Really simple self-care

[dancingfish]

I was a bit new to the whole "self-care" thing a little while back, so it's still an on-going revelation to me. ("What, do nice things for yourself instead of work? What?!") Working out what my "nice things" even are is a whole other challenge, too!

One thing I came across was an idea to start super simple though. Particularly for when feeling burnt out, low, and barely responding to the world. They're little things, but I sometimes turn to them when in a funk, and they help me reconnect with outside my head.

Some of my favourite super-simple self care things are these:

- Have some water to drink (just as much as you want)
- Breathe in some fresh air - you can go outside, or just stand by a window and maybe open it up for a little bit
- Put on the radio, or some music, or something you like to listen to
- Have a snack and a cup of tea, if hungry
- Pat my face with warm water and gently dry it

Do you have any you turn to? Feel free to share them here, I'd love to hear your suggestions!

[Harmony]

I love simple.

My simple stress reliever is holding my own hand. I hold my own hand as if I were helping a friend with the other hand. Kind of goofy but it works for my own self soothing.

[Chessgirl]

I like to sit in a hot bath with the hot water running over my hands. It feels so nice and relaxing. Sometimes I even close my eyes and meditate in the bath with a candle lit. Then I put lotion on and just try to be kind to myself.

[FrumSurvivor]

Wow, Dancingfish, this is such a cool post!
The responses were great to read, too.

I did something a little nuts the other day. I have been having a very hard time and just wished someone would acknowledge it, take me out a little, but me a little gift... I went to a store and bought myself balloons! Is that funny? You know what? I put them near my bed and it makes me feel comforted and supported when I see them.

[dancingfish]

What wonderful ideas, everyone. Thanks so much for sharing!

I love the idea of simply holding one's own hand, Harmony. How very nurturing, and perhaps also helping us to see ourselves as someone worth caring for as we might another, too.

Oh a bath, and with extra running water on our hands too. Then candlelight, meditation, lotions and self-kindness. That's a really special experience you've put together there Chessgirl. A self-care special, if I may call it such!

Aw thanks FrumSurvivor! Ah I love your idea of balloons, too! I love them, so bright and cheering. What a wonderful thing to do for yourself, and how clever to think of it too. I think I will be borrowing this one as well.

I've been doing a little thing of thinking ahead as to whether I'll need any particular things in future days, and making sure I have them ahead of time. It's something I really used to struggle with, and then had to deal with the stress of not enough time or not being as a prepared/cared for as I wished. Sometimes it's making myself a flask of a favourite hot drink to take with me, or just putting out clothes for the morning. Or my favourite at the moment is getting up a little earlier than I need to, so I have some utterly superfluous time to myself in the morning. It's somehow a bit of a treat.

If you're popping by and have some other ideas, I'd love to hear them too. I think what we do for ourselves changes over time and sometimes simply day-to-day, so it can be useful to reflect and find new ideas. I recently read that self-care is about shoring up our energy reserves, for the things we "need" to do. What that may be is particular to each of us, and it can take a bit of investigating (I find!) to simply find out what we like best, what cheers us the most.