You spend all your time being nice to others, but there's one person you probably tend to forget about: yourself. Practicing self-care and self-love used to feel like a selfish act, but in today's fast-paced, always-on world, it's more than a luxury—it's a necessity! Besides, showing yourself some kindness and compassion can lower your stress levels, boost your immune system, and help you feel better about yourself inside and out.
Whether it's treating yourself to dessert or simply mastering a new type of yoga, everyone can reach a higher level of self-care. Not sure where to start? Check out these 27 amazing self-care tips.
1. Take compliments like a winner.
If someone tells you they love your outfit or are impressed by your work on a project, don't respond by denying it or putting yourself down. Instead, accept it and say "thank you." It's not as challenging as you think, and it will make you feel really great about yourself in the process.
2. Spend some time alone.
Sometimes being nicer to yourself simply means taking a break and unwinding with some well-deserved alone time. Perhaps this is because, as lovely as spending time with others, we all need to reenergize by ourselves, even if that just means watching your favorite show on Netflix.
3. Treat yourself like you'd treat your best friend.
Would you tell your best friend how much you hate their thighs or how you think they're bad at their job? No way! So why are you constantly talking negatively about yourself? Stop those habits in their tracks and instead focus on the things you love about yourself.
4. Write yourself a love letter.
Who says love letters have to be written to you by someone else? If you're feeling down, sometimes something as simple as picking up a pen and writing down all the great things you have going for you can be a fool-proof way to boost your spirit. You can also hold onto it for the next time you need a pick-me-up.
5. Ask yourself what you need.
You're continuously addressing the needs of others, but how about yourself? By taking the time to tune in to what you need or are feeling, you can better choose how to take care of yourself.
6. Say "no" and feel good about it.
It's easy to say "yes" all the time, but after saying yes to everyone, you're left feeling drained with no time for yourself. Practice using "no" and keeping your schedule a little more open to giving yourself time to recuperate. You can say no without telling them why.
7. Invest in your happiness.
If you believe you can do something, don't wait for another second to start making it happen. Invest in yourself by signing up for that fun cooking class, creating a new healthy habit that makes you feel good, or starting a creative hobby. Whatever it is, give yourself the chance to achieve it!
8. Focus on your accomplishments, not your failures.
Spoiler alert: Everyone fails. Sure, you're going to feel bad when you do, but should you only think about the negatives? Absolutely not. Instead, learn from those failures—then, focus on your accomplishments. That positive mindset will help you grow, whether it's in your life or your career.
9. Sleep is your friend.
Yes, it might seem like fun to stay up late watching movie after movie, but that's not being kind to your body—not even a little bit. Getting enough sleep every night will help you stay fueled and feeling your best.
10. Take time to meditate.
Meditation doesn't just give you time to reflect and unwind—it's also a straightforward way to be nicer to yourself. Consistent, mindful meditation can help you let go of hurt past feelings, help you be more kind, and help you be more compassionate, both toward yourself and others.
11. Go for walks in nature.
After sitting at a desk for most of the day, one of the best things you can do for yourself is stepping away from your computer and heading outside into the sun for a nice walk. Getting a little vitamin D will result in enough feel-good vibes to get you through the rest of your day.
12. Stop obsessing over your past.
Nearly everyone has regrets from their past, but why keep beating yourself up over something impossible to change? Put an end to the what-ifs and start being a little nicer to yourself. Living in the moment is a much better place to put yourself in—trust us!
13. Allow yourself to be vulnerable.
Keeping your feelings locked up inside is a recipe for unhappiness. Don't be afraid to allow yourself to open up and be vulnerable about what matters to you. Part of treating yourself with kindness is making sure you're able to speak your truth, even if it's about something that seems silly or insignificant.
14. Celebrate the goals you've crushed.
When you hit one of your goals, big or small, that's cause for celebration. Whether it's finally finishing a mile on the treadmill without stopping or getting positive feedback from your boss, every win is worthy of some praise, especially from yourself.
15. Use up your vacation days.
It might seem like the office will burn up in flames without you around to keep things in order, but don't let that stop you from getting away: You deserve to take your vacation days, too. Instead of brushing those hours of freedom to the side, use up every last one of them by doing something you've always wanted to do.
16. And take advantage of personal days, too.
If you wake up not feeling like yourself, use it as an excuse to spend the day doing things that will make you feel like your happy self again. After all, you have mental health days for a reason. Put them to good use, whether catching up on projects at home or (finally!) making it to your favorite workout class.
17. Change the way you criticize yourself.
It's easy to be super critical of yourself when you do something wrong. But instead of tearing yourself apart, build yourself up. Start by rephrasing and the inner critic to a positive sentence instead.
18. Make yourself laugh.
Laughter is the best medicine. Giving yourself the chance to giggle as often as possible has been scientifically proven to release endorphins, the feel-good chemicals that boost your mood. That doesn't mean you need to sit there telling yourself knock-knock jokes, though. Some time spent watching shows like The Office will definitely do the trick.
19. Stop trying to do it all.
Sorry to break it to you; superheroes are fictional. Going overboard by trying to do it all will only leave you totally drained. Instead, make a list of all the things you need to get done and choose the most important. Those other items can wait for another day.
20. Schedule a massage.
Treating yourself to a massage is pretty high up on the niceness scale, but it is worth it—schedule one today.
21. Be patient with yourself.
Sometimes when it doesn't seem like you're getting to the place you want to be fast enough, it's easy to put yourself down or get angry. Rid yourself of that negativity by practicing patience instead. You'll get there, we promise, and boosting yourself up instead of putting yourself down will only help further your progress.
22. Practice forgiveness.
Whether it is about forgiving someone else or yourself, practicing forgiveness will help you move on from things that might be hard to get past. And once you do that, you'll travel through life with ease you didn't even know existed. All because you release the hurt.
23. Quit taking everything so seriously.
Life doesn't always have to be so serious—allow yourself to have more fun in your life by letting go. Don't be afraid to give yourself the chance to be more playful and relaxed.
24. Make a bold change.
It could be as small as getting a haircut you've wanted for years or packing up your bags and moving to your dream city. Just choose something you've been too afraid to do, then do it. Being bold and brave is a great way to show yourself some kindness.
25. Start journaling.
Sure, you're not writing about your school crushes anymore, but journaling about your day and whatever is on your mind does a lot of good for your mental health.
26. Ask for help when you need it.
That overwhelming feeling you have isn't going to vanish anytime soon if you keep adding more and more to your plate without getting help from those around you. If you're struggling, don't be afraid to speak up. There are plenty of people in your life who would love to take some of those stresses off your plate, but that's not going to happen until you ask.
27. Order that dessert.
If you typically say "no thanks" to the dessert menu at restaurants, change that up once in a while and treat yourself to something sweet. A piece of pie isn't going to kill you—and gobbling it up will certainly put a big smile on your face.
Until next time.
The more you practice happiness, the better you become, and the more joyous your days. If you practice living life, you enjoy and understand it a little bit better. To make your happiness a priority, grab one of our journals today! Use Code LOVE.
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