This month I am switching it up on the blog again! I wouldn’t be a gemini if I weren’t always changing things up out of boredom. So this month, I am putting my ways to practice daily self-care right here! You’ll get some bonus articles along the way, but each day I’ll be updating this page right here! I invite you to do a 30 day Self-Care Challenge for yourself using some of my ideas below!
Why is Self-Care SO Important?
As humans, most of us continually say YES to other people and put ourselves last. When is the last time you said YES to YOU??? During my last month of running every day, I realized that with life picking up again I am having a hard time squeezing myself into my own schedule. It has pre-pandemic Krysta vibes all over it- no bueno. This month and I carving out time EVERY SINGLE DAY to spend some quality time with myself. If you can’t remember the last time you said YES to YOU, pick a night this week and try out one of these 30 self-care activities!
Day 1- Skip that Workout
Yup, you heard me. I just spent 30 days in a row running. I canceled my workouts for the day and let my body relax and recover. While working out is definitely a form of self-care, taking time to let your body rest is self-care too! If you are an avid healthy lifestyle enthusiast like myself, I challenge you to take a day off this week to let your body recover as well!
Day 2- Paint Your Nails
I LOVE painting my nails. Most people love to go get their nails done and if that’s your jam, schedule yourself a mani stat! The more creative side of me really enjoys the process of picking out colors that will look good together. I find it to be so relaxing to paint my nails and play some fun music. Breathe in the smell of that nail polish (not too hard) and exhale a deep breath of relief!
Day 3- Shopping
You heard me, shopping IS self care! It’s one of my favorite activities to do alone because you can spend hours just browsing. It feels good to touch all the different fabrics and try-on all of the different clothing to see which pieces you love. It’s nice to actually enjoy time to yourself and not need anyone else’s opinion of what they think looks good on you. Hello, we are here for ourselves!
Day 4- No Checking Emails
Today was the 4th of July and I spent the entire day checked-out with my family. I don’t have email on my phone purposefully so that I am not constantly checking my emails. So proud of myself for not evening pulling open the computer once! Being checked out is hard to do when everything is so easily accessible. I also made a rule of NO BLOGGING today! Having a blog is a 24 hour job, it requires attention ALL of the time. Spending time completely with yourself, your friends, and your family not thinking about anything other than being present is what life is all about. It’s hard, but definitely try a shut day for yourself! I promise it will be more enjoyable than you think!
Day 5- Watch a Show
While I am not the person to EVER recommend watching TV or a movie, every once in a while that’s all you need. I’ve been dying to watch the Friends Reunion on HBO MAX. I sat down with my family and truly enjoyed every second of being disconnected from my phone to re-live all the memories that I have enjoyed all of these years about Friends. Maybe Friends isn’t your jam, but take the time to sit down and watch a show or movie without any distractions – be fully engaged. It truly is a bit of self-care that we all need.
Day 6- Spend the Day at the Beach
Anyone who knows me knows how much I LOVE the beach – more specifically, the ocean. There is nothing more relaxing to me than watching the waves crash against the shore. I love the sticky feel of the salt in the air, the smell of the water, the fine sand between my toes, and of course the sound of the ocean! Go where you feel grounded and watch your energy levels and attitude change!
Day 7- Rest & Relaxation
Now, I still am not talking about face masks and bubble baths, I am talking about taking some time at the end of the day to put your head down and breathe. Breathe out the stress of today and breathe in the relaxation of tomorrow. When we are stressed or too exhausted, we just fall asleep without intentionally allowing our bodies to relax and be grateful for the day behind us and the day to come. You can do this with soft music, a book, a meditation, a podcast, or just in silence. Just close your eyes and relax and unwind before falling *peacefully* to sleep!
