After a busy first week back to uni, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Feeling that there is more work than you expected; that people have taken on more societies than you have… or less; or just that you are somehow doing it wrong. In any time of change, uncertainty, or stress, self-care is essential. But if you’re a busy bee it can be hard to fit in self-care, or even to know what practising self-care actually looks like. For me, self-care can be anything which I have decided to do for myself, to give myself joy. It can be more about reminding yourself that you do care about your own well-being, in one simple way, than doing hundreds of things you don’t actually enjoy in the name of “self-care”.
It can be as easy as taking a minute to listen to your favourite song (or one of my self-love song recommendations); reading one chapter of a non-course-related book; doing a quick yoga stretch (Yoga With Adriene is free on YouTube and has videos as short as 5 minutes); taking 15 minutes to walk, doodle, daydream. More important than the action itself is the attitude that goes along with it, I am doing this for myself: this is self-care. Reminding yourself not only that you deserve joy, but that you can give it to yourself.
A few Self-love Songs:
- Doing Me, RAY BLK
- I’m it, Kota Banks
- Side Pony, Lake Street Dive
- Bigger, Beyoncé
- Respect, Aretha Franklin
- Free me, Joss Stone
- And of course…. anything by Lizzo!
If you find yourself often scrolling Instagram, a few additions to your feed could bring self-care even into this. Also purging your feed of anything that doesn’t make you happy. (If you are worried about insulting anyone by unfollowing them, then you can mute them, and they’ll never know!)
A few positive Instagram accounts to follow:
- @frances_cannon – for cute body-positive doodles (above)
- @zeppelinmoon – for funny, sweet and wacky art
- @drawingsofdogs – what it says on the tin, with a woke twist
- @journey_to_wellness_ – for health and wellness illustrations
Whatever you decide to do, remember that in these moments it is all for you!