Self-Care: More Than Fancy Soap
If you have been on the internet for any length of time, you have probably heard someone talk about how self-care (often) includes things like fancy soaps and long baths with glasses of wine—and likely only that. Not saying that that can’t be a form of self-care, it sounds awesome, but that’s not what it looks like for a lot of people. And that’s okay. Self-care is whatever you need it to be whenever you need it.
It doesn’t have to be that fancy, it doesn’t have to be expensive, and it doesn’t have to necessarily take a lot of time. We’ve compiled just some of our favorite easy, fun, low-cost self-care ideas to get you started on your journey of taking care of your mind just a little bit more each day.
Yoga and/or meditation
There are a plethora of free meditation and yoga resources available on YouTube that include just about any skill level or desired intensity you want. For yoga, Bad Yogi and Yoga with Adriene are great places to start.
Hiking & getting outside
Did you know that there are 41 different state parks in Virginia? All of them feature hiking trails of varying intensity to accommodate for any kind of challenge (or non-challenge) you’re looking for. State parks charge parking fees ranging from $5-$10 depending on the park and there is also an annual pass option that allows you to access any of the parks as many times as you want.
There are also fee-free days available for the national parks (including but not limited to those in Virginia) on: January 16 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), April 22 (First Day of National Park Week), August 4 (Great American Outdoors Day), September 23 (National Public Lands Day), and November 11 (Veterans Day).
Gardening
Gardening is a great way to channel anger into something productive: see some large weeds in your yard or garden that aren’t supposed to be there? Pull them out to your heart’s content. Reap the benefits of physical exertion and a more aesthetically pleasing greenspace.
Reading (physical books or audiobooks are okay!)
Many people look to reading as an escape or distraction and it is an absolutely effective one. Many libraries feature free ebook or audiobook downloads and are free to all. Libraries themselves are calm, quiet spaces if you ever need a place to go that is a lower-stimulating environment.
Favorite coffee, tea, or other beverage
An emotional support beverage could be anything: a can of Coca-Cola, a black cold brew, a Gatorade, even a glass of water with lemon. Something you enjoy to help bring you back toward happiness. It doesn’t have to take a trip to a fancy coffee shop or any sort of expensive outing. It just has to be something you like.
Trips to the dog park to look at cute dogs even if you don’t have one yourself
Cute animals? Yes please! Many dog parks are open to the public and a great open space to relax when the weather is nice.
Taking a walk with a specific goal in mind like finding a certain flower or color
Walking with a specific objective in mind is a great way to center your mind on something outside anything or everything that may be stressing you out or causing you anxiety. Looking for a favorite flower, finding and kicking some mushrooms, or even counting the number of dogs you see while out is a great way to distract in a healthy, productive way.
Reach out to a friend
Send a funny meme or TikTok post, send a sentimental Facebook message or text, place that phone call, write a letter. There are a wide variety of options to make sure that you and your friend are having a good day.
Do you have more self-care ideas that we haven’t thought of? Have you given any of these a try? Let us know—drop us a line on Facebook or Instagram and tell us how it’s going! We’d love to hear from you.