How to Create Your Own Self-Care List and Rituals
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Self-care is not a luxury; it is a necessity.
Self-care is not something you do once in a while, it is something you do every day. Real self-care is not selfish, it is self-compassionate. Real self-care is not a trend, it is a lifestyle.
But what is self-care, really? And how can you practice it in a way that works for you?
Self-care is the act of taking care of your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. It is the recognition that you are a human being with needs, feelings, desires, and limitations. It is the acceptance that you are worthy of love, respect, and happiness. It is the commitment to honor yourself and your values.
Self-care can look different for everyone, depending on your personality, preferences, circumstances, and goals. There is no one-size-fits-all formula for self-care. However, there are some general principles that can help you create your own self-care list and rituals.
First, real self-care should be intentional. You need to make time and space for yourself and prioritize your needs over others' expectations. You need to set boundaries and say no to things that drain your energy, deplete your soul or harm you. You need to be mindful of how you feel (remember these are signals) and what you need in each moment.
Second, self-care should be holistic. You need to take care of all aspects of yourself, not just one or two. You need to balance your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs, and find activities that nourish each one. You need to integrate self-care into your daily routine, not just as an occasional treat.
Third, self-care should be flexible. You need to adapt your self-care practices to your changing needs and situations. You need to be open to trying new things and experimenting with what works for you. You need to be gentle with yourself and forgive yourself when you slip up or fall short.
To help you get started on your self-care journey, here are some examples of self-care activities for each domain:
Physical self-care: This includes anything that helps you maintain or improve your physical health and wellness.
Eating nutritious foods and drinking enough water
Think of fish, veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, wholegrains, soy, and seaweed. Many nutritionists advocate for the Mediterranean or Okinawan diet. Both diets show promising clinical data that demonstrates a reduction in chronic disease (cardiovascular, stroke, diabetes, and some cancers). Additionally, both diets support a healthy body weight, metabolism and improve your brain, gut health, reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. Unfortunately, Krispy Cream Donuts and let’s be real Starbucks do not make the cut. In addition, dairy, poultry, eggs, red meat, processed foods and added sugars should be limited. These items in moderation are ok. I personally love “The Complete Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Beginners”. It makes meal planning super easy and you can prep your entire meal plan for a week. The caveat is that not all the meals are Mediterranean or Okinawan friendly, but it does provide good content/recipes and meal planning to reduce chronic inflammation.
Getting enough sleep and rest
If I sleep less than 7 hours, I need a nap or I’m going to bed early. Sleeping hours depend on various factors including age, health, activity level and sleep quality. Most healthy adults need at least 7 hours, so I’m right on target! Infants and young children need more sleep. I cannot stress the importance of sleep. You need it, it is important for your physical and mental health. Not getting enough rest can affect your immunity, memory, mood, and metabolism. To create a sleeping ritual:
Stick to the same schedule- go to bed at the same time everyday (this include Christmas and New Years- HA! Right!). No, but do stick to a regular schedule.
Avoid stimulants in the evening- Coffee, tea, nicotine, sugar.
Create a comfortable and relaxing sleep environment- My bedroom is my sanctuary. I personally have a Slip Pillowcase, 100% Organic Cotton Lightweight Blanket. I also have 100% organic sheets. This can be very personal. Some people like sleeping on satin sheets or even polyester. I say whatever makes your sleeping environment a relaxing place for you; please invite those elements in.
Do something calming before going to sleep. For instance, yin yoga, meditating or taking a warm bath or shower.
Avoid using electronics, TVs, computers, smartphones, tablets, and anything that emits blue light. Read my article here on Tips to Help You Sleep Peacefully.
Exercising regularly and stretching your body
Choose an exercise of your choice. A lot of fitness gurus will say aerobic/cardio for at least 30 minutes and strength training are the best and I’m not disputing this, but I think just moving in general is important. Anything other than taking in another 4 hours of Netflix. Break up that screen time! Stretching your body is important as well. I personally love yoga and recently completed my certification. You can read my transformational journey here and the additional benefits yoga provides.
Taking care of your hygiene and grooming
This one is straight forward. Take showers and comb your hair at the very least.
