Maximize Your Mental Health With These Quirky Self-Care Ideas
Maintaining your mental health can be a real struggle some days. As the saying goes, you can't pour from an empty cup. You must take care of yourself before you can take care of others. Take self-care beyond soaking in a bath or retail therapy with some of these more innovative ideas.
Get a Tattoo
Meaningful tattoos
are healing for many reasons. Physically, the vibration and stimulation of the
tattoo machine can provide an outlet. In addition, the image provides ongoing
reassurance and perhaps a message of strength, remembrance, or perseverance for
you every time you look at it.
Make a Done List
A to-do list is a common tool
used to get things done. However, those long lists can become overwhelming and
make you feel hopeless. Creating a done list helps you recognize all the things you've already
accomplished and can make the prospect of completing the remaining tasks a
little less daunting.
Learn Tai Chi
Tai chi is an excellent way to
find calm and focus during difficult times. The slow, repetitive movements
allow you to connect with your body on a deeper level. You can find classes if
you want to do this in a more social setting, or you can find instructional
materials online to help you
learn.
Attend a Local Event
A focus outward on the
community can be grounding. Many small communities have options that are
special and unique. For instance, try out the Lavender Weekend in
Sequim, Washington. Local farms have special events and menus as well as the
opportunity for you to pick your own lavender right from the fields.
Browse TikTok
More time on social media
isn't usually considered a self-care tip, but this app is a little different. The videos, which range from a few
seconds to three minutes long, tend to be uplifting, entertaining, and even
educational. The constant change in videos provides tiny hits of dopamine and
other feel-good hormones to the brain, improving your mood.
Make a Career Change
Learning something new is an
amazing way to find success in the future. Online master’s degree
programs, for example, allow you to easily learn skills
for this change while still spending time with family or working another job.
Just make sure the program is accredited and that tuition rates are in line
with the standard.
Redecorating
To brighten up your mind,
rearranging your physical space can be helpful. You can do anything from
getting rid of clutter on a desk to painting and renovating an entire room. The
change in your space can free you up to make changes in your brain as well,
readying it for new and wonderful opportunities.
Take Cooking Lessons
If you are what you eat, your
brain needs more than takeout and cheap processed food. Taking cooking lessons
allows you to spend some time learning a new skill and also gives you a go-to
menu of delicious recipes, so you can skip the to-go option.
Saving Your Mental Health
While these ideas are a bit
quirkier than the usual advice for improving your mental health, any step is a
good one. Get some fancy organic bath bombs from Bridgewood Organics, or read a good book. Just remember to take care of
yourself.
Carrie Spencer created The Spencers Adventures to share her family’s homesteading adventures. On the site, she shares tips on living self-sufficiently, fruit and vegetable gardening, parenting, conservation, and more. Their goal is to live as self-sufficiently and environmentally-consciously as possible.
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