make note of what I did that day and how I’m feeling. Plus it’s always nice to be creative, even if my spreads never look as nice as I’d hope. My journal is for my eyes only so it doesn’t matter if the drawings aren’t always amazing.
I’ve now got through one journal and recently started another. I find the Leuchtturm 1917 dotted journal the best for making a bullet journal and there are so many ways you can customise the pages. It’s also a great place to jot down my future self care ideas and plans for my next few months too.
Skincare
I’ve never really been one to indulge in a long skincare routine. I usually just take my make up off at night, maybe 5 out of 7 days a week if I’m being honest, and then that’s it. Lately however I’ve really loved taking my time to use some new products and feel like I’m nourishing my body.
I’ve recently started using the Perl Cosmetics pearl clay powder face mask and I love it. You create the mask yourself with the powder, water and illuminating oil and it’s just a really fun way to lengthen the process and feel like you’ve made it for yourself. I do that once a week and I’m really enjoying it!
Reading
I go through really strange periods with reading, sometimes reading lots in a short space of time and others where I just don’t read at all. I’m currently in my reading every day phase and it’s a really great way to take time for myself and get lost in a story. At the moment I’m reading Queenie, but I have so many on my to read list.
Even if I give ten minutes a day to reading, I feel a lot better about myself as I know I’ve made that effort and have, more than likely, enjoyed those ten minutes. Start small and find little snippets of time where you can fit in a chapter. Download the Kindle app on your phone and read when you’re in a queue, on public transport or making a cup of tea.
Cooking
Something else that I know lifts my mood is cooking and baking. After a busy day at work or if I’m feeling a bit down, I really love to cook dinner or bake a cake. My favourite dish to make lately is a Katsu curry from my Wagamama cookbook, but I’m yet to actually make my own sauce (I love taking shortcuts and buying pre-made!).
I really need to get back into baking but I haven’t got any tins here, and you know when a tiny purchase really puts you off doing something? Yeah I should really just buy them and get on with it.
Plants
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll have seen that I’ve recently got a few new plants in my flat. We adopted a big corn plant from someone who wasn’t sure they could get it looking healthy again, and then I bought three more (a Japanese peace lily; a cheese plant; and a spider plant) from the local garden centre.
Since having more plants around, I’ve felt really calm and it’s nice to feel like I have something to look after. So if you’re feeling a bit down and want to invest in your living space, I’d definitely recommend getting some new plants to take care of.
So there are a few of the things I’ve enjoyed doing lately and trying to make the most of. It’s really refreshing when you find those things that make you feel more relaxed and in tune with yourself.
So this is your reminder to make time for yourself and get stuck into some new self-care routines. If you need any more help with your self care, check out these posts here.
What’s your favourite self-care ritual? Do you have any more self care ideas to share?
Let me know your thoughts...