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When we think of blogging do we immediately think of wellness and self-care? I know I did not.
For a while now my wellbeing, happiness, stress-levels, self-care and overall wellness rating has probably been about negative 5! Although I was studying for a qualification I really wanted. The process of it made me miserable, I was a single mum, isolated from friends and family because of the studying and teaching schedule that I was having to keep up, I wasn’t motivated or inspired and on top of that I wasn’t able to do anything creative for myself. The one positive is that I had my partner by my side for the whole journey (and still do). He seriously kept me functioning and tried his hardest to make things right again. I love him for that, very much.
I noticed almost instantly what was happening when I decided to blog and then really commit myself to it.
- Having motivation for something
- Inspiration was flying in from everywhere
- My mood lifted
- I literally felt lighter?
- Things that were the end of the world previously, now didn’t seem so bad.
- My partner and I could reconnect
- Starting to enjoy being a mum again
- I got excited about new blog post ideas
- Not being able to stop work
20 Ways to improve your Self-Care with small Tweaks To Your Lifestyle #wellness #selfcare #lifestyle #blogpost Click To Tweet
I started to realise that my lifestyle was affecting my mental health, self-care and wellness in a very negative way. Something needed to change. Luckily I had started blogging and didn’t want to stop. The bad days, seemed to get better and negative thoughts were easier to reason with and find a positive. I wasn’t just blogging, but starting to do the things that I enjoyed previously. like drawing.
Just from starting and committing to Eclectically Ema I have naturally made small tweaks to my lifestyle and am consciously trying to make more so that I can improve my self-care.
It wasn’t until I started to practice self-care that I realised just how darn important it is.
Some of the improvements I have found are.
- The negative isn’t the first thing that comes into my head anymore
- I smile more
- I want to go out and do more
- Having creative purpose again
- I am happier in myself
- I don’t shout or get unnecessarily stressed about the small things
- Being much more open to trying new things
All of the above points came naturally when I felt like I had found a passion and something that made me motivated again. Now I know that blogging isn’t for everyone and of course there are many ways that you practice self-care, it just so happens that blogging is what is suited to me the best.
This is why I have compiled a list of 20 simple ways that you can practice self-care and wellbeing for under £5.00 and most of the time. FREE!
Practice self-care by reading that book you’ve been meaning too for months!
- You will find a great sense of achievement from just starting something you have been putting off for months because life just kept getting in the way.
Have a bath.
- I know this may not always be practical, but try to grab some time whenever you can, hand the kids over to your partner when he gets home from work or wait until they go to bed. Turn your phone to silent and leave it in the other room. Light some candles or dim the lights, listen to your favourite playlist or even read that book? Most importantly though, relax, declutter and rest your body and mind.
Find your feel good song and dance (or flail) like no one is watching.
- Now for me, I have two feel good songs. One is build me up buttercup by The foundations and the second is You Make My Dreams, by Daryl Hall and John Oates. These songs make me want to jump and dance (although being pregnant, its more of an elaborate bop now). They make me happy and dancing with the music up full blast is such a liberating feeling. It just makes you feel good. I really suggest this one.
self-care can be as simple as going offline for a while.
- By this I mean, turn your phone off. put that tablet away and leave the laptop well alone. Even if it’s just for 30 minutes. If you’re a digital native (like me) then this may seem OUTRAGEOUS! seriously though put the damn phone down…please. Instagram will wait for you. I promise.
Go to your local park with a blanket and cloud watch, people watch, dog watch…..squirrel watch….
- Self-care is doing things that help to improve your sense of wellbeing, being outside and getting some fresh air will make you feel a millions times lighter as well as doing something as simple as cloud watching. You don’t have to be using your brain and mental energy all the time.
Get creative!!
- this could be drawing, painting, writing, singing or dancing. It could be anything that means you have to do something creative. By practicing this aspect of self-care, you are using a different part of your brain. Creativity is what fuels inspiration and motivation. In my eyes anyway.
Pamper yourself.
- This doesn’t have to cost anything, you may already have things at home like face packs, nail varnish, foot cream. Or find a DIY hair mask or face mask recipe. Self-care could also be something as simple as taking your makeup off and doing the proper routine. you know the one. Cleanse, tone and moisturise.
Get an early night.
- How often do we say we are going to do this and then don’t? well, get ya jammies on and curl up in bed. This could be an hour or 15 minutes before you usually go to bed. just make sure you do it. I swear weekly, that I am getting an early night and before I know it. its midnight. With a two-year old that’s an early riser it was a sure-fire way to a speedy burnout. and boy did I suffer. So please learn from my mistakes. Get that early night.
