I'm aware that that the term "self-care" has been trending like crazy for the past year or so. I've seen the #selfcare and #selflove hashtags used for all kinds of content on blogs, social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, and all over the keyword search tools. Since self-care and wellness are a "thing," I want to weigh in and contribute to the conversation by promoting good self-care and general wellness tips.
Your physical and mental health is the most important "treasures" you have. You only realize how much you take your health for granted once you become ill. That's why we need to focus on our wellness at all times and make self-care an important part of our daily life.
Since wellness and self-care are such broad and hard to define terms, I'll avoid any attempt to come up with any complex definitions and explanations. Instead, I will offer simple and easy to follow tips to help you care for yourself, both physically and mentally.
This blog post's idea is to offer some simple tips you can take to improve your life one step at a time. It's the little things that often make the biggest difference!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission on all qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
STEP 1: IMPROVE YOUR FINANCES
One of the biggest causes of frustration for people is money. Everyone feels stressed out at one point about finances, salaries, and mortgages, or other debts. Here's how you can try to lower your stress levels when it comes to money:
Cut back on 1 wasteful spending habit such as an overly expensive morning coffee - try finding cheaper alternatives. I like to buy coffee and bulk and make it using my coffee maker.
Create a financial planner - a notebook where you write down and track spending/income
Find a side hustle or mini job to do after work.
Switch from expensive service providers or renegotiate your contracts
Try thrifting and buying secondhand. It's actually quite fun to shop for second-hand clothing and accessories.
Download money management apps
Limit your credit card spending and try to use cash-back cards
Read up on simple financial management tips.
STEP 2: WORK ON YOUR FITNESS AND EATING HABITS
Many confidence issues are born from insecurities about our exterior appearance. Whether it's that flabby belly, fat arms, acne scars, etc., we all tend to feel insecure about our bodies, and that insecurity becomes visible to other people. You shouldn't feel pressured to look a certain way, but I know how tough it is to deal with criticism and nasty comments. Instead of looking 'perfect,' we should aim to feel good about our bodies for ourselves, not others. Feel healthier by working with your body to optimize your health.
Try meal-planning with only healthy foods.
Cook healthy food by investing in some great cookbooks & think of vegan, paleo, keto, vegetarian meal options
Eliminate junk food
Try organic alternatives - this is easy for fruits and veggies.
Say no to soft drinks and high sugar sweets.
Walk more - aim for 10,000 steps per day.
Take a fitness class - think Zumba, Pilates, yoga, spinning, boxing, etc.
Do simple exercises at home - my personal favorite is yoga for beginners and at-home walking workouts.
STEP 3: MAKE YOUR MIND HAPPY
Mindfulness and positive thinking are key to having a happy mind and a healthy lifestyle. Do things you love to, and remember all the little things that made you so happy when you were a child. Letting go of negative thoughts, eliminating toxic relationships, and spending quality time alone are ways to improve your mental health. Here are some useful self-care tips:
Read books: think about reading inspiring autobiographies, fun fiction, poetry, and self-help books; they will often make your feel more powerful and ready to take on the world.
Have indulgent beauty routines which include candles, pampering, face masks, and soothing music
Take social media breaks and choose to meditate instead.
Let all your thoughts out - write them down on paper.
Go and spend time outdoors in nature - admire all the little things, like the color of the leaves, the chirping of birds, and the beautiful sunsets.
Put together puzzles, create a photo collage, or try adult coloring books.
You can do thousands of small things to make self-care and wellness a part of your life, but I hope you remember that taking care of yourself is the first step to achieving that dream life you want.
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