Day 8 - Read a Book
Today I rode the CHEAPEST airline you possibly can take in America – Allegiant Airlines. This means that for the entire 2 hour flight, there was no entertainment, music, wifi, nothing. Thankfully, I brought a book (that I haven’t read in months, whoops) to entertain me. Nothing is more amazing than being forced to take that time to read. And if anyone is really stuck, I highly recommend Hello Fears by Michelle Poler.
Day 9 - Minimize Social Media
While I admit this isn’t my strong suit, sometimes you just need a day or two off of social media. Obviously, I run a blog which requires a lot of screen time and a social media presence. However, it is extremely important to remember to be present in your own life and often times that means putting down the phone and shutting the computer. Lets be real, most social media sends us into a never-ending scroll-hole and we’ve got more life to live than staring at our phones playing a game of comparison or catch-up with everyone that you follow.
Day 10 - Eat GOOD Food
I don’t mean the kind of food that is healthy and nutritious and fuels your body (this is how you should be eating 80% of the time BTW), I am talking the food that fuels the soul. As I really minimized my social media this weekend, I avoided what Ben would call “phones eat first”. I have no picture to share the the DELICIOUS Mac and Cheese and absolutely amazing biscuit (not usually even my thing) that I ate at the Southerner in Michigan, but I know how much my mouth appreciated the treat. I believe life is about balance, not restrictions or food/exercise trade-offs. Always eat what feels good and right in the moment!
Day 11 - Unpack Immediately
Yup, I am one of those crazy people who needs to unpack as soon as they get home from any trip. Even if it’s after midnight, you better believe I am unpacking every bag and suitcase for my own sanity. Today, Ben and I got home from Michigan after driving 12.5 hours! I told Ben NO to showering, cooking dinner, and hanging out until after the unpacking was done. It’s OK if you like to leave everything for a day or 2, just do what feels best for you!
Day 12- Walk Alone
I LOVE to walk. It clears my mind and helps me unwind from the day or kickstart my morning depending on the timing. Tonight I went down for a walk by the water after have spent ZERO alone time with myself since Thursday (Day 8). It felt AMAZING! It’s ok to say no to hanging out with others (even your significant other or roommate or child) to be able to spend time with yourself.
Day 13- Eat Some Ice Cream Cake
Some days you just have a funky day and feel off. On these days I don’t feel like working out, going for a walk, or cooking dinner. We all have these days. This is what I call an Ice Cream Cake kind of day. When I was in college my friends and I used to just grab an ice cream cake in the middle of the week as a pick me up. As a working adult, it’s such a treat to have a Carvel ice cream cake in the freezer! Sometimes a little ice cream really does just hit the spot – and the emotions!
Day 14- MediTation Stretch
After a week hiatus of not working out, I finally kicked my butt into gear and did a Peloton workout! If you may recall from my month of 30 different workouts, I am a HUGE advocate for a good post-workout stretch. Tonight, I tried out a meditation stretch with Matty Maggiacomo. It was honestly one of the most relaxing activities that I have done to practice self-care this month! It’s only 10 minutes and will have you feeling ready to unwind for the night or wake you up on the right foot in the morning. 10/10 Recommend!
Day 15- Drive Alone
Some people totally hate driving, or driving alone, or even driving in the dark. I absolutely love all of the above. I actually started running after moving to the city and not having my car because it has the same effect. I pump the music up really loud and sing my brains out or just let my thoughts flow wherever they take me. Night driving isn’t for everyone (maybe try some early morning driving), but I love it. Honestly, I prefer to not sit in traffic and just go!
Day 16 - Go to a Festival with Friends
I am a total extrovert and as much as I love spending time with my boyfriend, I get energy from other people – lots of other people! Some of you are introverts and it’s totally OK to need time alone. On the other hand, I have been craving some social time! I am hosting an event at my house tomorrow (and TBH my stress levels are up) but for my own sanity, I know I need to socialize and relax. Everyone is different when it comes to self-care and socializing is usually the opposite of what you see when it comes to self-care, but for me, this is it!
