Self-care PRO TIPS!!
“Yoga,” they said. “You should do some yoga it will be great.”
Whatever. I have better things to do.
Not worth my time.
Downright silly.
“I’m not a yoga person,” you say.
And then, when you finally get out of your own way and take a yoga class, you’re like.. omg I feel so much better why didn’t I do that all along?
A lot of self-care can feel that way.
Or, worse, self-care can be triggering because we don’t want to see how we’ve neglected ourselves. How lost we’ve allowed ourselves to become. If I really look at my finances… then I will have to face how awful they look and I’m not ready for that! Ugh.
Self-care also takes time. It happens at a slower pace than we might be used to. It requires some diligence. If there’s a lot of anxiety in your life, slowing down may not be easy. It may be the last thing you want to do. EVEN if you think it could really help.
Self-care asks that we be present, stop running, come into our bodies and pay attention to our health. And maybe we don’t like what we see. Maybe there was a lot of neglect—years of neglect. It’s easier to keep running.
So it’s best to start simple. One day I decided to start making sure my feet were happy. I discovered that I had been buying size 12 shoes but my feet were actually size 13. So I bought some shoes that fit, for once. I started moisturizing my feet before bed. I got a little pumice stone and started to exfoliate them in the shower. I got cute colorful socks I liked. I started clipping my toenails a bit more often. And now I know that no matter what kind of crazy shit is going on in my life, my feet are taken care of.
Self-care is a thousand tiny things that can elevate your mood and overall sense of wellbeing. None of them may seem particularly important, but they add up.
Take care of your face
Let’s start with your face.
Every night, wash your face before bed.
Every morning, follow these three steps:
- Splash your face with water
- Moisturize
- Sunscreen
What products should you buy for this? /r/skincareaddiction is a very useful subreddit. The short answer is, try different products and listen to your skin.
In fact, a lot of self-care comes down to listening to yourself in ways you may not be accustomed to, and simply responding to what you ntoice.
If you want to get really fancy, determine your skin type.
Take care of plants
A cursory look at #boyswithplants on Instagram will show that queers and plants have always been in a symbiotic relationship. If you aren’t taking care of a plant, get one plant. If you have one and are successfully taking care of it, get another. If you keep killing plants, keep getting more plants and trying not to kill them. And they’re cheap af—often free.
Why is this self-care? Because taking care of another helps you take care of yourself. A plant will force some stability in your schedule and your living situation, and stability is a foundation of self-care. Plants require you to slow down to Plant Time. To follow the rhythm of another creature, one that moves slowly and does one thing very well. What can you learn from that?
Plants will make your home feel cozier and more inviting. Only plants can fill a space with such beautiful shapes, colors, and life energy. Plants are affordable elegance.
Good feels, motivation, and inspiration
Bring in regular motivation and reminders for self-care:
@onbeinginyourbody insta love
Aloe Bud self care reminders (iPhone)
Healing with nature
Ocean adventures: surfing, swimming, kayaking
Wilderness therapy including backpacking, mountain climbing