Plan for something positive.
- This could be a day out. Your next day’s To-Do list or a weekend away. Plan some time so that it distracts you from the ‘present’ and makes you look towards the future. Bonus Note!! when it comes to the day that you’ve planned, it will take up less mental energy. So this one actually practices self-care for two days.
Write down 10 things you like about yourself
- It can be hard to see the things that we like about ourselves on a daily basis, just off the top of our heads. So sit down and really think about them. they don’t all have to do with your appearance. for example some points could be: you like that you wish the employees of your local corner shop a good day when they serve you. Or that you find pleasure in helping other people. Look for positive things about yourself. Then, for an extra boost on random days. Input one thing on different days picked randomly from your phone calendar. Set a reminder to show up and get a little confidence boost when you least expect it. Minimal effort, for maximum benefit.
20 Free andFrugal ways to practice self-care #selfcare #wellbeing #lifestyle #blogpost Click To Tweet
Spend 20 minutes cleaning
- Now this may appear to be the last thing you associate with self-care. Think of the satisfaction afterwards though?! I practice this one regularly. Sometimes I blitz the kitchen, Detol all the surfaces and load and unload the dishwasher. The feeling afterwards is so satisfying. Even if I only manage to clear the pile of paperwork from the coffee table. To not see the clutter or the mess after just 20 minutes is a lovely feeling, and you feel like you’ve accomplished something. Which leads nicely to the next point.
Declutter!
- Spend as much time as you want or can allow for this. Sorting through your sock draw or the bookcase that is full of books you’ve read, go through your spice rack in the kitchen. Reduce the amount of ‘stuff’ in your livable space. Cleanse your home one tiny piece at a time. It’s great to take your mind off of any negativity that may have cropped up during that day, as well as getting rid of the things that you don’t use anymore.
Start a Journal
- This could be in a physical book, on post-it notes or on a blog. Write about the positivity within your day and note down the negative things that have happened. You may start to notice a pattern after a while. Often by writing something down you are most likely to be able to see sense from situations and occurrences. Your journal could be lengthy daily or weekly entries or short notes that are written throughout the day. Either way they offer a time to reflect on what has happened and plan how you will make each new day better.
Drink more water
- I know this might sound like I’m harping on a bit about making sure you drink enough (see this post on first trimester pregnancy). Being properly is going to make you feel a million times better as well as cleansing your body of toxins and impurities which in turn will make you feel better. Two birds one stone.
Learn to say no!
- Instead of being that person that always helps everyone else. say no to people, you cannot please everyone and you shouldn’t have to either. The sooner you start practicing that, the easier it will be to establish your own self-care, as you need to look after yourself first and foremost.
Stock up on fruit and veg
- We all know that eating healthily (and drinking more water) will make us feel better. So why don’t we do it!! getting a huge boost of (probably, in my case) much needed vitamins and nutrients is going to feed your body with the good stuff. You’ll find that you are more awake, have more energy in general all while being healthy and eating clean. I know this is something I’ve been consciously trying to do since being pregnant and I am always surprised at how much better I feel after a few days.
Phone a friend/ family member just for a chat
- Too often we only ring when we have a problem or need a favour. Call them just for a chat, they will probably enjoy it just as much as you will. your also helping to improve someone else self-care without going out of your way. So go on! do it!
Write a list of 10 things / people who inspire you and the reason why
- Similar to the concept of writing things about yourself that you like. Once you have written this list go through and randomly add them to your phone calendar with a reminder set. It’ll be a nice surprise.
Smile!!
- Smile at everything and anything. Just walk round the house smiling. you feel like a bit of a plonka to start with, however I can’t do this one without ending up laughing. So it definitely has the desired effect!
Treat yourself to something indulgent
- Ok so this goes against the £5.00 and under rule. Unless it’s a nice bar of chocolate. In order to self-care, you need to not deprive yourself of things 100% of the time. It’s ok to spend a little bit of money on yourself or give yourself some extra time alone. This is all good for our wellness and sense wellbeing. I treated myself to an Apple Pencil, a bit more than a bar of chocolate I know. However, it was something that I had wanted for a very long time and I knew I would make good use of it.
So there you have it, 20 free or frugal ways to improve your self-care. This is of course only such a small selection of what you could do. Also each individual is different so some of these may apply to some and not others. Self-care is about you being able to find something simple and often free that makes you feel better within yourself, not just on the outside.
I’d LOVE to hear the different ways that all you lovely people practice self-care and any tips for making it a priority in your life. I look forward to reading all your different ideas in the comments.
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