Self Care Wednesdays: Practicing Self Care & Its Benefits
I love Wednesdays! What’s your favourite day of the week? Besides the weekend of course...
Religiously, I spend my Wednesdays doing self care! Although there are self care activities that I do daily, every 2 days and even once per week, on a Wednesday I take a few hours to do the entire regimen.
All this blabbering! Do you know what Self Care is all about?
Self care is taking action to take care of yourself mentally, physically, emotionally and spritually.
Self care entails doing the things you love in your spare time, trying new things that may bring you joy. Self care is all about oneself and no one else. The one moment you put in to give your self all the attention it needs on scheduled days and time every week.
It’s good for YOU! There are benefits in practicing self care. Imagine:
-You had a week of overwhelming responsibilities and not enough time for yourself.
-People expecting you to meet a deadline or you having to meet your own deadline to achieve something.”
How do you recover from overworking your brain and body to prepare for a new week?
Practicing self care even once per week helps to rejuvenate the mind and body to keep going for upcoming tasks. It helps to reduce anxiety, depression as well as regulates your heart rate and the blood flow throughout your body.
Self care are many things and you can choose to practice as many activities. The more the better. The key is being consistent and not doing it when you are not feeling life.
If you would like to have a self care regime, here are a lists of some things you can practice and the benefits you get from them:
Read a book/ Listening to an Audio Book
Reading opens the mind to things you don’t always see in real life but it actually happens. It gives you ideas of things you can do to better yourself. It teaches you ways to do the things that interests you or help you to find your interests.
Listening to a Podcast that you can relate to
This is equivalent to listening an audio book, the only difference is that the hosts and guests are breaking down the topic for you to further understand and possibly relate. I listen Podcasts that are marketing related, about relationships and meditation.
Meditating
Meditation is therapy for your spiritual side.
My favourite thing to do of late! I am sensitive. It’s not always easy to admit. I find myself getting agitated by simple gestures I may find offensive. I am a drama queen so sometimes my reactions are unnecessary.
I listen to Mary Meckley, Sip and Om Daily Guided Meditation. I listen her podcasts on the apple app. It is available on all podcasts platforms and she also has a meditation app. You can follow her on Instagram at Mary Meckley .
Exercising
If I could magically lose weight by telling you to exercise, I would be snatched! Too bad you have to work for everything you want.
I won’t even lie to you, this is THEEEE HARRRDDESSSTT activity to commit to.
I would exercise 2 days in a row and the next time 2 months after.
I don’t have anything to say about exercising, just do it for yourself and ME. I’m not doing it today. On purpose.... Sorry.
Going for a walk
This I can do, with ease! You know what, this post is meant to motivate you, but I cannot lie. I do walk..... to the kitchen. That makes me healthy so I guess it is considered self care.
On the real, taking walks even if there’s no nature or enough to suit you. Still take a walk. It helps with circulation just like exercising but at a slower pace.
Journaling
Another new favourite thing to do. Right after meditating, I start journaling my thoughts about how I feel after meditating and how I feel about all that’s going on in my current life. It’s my best friend that takes ’notes’ when I need to vent, minus the judgement. Journaling doesn’t always mean writing about your feelings, you can write about your day ahead, how you plan to spend it or any idea that comes to your mind while you were sleeping the night before or day dreaming. Journaling is all about jotting your thoughts as they come.
Listening to your favourite music
Music is therapeutic to the soul and mind. It either makes you really happy or sad.
My favourite genre of music to listen to is R&B Love Songs and Modern Pop. I switch between listening to Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift and my moods does the same simultaneously until I reach my level of satisfaction. Share in the comments your go-to genre of music and your favourite tracks to listen. I need new songs to listen to!
Listening to background music
After jamming to my playlists of pop and r&b, I calm my mind by listening natures background music. The sound of water running, the ocean waves rushing to shore and birds chirping relaxes my mind. If you have never tried, you definitely should. It has the same effect and better just as listening to your favourite music.
Share with me your experience when you listen to background music.
Lighting a scented candle and relax
Local candles, B&BW and Glade candles are my go-to candles to light at whatever time of day I need to relax my nerves. It’s a form of aromatherapy.
Candle lit showers
I love love LOOOVVEEE lighting scented candles during my showers. I always make time! It calms me. Imagine hearing water running with the smell of vanilla. That’s a win win for me. You will always catch me on a good day once I have my candle lit showers.
Other Self Care activities are:
Getting a massage
Self massage
Going to the salon to get pampered however you would like
Going shopping
Saying “NO” to things you do not want to do
Doing a skin care routine: See my routine and the products I use (AIJAT SELF CARE)
Self pampering; wearing a mask, wearing soft fragrances
Watching your favourite movie or TV show and many more
So you have been introduced to a few self care activities. I am hoping while reading this post you have considered to start a self care regime. Whether or not your days are clustered with responsibilities 15 minutes of each day or hour makes a difference. Take it a step at a time.
Here are steps in creating your Self Care Regime:
Take a paper and make a list of the things you enjoy doing in your spare time. That are self care related of course. Eg; read a book, watching a movie, meditate.
Choose a day or the days of the week you are least busy and make note of the day and time.
Schedule those days and time to make yourself available to do your self care regimen.
If successful, make it official and stay consistent. Journal your results as the days and weeks go by.
After practicing your self care regimen, staying consistent may be the most difficult. However, the results of each practice automatically helps you to be consistent in doing the activities every week.
Share in the comments your self care regimen and how have you been able to stay consistent.
Thanks for reading!
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