In today’s fast-paced culture, we are bombarded with ways on how to practice self-care, but how many of these are actually healthy or practical? Social media is filled with pictures of sandy beaches, girls drinking the latest “detox” tea, or someone posting about how they are cutting out the toxic people in their lives. While these seem like a quick and easy way to increase your mental and emotional health, they are only covering up a deeper issue. Today, we will be talking about three truly practical ways to practice self-care, that won’t leave you feeling emptier than when you started.
Journaling:
This is a great way to get started on practicing self-care, and is also great alternative to posting personal problems on social media. The beauty of journaling is that you can say what you need to, without the negative backlash that a simple "tweet" could create.
Here are some of my favorite prompts, to get you started:
- How am I feeling right now?
- What is causing me to feel this way?
- Is there something that I would rather be doing than what I am doing right now?
- How can I make the most of this situation?
- List five goals and how you can reach them this year.
Pinterest also has some great journaling prompts that stimulate your thinking,get to the heart of why you’re feeling the way you are, sort out wild thoughts, and simply give you something else to do, besides watching Netflix.
(Check out my Pinterest for more inspiration!)
Going for a walk or hike:
Sometimes, we all need a little break from life, and since I can't afford to go on a beach vacation whenever I want, one of my favorite things to do is go for a walk or hike! With the growing trend of an active society, many cities have walking trails or parks. It may sound too easy, but Google is filled with walking trails near you!
If the weather isn’t nice, join a fitness club, and if you don't want to spend any money, many colleges have walking tracks that are open to the public!
Getting rid of this extra energy and taking the time to clear your mind, will not only make you feel productive, but is also a really great way of getting exercise.
Put your phone down and be social!
To all of my fellow introverts who read this and felt their heart drop, I promise it's worth it! Call up one of your friends and grab coffee, go to a museum, or to a social event near you. No matter how much you like your “alone” time, people are made to seek connection, it’s just who we are. For those of you who are terrified with the thought of having to leave your home, just try to do it once a week, outside of work or school.
For all of the extroverts out there, this is your time to shine! (But make sure you’re leaving time for the stuff that you HAVE to get done.)
I would love to hear what worked for you, what didn’t, or any suggestions that you have that I can feature in one of my upcoming posts (you’ll even get a special shout-out)!
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