This week we are collaborating with Her Campus at Franklin and Marshall to promote women’s health and self-care. Here is an article written by one of their Campus Correspondents!
Today, I have tried to find comfort in the small things. Small things that don’t really affect a lot of people, but that help me. The thing with Self Care is that it looks different for everyone. What provides me comfort is different from what provides you comfort and so forth. Discussions about ways one can be purposeful about her own self-care often focus on a few general things, which include the following: exercise, eating well, and sleep. They are right, and they do help, but they aren’t the small things I think of when I hear self-care. Wellness is not just a physical thing. It is also a mental thing. And I’ve used thing too many times in this piece already, but this too is a small thing I have found comfort in today.
I have written about self-care before and how it does not need to be this elaborate evening that various people on social media will sell to you. The work that goes into improving one’s mental health is not something that should be romanticized or glamorized. Yet, here we are, ignoring ads about candles that will magically improve your mood and face masks that will somehow both clear your skin and your brain of all of its acne-version of thoughts. I have said this before, but you shouldn’t have to buy something to practice self-care. It’s tempting, and some influencers may frame buying products as an essential part of self-care, but this isn’t true.
Sometimes all you need is your version of small things. A small thing can be a blog you enjoy reading, or a movie, or even a twenty- minute nap. Below are a few things you can look at or read about or listen to, should you want to practice self-care and avoid spending money.
Tumblr, Cwote
Tumblr is a double-edged sword. It is helpful but can just as equally be harmful. Like most things, moderation is an important key to remember as you go about practicing self-care. That being said, Cwote is a great blog to turn to whenever you feel overwhelmed and you need a reminder to calm down. If you scroll through their blog, you’ll find several posts about what you should do if you feel “x” way. The inspirational pastel photos are a plus. But for the purposes of time, below is an infographic on self-care that I’d like to share with you.
Image courtesy of Etsy.com
Kung Fu Panda. Yes, the movie about the panda. It’s good.
Image courtsey of mensxp: Master Oogway under the sacred peach tree.
One of the great things (there I go again, using things) about creating you own list of small things (we can accept at this point, that things is an aesthetic choice for this piece) is that you can add whatever it is you want to it. The goal of this list you curate is to build something you can return to or practice that will provide comfort despite lack of facial masks and scented candles. Besides, before you dismiss Kung Fu Panda, the following are a few of my favorite lines that you can return to should you need to.
- “There is no secret ingredient. It’s just you.” -Po when talking to Tai Lung after Tai Lung finds the Dragon Scroll of all power is really just nothing.
- “To make something special you just believe it’s special.” Po’s dad to him as he reveals that the secret ingredient to his special soup is actually nothing.
- There’s a lot of nothing going on, but the nothingness works similar to how my thingness works. It’s not about the nothing or about the thing. Nothing and thing are meant to be read as placeholders for you to then use as springboards into your own thoughts and ways of thinking.
- “You are too concerned with what was and what will be. There’s a saying: Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.” Master Oogway to Po under the sacred peach tree.
If for nothing else, you should watch Kung Fu Panda because it’s funny. Laughter is a good way to practice self-care.
Music. Mono by RM
Screen shot from “Forever Rain” music video. Music video can be found on ibighit (the youtube channel).
Music is another small thing (do you get now how these small things turn into big things), I find comfort in. There are many songs and many playlists you can find that will help. Making your own works just as well (if not more). Mono by RM is a great album that discusses a lot of the topics I associate with wellness and mental health. As I did with Kung Fu Panda, I will list below some of my favorite lines from the piece.
- “If I could kiss / the world so hard / would someone welcome me / maybe embrace my weary body.” Line from “Forever Rain”
- “It’s okay to shed the tears / But don’t you tear yourself / Moonchild, you shine / When moon rise, it’s your time / Come on ya’ll / Moonchild, don’t cry.” Line from “Moonchild”
I have many, many, many more. But I will leave it to these two so that you can go ahead and experience the album on your own.
Please remember to find comfort in your own ways, but also to seek help when you think you need it and when you think you don’t. Finding comfort in the small things will help you, but it is not the only way. Talking to someone or joining a mindfulness group will provide you with the tools you need should the small things fail.