Self-care activities to try even when you are struggling with your body

Photo by Dc Lovensky on Unsplash

Self-care is quite the buzzword these days, and for good reason. We are starting to understand more and more how integral self-care is to our health and wellbeing.

We are starting to view the body as an actual living, breathing thing with limits, and needs, instead of a machine that will just keep going as long as we will it to.

We all have practiced some form of self-care over the years, but the heart of self-care is the intentionality behind, not just going through the movements. And it requires you to be in touch with your mental, and physical state.

So in our hectic, capitalistic world, where money, production, and the bottom line seem to be the only thing that matters, self-care is not only a form of caring for yourself but also a form of revolution.

So how do you start to practice self-care?

You have to block out some time that is exclusive towards making you feel good.  Not a time for you to worry about your children, your dog, your family, etc. Just a time where you are the focus of your care and the important thing is to make you feel valued, safe, and comforted.

The amount of time, and how often you make this time for yourself can vary according to your needs and schedule. What is important is that it is consistent.  You can do ten-minute blocks during the week, and three-hour blocks on the weekend. You can do it once a week, or every 2 days.  Whatever feels right for you, and remember you can always change it up as needed.

So what can you do for self-care?

Literally, anything that feels right to you. But, I have included a list of things that you can try to help spark inspiration.

Napping  

Holy-hell, what is better than napping? Very, very, very few things.  Studies have shown that the majority of American adults are chronically sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation (even "marginal" amounts) can result in mood and anxiety problems, problems making decisions, and missing crucial details and/or problems.

So chances are, you and your body need sleep.

Naps are a great way to get some more sleep into your day, naps can help to energize us, help us to focus better, and lower stress levels.

I normally nap for about 45 minutes during the week, and 90 minutes on the weekend. If you want more information on how to make naptime work for your life check out this helpful article.

Meditation

On the surface, meditation may not look like a self-care activity.  You sit there, silently, doing nothing, silently, and that's it!

But in reality, you are FINALLY giving your mind a break from the constant noise, decisions, and stress that come with living everyday life. At work, we must constantly make decisions, get things done and communicate with others. When we get home we are taking care of others, getting things done around the house, or on our phones, tablets or televisions. We never really give our mind intentional space.

Even small increments of meditation can help to improve your mood, help you to feel calmer, helps your brain to process and prioritize. It has even been shown to increase gray matter in the brain, and help you to more empathetic with others, and even more productive!

Sometimes less is more, and taking just a small chunk (even just 10 minutes!) can drastically improve your day. If you want to start your meditation habit today and want a little help check out the best meditation apps for 2017!

Pamper Your Self

Maybe you like your self-care to be more hands on? Then pampering is a great choice!

There is a huge variety to choose from when it comes to pampering. You can have your hair done, you can get a facial (or do one at home!), paint your nails, have a massage, or just take a bath with some bubbles and maybe a side of champagne.

If it helps you to relax, and it makes you feel more in touch with your body, go for it!

Journaling

Writing things down will never go out of style. Whether you type it in your phone, scribble on a napkin, or just jot a few lines down in your planner, journaling can help you to keep track of your moods, feelings, and most importantly can help you to work through any issues you may be having.

Sometimes answers come to you when you write, other times we are able to see patterns, or gaps in our thinking when we read our entries later.

Not only will you feel better during stressful times (when you just HAVE to get everything off your chest), but it will also help you to flex your grateful muscles during the good times too. Journaling is a great way to work through hard times and to remember the good, so don't feel like you can only journal one way.

If you plan on using pen and paper for your journals I will always recommend finding a beautiful journal that you just love, and filling it up!

If you prefer apps, there are many different journaling options to choose from.

And you can even use a blog to express your feelings to like-minded individuals, privately, or even ananomysly if you so wish!

Coloring Books

So my slight obsession with adult coloring books began about two years ago. I love them so much. They are beautiful, soothing, and when you are done with an image you feel super proud of yourself, and put your own images on the fridge because you are an adult.

My own coloring! The book can be found here.

It takes you back to your childhood but with pictures and images that take much more time and finesses then your own childhood coloring books, and they have all sorts of themes. You can color animals, landscapes, plants, curse words, and there are even several body-positive coloring books as well!

So pick out a book that moves you, invest in some nice coloring pens, pencils, or markers and have a ball!

Watching soothing videos

With Instagram, Youtube, and Twitch readily available to most of us, soothing videos can be a great way to relax and get your mind grounded again.

Maybe you love watching the cool slime videos, or maybe some of those Dr. Pimple Popper videos are the way to help you sleep.  Videos of calligraphy, painting, and even just mixing paints together are all great ways to help soothe your soul.

Even just lyrical videos with beautiful abstract images or the video proven to calm your anxiety with the light drones are amazing.

How does self-care help, even if you are struggling with your body/body image?

It reminds you that you deserve to be cared for, to take time for you, and to feel good, even if you are not loving what you see in the mirror today.

No matter how you feel about your body, you (and your body) still deserve to feel good.  Punishing yourself, or your body for not looking how you wish it to (or how society tells you it should look) is just part of a vicious cycle that we want to break, not continue.

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How do you take care of yourself even when you aren't in love with your body right now? Let me know in the comments!

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