Day 17 - No Social Media
Some days you really just need a social media shut-down. It’s good to step away from the phone and be truly present in the events of the day. The mindless scrolling isn’t needed when you’re spending time with people. Right here. In real time! Put down the phones and enjoy what’s happening around you. Create new memories without a million photos and people saying “Can we take another? I don’t look good”. Be here for the experience and the memories you want to look back on my friends.
Day 18 - Relax on the Couch
You better believe that after all of the socializing I did with 3 different groups of friends this weekend that my body was beyond exhausted. I forgot how much running around and socializing truly eats up your energy. Being honest, I probably haven’t been this (socially) active in over a year and a half. My body was definitely feeling it. I treated myself with a couple hours of couch time. Just time to relax and unwind- with computer in hand of course. It’s good to take some down time for yourself.
Day 19 - Write Gratitudes
Every morning I write out 10 things that I am grateful for before I start the day. It can be anything as simple as “I am grateful to have running water and electricity” to “I am grateful that I have people in my life who love and support me in all that I chose to do”. The idea is to start each day off on the right foot. Since I have been on vacation and adjusting to a new work schedule, I have let my morning gratitudes become less of a priority. Today is the first day since July 1st that have even opened my gratitude journal! Take some time each morning to write out 10 things that you are grateful for and watch how your life changes! If you don’t believe me, you definitely have to read “The Magic” by Rhona Byrne. Just you wait!
Day 20 - Eating Dinner Alone
Have you ever eaten by yourself in public? Just been alone with your thoughts at a table without another human, or worse, without your phone? Tonight I intentionally brought my dinner plate outside on my deck so I could actually spend some time enjoying the *fresh* NYC air. The solar lights at dusk overlooking the trees and tennis court really helped me to relax and unwind after a crazy day.
Day 21 - Setting Boundaries
This is probably the hardest thing to do for most people. My weakness and probably biggest flaw is being a people pleaser. Saying NO is so freaking hard for me. Set aside some time to write out a contract with yourself about how you want to live your life. What things you should say NO to in order to say YES to the things you really want? It’s important to maintain boundaries for your own sanity and help you stay on track with your goals!
Day 22 - Take a Personality Test
I know what you’e thinking – this girl is loosing it. But hear me out! One of my co-workers resigned and is trying to figure out what direction she wants to take her career in next. A career counselor gave her a Meyers Briggs personality test to take, so naturally I become curious about mine too! I took the 16Personalities online test in the time I had for myself between work and dinner with friends. It takes about 10-15 minutes to complete and let me tell you, it was pretty spot on! I recommend taking it if you are curious to learn more about yourself, how you interact with others, and what type of career might best suit your personality!
Day 23 - Play like a Kid
Let’s be real, being an adult is STRESSFUL. It has it perks, but to be honest, it comes with a lot of tough stuff that affects our mentality. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the stress of work or the drama with friends and for some reason it is really hard to take the time to do something FUN. Why is it SO HARD to have fun as an adult – maybe because fun has to be planned as an adult? I’m going on my own rant – back to this self-care tip! I went to a pool party, which again as an adult I might get in the pool and float around and chat but keep my head above the water too that I don’t ruin my hair. This evening I was playing basketball in the water, jumping and splashing around, completely soaked in water. I had SO MUCH FUN. Don’t take yourself too seriously and remember to have some FUN! It feels good to loosen up and have a laugh!
Day 24- Give your Body the Grace to Relax
Some days you workout and your body just doesn’t want to do it. You are not alone. This has happened to EVERYONE and if they pretend it hasn’t, they aren’t human. Some days you start a workout with the best of intentions and then suddenly you can’t get through the “this is hard” threshold. You almost always break through it, but some days you just don’t. The workout continues to feel hard or your body feels awful and it just isn’t happening for you. Finish the workout. BUT – give yourself the grace to not be on top of your game. Do one less rep, walk a little more during your run, or take a longer break between sets. But whatever you do, finish what you started. It may not be your best effort, but you showed up for yourself and respected the level that your body was at today. The my friends is true self-care.
