10 Self-Care Practices for Self-Care Awareness Month

As September is Self-Care Awareness Month, we wanted to take time to remind you that taking care of yourself is an essential part of everyday life. All too often, we put the needs of others before our own, but the truth is you can’t pour from an empty cup. It’s important to remember that self-care isn’t selfish. It’s necessary and you shouldn’t feel guilty for taking time out to take care of yourself and your needs.

If you are looking for ways to take care of yourself this month, here are our top ten favourite self-care practices:

1. Start a Gratitude Journal

Starting a gratitude journal is a super simple way to improve your mindset by focusing on positive aspects of your day to help with your self-care practice.

Before you go to bed at night, take a moment to write down 3 things that you are grateful for that day. It can be something as simple as your morning coffee but showing thanks to positive things in your life will help you to craft a positive mind set, reduce stress and go to sleep feeling happier.

If you’re a night-time worrier, then a gratitude journal could be the perfect self-care practice for you.

2. Schedule in a Pamper Night

We know there’s more to self-care than running a bubble bath and putting on a face mask. Yet, there’s no denying that taking time out of your busy schedule to relax is important for your wellbeing and sometimes, a bubble bath can be that moment of relaxation you’re looking for.

If you can’t remember the last time you let yourself enjoy a long soak in the bath, free from distraction then treat yourself to a bath salts infused bath. Our collection of Signature scented bath salts is great for relieving tension and helping you drift off into a world of relaxation.

3. Remind Yourself: It’s Okay to Not be Okay

We all have difficult days and times so it’s important to not be too hard on yourself. You don’t have to be a shiny, happy ray of sunshine 24/7. In fact, it’s okay to not be okay. If you are having a down day, don’t punish yourself for it.

Instead, allow yourself to feel those emotions, talk to people if you don’t feel okay and find self-care practices that will help you work through those emotions.

4. Make Time to do Something You Enjoy

No matter how small it is, make sure you block out some time every week to do something for you. Whether it’s 15 minutes of reading every night, taking up a dance class, doing a spot of baking at the weekend or something else, it’s important to spend time doing the things you love.

It can be hard to find time to do extra things but scheduling time for self-care is important. Once you’ve decided what your self-care activity will be, guard that time with everything you have. If you’ve decided that you’ll start a 7pm Salsa class on Thursdays, then make sure nothing gets in your way of attending that class. Similarly, if your favourite activity is reading then find a quiet spot to read for 15 minutes every night without distraction. Whatever your distraction might be, we’re sure it can wait 15 minutes.

The more that you actively work self-care into your weekly (or daily!) schedule, the more you’ll be able to grow, feel more positive and improve your wellbeing.

5. Read a Book about Self-Care

Reading is a great way to calm your senses and unwind. Especially in today’s society where we’re all too quick to pick up our phones and endlessly scroll social media. Did you know that scrolling through news feeds can actually contribute to our stress levels rather than alleviating them?

When you feel like unwinding for the night by scrolling social media, pick up a book instead. Even better, choose a book on self-care. Reading books about self-care can help you learn how to take better care of yourself and your mind.

You’ll be amazed at the things you learn and how it can help you be more present and mindful.

6. Meditate to Clear Your Mind

Meditation is one of the best ways to take care of yourself. If you’re new to the idea of meditating, it might feel weird at first. Stick with it and we’re certain you’ll wind up wondering how you ever lived without meditation.

Taking time out to meditate and be still can improve your productivity and mental wellbeing and reduce anxiety. Spend 10 minutes each night meditating to help you on your road to self-care.

If you struggle maintaining focus during meditation, light a scented candle to create a calm, relaxing atmosphere.  Place the candle in front of you and focus on the flame as you try to clear your mind. Every time you notice your mind wander, bring it back to the flame and your meditation practice.

If you need guidance in meditating, there are lots of apps out there that have guided meditation practices to help you.

7. Forgive Yourself When Things Go Wrong

Nobody is perfect and it’s okay to make mistakes. So, be kind and forgive yourself when things go wrong.

Instead of ruminating on how you would have done things differently or feeling sorry for yourself, focus on what you can do to improve things or how you can learn from this situation.

Self-forgiveness can be one of the hardest things we do because, it’s much easier to feel guilt than it is to take responsibility and admit you made a mistake. But by owning your errors and making a conscious effort to learn from your mistakes, you’ll be able to improve your life for the better.

8. Say Kind Things to Yourself

Start each day by saying something kind to yourself. Pick a positive phrase and say it to yourself throughout the day, especially at points where you may feel negativity creeping in.

Even if you don’t believe them at first, repeating positive affirmations can help you create the self-love, confidence and belief that you wish you had.

Affirmations are a powerful way to practice self-love and replace negative thoughts with positive thought patterns. Some affirmations you can tell yourself include:

• I can do this
• I know my worth
• My confidence knows no limits
• I am worthy of love and joy
• I choose hope over fear
• I believe in me
• I am enough
• This is my body and I love it

Use your daily affirmations to focus on the change you want to make or the negative mindsets that you want to fix. Having a positive attitude will increase your chances of success and will help you to banish negative thoughts.

Be kind to yourself and practice self-love.

9. Get Outdoors and Be Active

Spending time outdoors can help to reduce stress, lower blood pressure and help you be more mindful. Getting outside is a great way to increase positivity and can also help you sleep better at night.

Studies have shown that getting outside for a leisurely stroll through your local green space can help reduce stress and alleviate anxiety.

As part of your self-care routine, try to spend 20 minutes a day going for a walk or doing some exercise such as hiking, swimming, running or going to the gym. Exercising releases feel-good endorphins so if it isn’t already a part of your weekly self-care routine, now might be the perfect time to think of fun ways to incorporate getting active in your self-care plan.

10. Eat Your Favourite Meal

Whether you choose to cook it yourself, go to a restaurant or order takeout – sometimes self-care can be as simple as eating your favourite meal and allowing yourself to fully enjoy it.

As well as treating yourself to your favourite food as a way of self-care, it’s also important to eat the right food for self-care. Eating foods that are healthy for us can have positive effects for our mind and body. Some foods that can have amazing benefits include blueberries, leafy greens, nuts and fish.

Whichever self-care activities you decide to put into practice, remember to always be kind to yourself. Look for small and simple ways to incorporate self-care into your everyday life and start taking small steps towards self-care.