Self Care Corner

Self care can be as simple as taking five minutes in the morning to meditate, staying home to rest instead of going out with friends, or making sure you have time to play your favorite video game. Self care is a habit we must practice often to feel our best.

Sleep. Aim for a consistent, healthy sleep schedule every night. Not getting enough sleep can seriously affect our concentration, mood, and overall health.

Exercise. Exercise has so many benefits aside from just ‘looking good’. Regular exercise has physical and mental health benefits that are both short term and long term. Physical activity reduces stress in our bodies and leaves us feeling great. Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day- whether it is going to the gym or taking a walk.

Be creative. Spend time coloring or painting. Try cooking a new recipe. Being creative is great for our brain health and physical healthy. Being creative helps us connect with ourselves on a deeper level.

Eat right. Eating healthy allows us to feel good and provides us with the energy we need to do all of our favorite activities. Eating healthy can boost our moods too! Try to limit soda, juice, and fast food.

Gratitude. Create a list of things you are grateful for. It can be as simple as feeling grateful for having the ability to use this website, or feeling grateful to have a best friend. Aim to put 10-15 things on your gratitude list!

Boundaries. Setting a boundary can be uncomfortable, but necessary to preserve ourselves. Practice saying ‘no’ to people, activities, or events that will deplete us of our energy. Trying to please everyone and attend everything we are invited to can leave us feeling overwhelmed, burned out, and irritable.

Get organized. Take some time to organize and clean your backpacks, closets, garages, toy bins. Get rid of or donate anything you don’t want or need. Organizing and uncluttering can make us calmer and increase our concentration when working on a task.

Be Kind. Be kind to yourself! Use positive self talk and be gentle with yourself. We are all human and we all make mistakes. We are typically our own worst critic so its important that we go easy on ourselves.

Music. One way to relax is by listening to music. Putting on some of your favorite songs can decrease anxiety, help us connect to ourselves and soothe us.

Affirmations. Repeating affirmations everyday can have a positive effect on us. They can help us challenge our negative thoughts. Something simple like ‘I am smart’ or ‘I am hardworking and can do anything I put my mind to’ can instantly boost our self confidence.

Unplug. Take some time away from technology. Spending hours on social media or surfing the web can leave us feeling overwhelmed, unproductive, and even lonely. Unplug and spend time alone, or connect with friends and family in person.

Have a Me Day. Spend a day or a few hours doing something that you love. Whether it’s watching your favorite movie, or going to get your hair done- do something that is relaxing and makes you feel good.

Have Fun. Do something simply because you enjoy it. Having fun reduces stress and can make us more productive in other areas of our lives.

~Laughter is the best medicine~