Small But Mighty Forms of Self-Care
Sometimes it can feel like self-care is this inaccessible, unattainable thing; this habit that you know you should have, but one that feels like it’s impossible to really do. Maybe the first thing you picture when you see the phrase ‘self-care’ is a cruise ship, a day off of work, some designer clothes, or something else that seems like it’s weeks or months or years away from happening. Maybe self care looks doable, but you find it difficult to start or you don’t know where to begin. Sometimes, it’s easier to start small.
Small forms of self-care can have similar benefits to bigger forms of self-care, which include benefits such as promoting better physical and mental health, preventing disease, and helping people cope with illness. In addition, engaging in small forms of self-care can help set yourself up for participating in bigger forms of self-care later. So, to help you start, continue, or mix your self-care routine up, here is a list of small but mighty forms of self care:
Doodle. Doodling is something many of us do when we are younger, usually in the margins of notebooks here and there. However, there is no need to stop when you get older. Scribbling something on a piece of paper is an easy way to engage in self-care in a convenient way. There’s no need to have fancy art supplies or a lot of time when you doodle. Plus, there are tons of different doodling prompts online if you need some inspiration!
Read a couple of chapters of a book. For a long time, I always felt like I didn't have the time to finish an entire book so I chose to never get started. That changed when I started approaching reading differently. I began to promise myself only a chapter or two everyday or every other day, and I eventually began to read more. Following this method has made my to-read-list shorter, and has allowed me the space to go back to doing something I used to love: reading.
Take a bath/shower: Showers and baths do wonders for making you feel refreshed and ready to relax or work. In addition, baths and showers are a great excuse to get some time to yourself to take a breather or to engage in self-reflection.
Light a candle. Lighting a candle has so many benefits: they smell nice, they look nice, they add a certain feeling to any room they’re in, and they’re easy to light. If you want to engage in some self-care, but feel like you can’t devote a big chunk of time, try lighting a candle and taking some deep breaths
Play a few songs. Whether out loud or through headphones, music can do a lot to help your mental health. From classical music to pop music to everything in between, music offers you the chance to focus on something that sounds good for a bit.
By no means is this list exhaustive, but I still hope that it can serve as a good start for your own list of small, easy acts of self-care; and if you think about it, making a list of self-care activities is, in itself, a form of self-care!
Ayanna Schubert
Birch Psychology
Resources
https://www.verywellmind.com/self-care-strategies-overall-stress-reduction-3144729
https://mariopatterns.com/inspiration/how-to-self-care-art-kit/
https://www.rockyvistahc.com/8-areas-of-self-care-and-how-to-practice-them
