We have been talking more and more about self-care and what it means. I know I haven’t done this enough for myself so, I tried thinking of things that I could do to help me feel like I was giving myself a break or something for me. I tried setting aside time for me to read uninterrupted, I tried adding playing with budgets and numbers (yes, I find that fun and relaxing), anything I could think of that I thought of as self-care. Nothing really made me feel like my skin was on right, like I was presenting myself to the world how I wanted them to see me. Then I was getting ready for a vacation trip and decided to go get my nails done.
This is something I have done on and off since 2016. I didn’t realize just how much it helped me feel like myself, until I got them done again. Walking out of the salon I felt like I had settled into my own skin again. That is when I realized what I needed as my self-care and how important it is.
Self-care will look different for everyone. For one of my siblings it is dyeing their hair blue, for another it is taking their bird for a walk. It might not be easy to figure out what you need for self-care. It took me years to figure out what mine was, and I had been doing it off and on for most of that time. If there is something you want to try or do that you have been thinking about for a long time, try it. You never know if that is what you need for you unless you give it a shot.
My form of self-care is easily changeable. I have collected a decent stash of nail polish over the years, and I can paint my nails whenever I feel like they need a change. Getting them done does cost a bit more, but it is something I can do myself if I don’t have the money to get them done. I have found various ways to make the extra money it takes each month because my mental health after I do it is so much better. Housesitting, pet sitting, or babysitting are all fairly straightforward methods for me and they don’t take too much of my time.
Since this is something that I know I will be doing for quite a while, I have also built it into my budget. I like to keep track of what I am spending my money on and where I am at compared to my budget. By building in something that helps my mental health, I don’t feel guilty about spending outside of the budget if it wasn’t there and I can keep my money health without sacrificing my mental health.
Some self-care might have absolutely nothing to do with your body but being in a place where you can focus on your mind. Being able to meditate surrounded by nature, for example, might be what you need. Or going on a hike that makes your body work but helps quiet your mind. Getting a tattoo can also be self-care if it helps you feel settled in your skin. Everyone is going to have something that helps them feel like themselves.
I decided to post this because it took me a really long time to understand the benefits of self-care and how much it can affect your mental health. I have been in a funk for an extended period of time (covid depression for the win), and until I took the time to do my nails for vacation, I have not felt like the person I knew myself to be. Since I did them, I am very much more of the person I remember. I am entirely too optimistic, bubbly, and energetic. I have the pep back in my step and I am looking forward to doing things that I haven’t for too long.
Self-care can be the push you need to help you get on your journey to mentally healthy as well. I know it was a needed push for me.
Please feel free to post what you do for self-care below so others can get more ideas of what self-care might look like for them.