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I love love LOVE self-care. I am so happy it’s a thing so I don’t have to feel guilty about spending extra time on myself. Not that anyone should ever feel guilty about spending time on themselves but you know what I mean. There are three types of self-care; emotional, spiritual and physical self-care. And while all three forms of self-care have a relationship to one another but I’m going to spend time talking about physical care. Simply because talking about all three is way too much information for one post.
It’s easy to fall into the thinking that self-care is extravagant or a luxury. And it can be! But self-care is so much more than an expensive day at the spa.
Self-care means different things for different people so keep in mind that this list of self-care is simply what works for me. I know I could add so much more but then this post would go on forever! But please, do share with me you favorite physical self-care practices in the comments for me to try.
Why Is Self-Care Important
First, let’s talk about why self-care is so important. Because really, it’s not something people were really talking about until a few years ago. Statistically, depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. I openly talk about my on-going journey with depression and anxiety on my Instagram. And I feel it needs to be talked about more because it is one of the biggest hinderances to self-care. And equally, self-care is one of the greatest treatments (not to be confused with “cure”) for anxiety and depression.
Regular physical self-care should play an active role in caring for your overall mental health. While the term is often tossed around pretty casually, in actuality it’s a set of skills for making positive changes. That’s right! Self-care is a skill, and like most things in life it needs to be practiced and exercised. It is a skillset of best practices, activities and mindsets to protective yourself against chronic stress and unhappiness. Self-care is important because it keeps you in tune with your body and mind. Overall, self-care gives you skills you can rely on to give you relief when you start to feel stressed, down or anxious.
Go For A Walk
A walk might not sound super fun at first but hear me out. There are so many ways to make a walk enjoyable. Create an uplifting playlist to listen to while you walk around. Take your walk inside and window shop around the mall. Walk to a coffee shop and walk home enjoying your beverage. A walk can be so much more than simple exercise. It can also be a time to meditate and listen to the sounds of the world around you. A solid 15 minutes walk is enough to elevate your heart rate, get your muscles and joints moving, and clear your mind. You can make a walk even more fun by asking a friend to join you. Chatting away with a friend will make the time go by quickly and up the fun factor.
15 Minutes of Yoga or Pilates
A short yoga practice is a great way to practice physical self-care and have fun at the same time. Yoga doesn’t always have to be super serious and zen. It can be about having fun too! First, start with an uplifting playlist for your practice. Secondly, create an enjoyable environment around you. This can be as simple as lighting a candle or moving to a quiet room. If you need help with setting up a home yoga practice, read my post here. Choose a few poses that you want to play around with. Use Pinterest to find poses guides, forget about following a sequence or flow. Just do the poses you feel like doing. Or you can look to Youtube to find some fun yoga channels. There’s a great list of fun accounts here. Or you can check out the video below!
Have A 5 Minute Dance Party
My family and I do this all the time. Seriously, about once a week we turn the music up loud and dance in the kitchen. Everyone lets out their energy, laughs and has fun until their legs get too tired. It’s a great way to move your body, and blow off some stress. You’ll instantly feel good dancing around to your favorite songs. You can dance like no one is watching and be as goofy as you want. All that matters is that you’re moving your body, clearing your mind and having fun. And it doesn’t matter if you’re by yourself or with others, a 5 minute dance party is a great form of physical self-care. Be wild and make it a 10 minute dance party!
Go For A Swim
Take yourself to the pool and do some physical self-care in the water. There are so many different ways to enjoy a pool. Many community centres off a variety of classes like aqua yoga, aqua fit, lane swims and more. The water is super gentle on your joints while also being an excellent form of exercise. The water is also naturally relaxing and meditative. This is another great activity that you can do alone or with a friend!
Play With Your Pet
Playing with a pet is one of my favorite forms of self-care. I purposely adopted my dog, Gigi, during a particularly low time in my life and she made a world of difference. Taking her on walks and spending time with her is still one of my favorite ways to relax and clear my mind. Pets, and dogs especially, are proven to reduce anxiety, stress and depression in humans. This makes spending time with your animal companion an excellent form of self-care.
Paint
I’m using the word paint loosely in that I’m including those of us that can only color. Painting and coloring is a great form of self-care. If you’re talented in this area, this is easy for you. But for those of us who simply wish we were able to draw and paint, we need coloring books. Check out some of my favorite coloring books to help get you started!
Get In The Kitchen
Baking and cooking is another one of my favorite types of physical self-care. You can bake something healthy or you can indulge in a sweet treat. Trying out different recipes, styles of cooking, and food from other cultures is so much fun. From finding a recipe to searching out different ingredients to preparing the food, there are lots of physical aspects to cooking. And by spending time creating your own food, you’ll be taking care of your health in a whole new way. Here are some low-pressure recipes to help you destress in the kitchen:
- Buffalo Cauliflower Wraps
- Vegan Sushi Bowl With Sriracha Mayo
- Plant Based Pesto Grilled Cheese
- Lentil Tostadas
- Shepherd’s Pie
Looking for more plant-based recipes?
- 30+ Of The Best Plant Based Easter Recipes
- 80 Day Obsession Approved Desserts
- 2B Mindset: Recipe Inspiration
Sing Out Loud
Get in your car and start your favorite playlist or belt the tunes out in your living room! Singing is very therapeutic. It helps with mental health, lowers stress levels and its so much fun! Even the worst singer has a blast when singing out loud while alone. According to studies, taking singing lessons improves mood, sense of well-being, and sense of belonging. Talk about a great form of self-care!
A Fun Workout
So it goes without saying that this is my absolute favorite form of physical self-care. Since starting my fitness routine, my mental health and sense of well-being has drastically improved. So what is a “fun” workout? Try taking a zumba, kick boxing or pilates class. Or if you’re more into working out at home rather than the gym, try streaming a fun dance or MMA workout. These are the fun workouts that I like to do:
Make your fun workout even more enjoyable by working out with a friend! The time will go by more quickly and you can laugh and have fun together.
Laugh
Laughing is so fun and should definitely be done more often. Laughing as a form of self-care isn’t traditional but it works great. There are lots of ways to get a good laugh going. Spend some time with friends, watching a hilarious show or movie or go to a comedy show. Try to be carefree with your laugh and allow yourself to let go. You’ll be surprised at how good you feel afters. Plus it’s a great workout for your face!
Practicing Physical Self-Care Can Be Life-Changing
Developing a good self-care routine can be life-changing. And I’m not exaggerating! Since I started a strong self-care routine, I have been more rested, calm, confident, and more. There is something to be said that when you feel good, you want to do more good. And then self-care becomes a wonderful and continuous cycle.
Get started on your morning self-care routine with my free morning person habit tracker. Sign up to for the newsletter to get access!
Chat soon,
Shannon
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