Visiting your doctor and dentist regularly
You have one body, including one set of teeth. You MUST take care of your body. Visiting your doctor and dentist for checkups is imperative. People will say ‘I feel fine!’ Well, there are some ailments that are silent; meaning you won’t know they exist until it’s too late. Hence, You can visit your doctor and dentist now or you can visit them when you are ailing and have no teeth- your choice ;o)
Avoiding substances that harm your body
There are a lot of things that harm your body including the air pollution you inhale every single day. Try to limit harmful substances as much as possible. Here are some helpful apps and sites to help you on your toxic free journey.
Think Dirty App
EWG’s Healthy Living App
CosDNA
Clearya
Safe Cosmetics website
Mental self-care: This includes anything that helps you stimulate or relax your mind and enhance your cognitive abilities.
Reading books or articles that interest you
Reading book and/or articles stimulate the mind especially when it’s a topic you are truly interested in.
Learning new skills or hobbies
Learning a new skill or hobby will peak your interest and keep you evolving. Not to mention creating new connections in your brain.
Solving puzzles or playing games
These stimulate the brain by reinforcing connections, improving mental speed and improving short-term memory.
Meditating or practicing mindfulness
The benefits of meditation are profound! Meditation reduces stress and anxiety, enhances self-awareness, promotes emotional well-being, and generates kindness. I completed my meditation certification training a couple of years ago and this practice has made a monumental impact to my daily living habits. The clinical data supports the benefits, and the aforementioned benefits are just a few to consider. This is definitely a real self-care tip to put into action!
Journaling or writing down your thoughts
This is another tip to reduce stress, manage anxiety and decrease stress. You can also VENT! Vent about a person, place, or thing as a way to release any anger or resentment. If you are venting about a person you live with (everyone we live with gets on our nerves at some point) I’d suggest keeping this journal in a secret hiding place unless you decide you want to share what you are feeling.
Seeking professional help if needed
Therapy is helpful in so many ways. It can help manage so many symptoms and conditions. In addition, it can help with communication skills and improve interpersonal relationships, increase your productivity, help you set goals and increase your own self-awareness.
Emotional self-care: This includes anything that helps you express or cope with your emotions and feelings.
Identifying and naming your emotions
Allowing yourself to feel what you feel without judgment
Talking to someone you trust or seeking therapy if needed
Practicing gratitude or affirmations
Doing something that makes you happy or laugh
Crying or venting when you need to
Spiritual self-care: This includes anything that helps you connect with your higher self, your purpose, or a higher power.
Praying or attending a religious service (whatever this looks like for you)
Practicing yoga or other forms of movement meditation
Spending time in nature (read my post here) or with animals
Listening to music or singing
Creating art or expressing yourself creatively
Volunteering or helping others
To create your own self-care list, you can use these examples as inspiration or come up with your own ideas. You can also use the following questions to guide you:
What do I enjoy doing?
What goals do I want to accomplish?
What makes me feel good?
What gives me energy?
What am I eating now and what would I like to eat?
How often do I exercise and how often would l like to start exercising?
How am I helping others?
What hobbies would I like to start?
What can I do in my free time that serves me?
What calms me down?
What challenges me?
What inspires me?
What motivates me?
Once you have a list of self-care activities, you can create your own self-care rituals. A ritual is a set of actions that you perform regularly and consistently, with a specific intention and meaning. A ritual can help you create a sense of structure, routine, and consistency in your life. It can also help you cultivate positive habits and behaviors that support your well-being.
To create your own self-care rituals, you can use these steps:
1. Choose one or more self-care activities from your list that you want to incorporate into your ritual.
2. Decide when and how often you want to perform your ritual. It can be daily, weekly, monthly or whenever you feel like it.
3. Set a specific time and place for your ritual. It can be in the morning, evening, before bed, after work or whenever suits you best.
4. Prepare everything you need for your ritual. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you want. You can use candles, incense, music, crystals, oils or anything else that enhances your experience.
5. Perform your ritual with intention and attention. Focus on the present moment and the sensations, thoughts and feelings that arise. Enjoy the process and the outcome.
6. Repeat your ritual as often as you want or need. You can also modify or change your ritual as you go along.
Creating your own self-care list and rituals can help you take charge of your well-being and happiness. It can also help you discover more about yourself and what matters to you. By practicing real self-care, you are not only taking care of yourself, but also taking care of others. Because when you are well, you can do well.
So, what are you waiting for? Start your year of real self-care today and see how it transforms your life!