Day 25 - Plan Workouts for the Week
I ALWAYS do better when I plan out my entire week on Sunday. Scheduling and using a habit tracker always helps to kick your butt into gear. This Sunday I got back into the habit of writing out ALL of my workouts for the week – including each run. I’m in the process of training for a half marathon and every mile run matters. Whether you are looking to plan out your dinners, workouts, or just social events for the week, a planner helps you to organize your time to make sure you get everything done!
Day 26 - Foot Massage
I bought myself this foot massager as a Christmas present to myself in 2019 and it certainly has NOT disappointed at all! If you live in a city or just do a lot of walking, or even work at a job that requires you to be on your feet all day, you deserve to treat yourself! Your feet carry your entire body, they deserve to be loved! The foot massager is the biggest treat between work and running out to an activity or before a run. It helps loosen up the tension that is headed to every area of your body. If you haven’t tried a foot massager, I 10/10 recommend trying one – it may just change your life.
Day 27 - Enjoy A workout
Working out can be self-care IF you have a healthy relationship with working out. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a healthy relationship with working out. I love a good workout to get me out of a funk and to help take me mind off of the pressures of the day. Working out is a form of meditation for me. If you are someone who stresses over how many calories you burn during a workout, this probably is not going to be self-care for you. Moving your body is self-care as long as you have fun, clear your mind, and/or overall feel better after it’s over. Today was my first in-person barre class(or any gym class) in a year and a half! It felt so nice to be back in a class with other people! Get your workout in IF that feels good for you!
Day 28 - Relax with a Weighted Blanket
Some days all you want to do is feel cozy! There is nothing wrong with that! Being back in the office 3-4 days a week has been kicking my butt! To help me deal with my pure exhaustion, I have been on the couch all evening with my weighted blanket! Weighted blankets are used for therapeutic purposes, with the intention to help reduce your anxiety and stress. I purchased a 15 pound weighted blanket and it’s slightly too heavy to sleep with at night, but perfect for relaxing and unwinding on the couch! Highly recommend and easy to use apart of your daily self-care routine!
Day 29 - Catch Up on Everything you have been Putting Off
While I know this doesn’t sound like self-care to you, it is for me! I have been feeling a little stuck with my blog (just keeping it real) and finally kicked my butt into gear. Tonight I took three hours to finally tackle my Pinterest account that I have been putting off since the beginning of June. It happens to all of us. I also finally cleaned up all of the odds and ends that have been collecting all over the house, you know return this, clean that, go through the closet and donate – all the fun stuff. Your self-care might be catching on some personal work or finally cleaning that hall closet, whatever it is that will make you feel good.
Day 30 - Spend time with your Partner
I spent the evening watching the sunset and eating cheese on the balcony with my boyfriend. We have lived here a full year now and rarely take the time to sit out here on the balcony. Sometimes you just need peace and time to reflect. We ate some gouda (our favorite cheese) while talking about some of our favorite memories of living in this apartment this past year. Self-care is often an activity that is thought to be a singular one. Sometimes self-care is working on your relationships. I love the time that Ben and I get to spend together and truly be present with each other because it has become rare these days with life picking up again. Enjoy the beautiful weather just the two of you and spend time being fully present with each other.
Just like that 30 days of self-care have come to an end! I hope you found some activities that you can try out and enjoy as well. Self-care is important and saying YES to you and NO to everything and everyone else is hard, but we must do it. Take time to practice self-care every day and you’ll notice many different areas in your life improve from sleep, to relationships, to stress, and ability to focus better. Self-care benefits your physical health, mental health, emotional health, and overall well-being.
Let me know some of your favorite ways to practice self-care? There is no wrong way to do it, just be sure to carve at least 15 minutes out of your day for yourself!
xoxo
Krysta
