It is November of 2020 and if you are not amazed that the year is only two months away from being over, you should be. The year 2020 has been a rollercoaster of emotions and events. There is a global pandemic, election week has just passed, there have been many calls for justice and people everywhere are joining the fight. To top it all off, there is school. If school alone is not enough to stress you out, maybe make a list of all of the other things that have happened this year and one of those might cause you some stress. All jokes aside, it is always good to practice self-care and treat your body the way it deserves to be treated. Here are a few ways to do that.
1. Skincare
Skincare, skincare, skincare! Taking care of your skin is one of the best ways to take care of yourself. By practicing skincare, not only are you physically bettering yourself, but you are emotionally and mentally relaxing yourself. Many people use this time to invest in themselves and destress by applying a face mask, exfoliating, or even simply applying their favorite moisturizer and/or scent.
2. Pick up a hobby or continue one
If facemasks are not your thing, find something that is. Pick up a hobby or resume one that you have put on hold. For some, this might be exercising, playing a sport, playing video games, or baking. If you have not found a hobby yet, take a childhood hobby and revamp it. Something cheap and easy to do is purchase an adult coloring book. No, it does not have to be an adult one but adult coloring books are becoming more and more popular. You can easily go to your nearest dollar store and purchase one (or hop onto Amazon and get one delivered to you because there is a pandemic going on).
3. Catch up with a friend (safely)
Due to COVID-19, social interaction is looking a little bit different than usual. While social distancing may be important, it is also just as important to still be social and interact with other human beings. You can do it safely through text messages, phone calls, or any type of video chat. Humans are not meant to be alone so keep that in mind and reach out to a loved one. Catch up with them or simply send them some memes to keep yourself connected to those closest to you (or maybe someone you haven’t talked to in a while). Also, if you want to have a socially distanced movie night, try Netflix Party. It allows you to stream Netflix shows and movies with people remotely.
4. Read a book or watch a movie
If you want to get lost in a different world and forget the one that you are currently in, that is okay too. The perfect way to do that is by reading a book! Books are often overlooked but they hold some of the most unique worlds with wonderful characters that you can read about. If reading is not your thing, watch a movie or a TV show. With all of the different streaming services available, it is easy to find something to suit whatever mood you are in.
5. Reflect and give yourself positive affirmations
Something that many people may overlook is praising themselves and reminding themselves that they are doing a good job. Positive affirmations are the best way to do that. A positive affirmation can be as simple as telling yourself that you will get through this and you will be okay. You can write them down on sticky notes or a piece of paper and keep it with you throughout the day. At the end of the day, you can also reflect on what you did and give yourself a little affirmation on the things that you did right instead of focusing on what went wrong. It may seem small and insignificant, but it is a step towards self-love and self-care.
6. Use grounding techniques
Although it is becoming more and more common to see people sharing their experiences with mental health, it can sometimes still feel lonely. Many people are victims of anxiety and that is okay. It happens to everybody at varying degrees. If you find yourself experiencing anxiety, try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique. Find and acknowledge 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. This helps to bring a person out of their spiraling bubble and helps them focus on the present. You can also try deep breathing and meditating. There are apps such as Calm and Slumber that have guided exercises to help you or even just soothing stories for you to listen to.