6 Free to Low-Cost Self-Care Activities

Self-care has been such a buzzword lately; we hear it all the time, and yet still find ways and excuses to neglect it. Why is that? Why do we inherently believe we are so unworthy of setting aside time to take care of ourselves? We take care of everyone else, but tend to leave ourselves behind. I don’t know about you, but that is not the way I want to live! With how busy (and expensive) our lives can be at times though, I understand how this happens. But self-care doesn’t have to be some huge gesture that takes all this time or money from our schedules. Self-care can be simple! And you have the luxury to define what it can look like for you.

If you need some assistance gaining some simple self-care ideas, here are some of my favorite self-care go-tos! I encourage you to pick even just one thing on this list and try it out this week. Take note of how you feel before, during, and after.

1. Celebrate the small wins: There is a rule in my household - we celebrate everything, whether big or small. Life is meant to be celebrated! We didn’t always witness this growing up; we didn’t tend to get rewarded for doing the right thing all the time, but we definitely got punished when we did the wrong thing. Don’t keep this pattern going in your adult life. You have the power to undo that. You accomplished a new milestone today at work? Great! You completed something on your to-do list that you’ve been meaning to do for some time? I’m so proud of you! You stuck with your routine and are starting to see results? Let’s celebrate! What makes any of these accomplishments unworthy of celebration? They are all worthy! It’s completely your choice to celebrate it or not; as for me, I will gladly choose the celebration option.
2. Tidying/organizing your space: How amazing does it feel for your space to be clear? Our space impacts our mind more than you may think. Imagine walking into your hotel room for the first time on your first day of vacation, and it is dirty; things are everywhere; there’s clutter and visible dust! How would you feel? Would you go along with it or complain? This answer is obvious. And I get it; you spent your hard-earned money expecting a clean vacation room, right? But don’t we spend our hard-earned money on our rent and household bills every month? Why don’t we uphold our sacred space to the same standards? Clean that room, see how it feels afterward, and get back to me! Then see if you can come up with some form of a routine to manage keeping your space clear and decluttered. It can make all the difference.
3. Cooking/Ordering your favorite food: We all have a favorite food, and we all know how that food makes us feel! Personally, mine is tacos and they make me happy every single time I have them. Treat yourself! You have to eat anyway right? Why not go for your favorite choice when you are wanting to simply reward yourself for being you and making it through a hard day/week/month/year (hello, pandemic)!
4. Coloring, puzzles, or brain teasers: I don’t care who calls me a nerd for this one, but I love a good afternoon of coloring or Sudoku! Why? It keeps me in the moment! It distracts me from the rest of the world and whatever else my mind has going on the time, and is a great brain-stimulating alternative from my typical TV binge-watching. The supplies for these are so low cost but the benefit is pronounced.
5. Self-soothing CBD oil massage: Now this would be a lovely activity if you have a partner who could perform the massage for you. However, “I can do bad all by myself,” right? You don’t need a partner to engage in an activity like this. Yeah, sure, you won’t be able to reach all parts of your body, but can’t you reach enough to still have a soothing, relaxing experience? Put some CBD massage oil on your hands, and try massaging your feet, your shoulders, your lower back, your legs, arms, even your hands! Just because we can’t have the full experience doesn’t mean we can’t do it at all. Do what you can and enjoy.
6. Warm bath with essential oils: Alright, I’ll admit; I haven’t done this one yet. But just the sound of it lets me know that whenever I do go ahead and try it, I am going to love it. There are not many more things that feel better than a warm, relaxing bath at the end of a day. You could even turn this and the last recommendation into a full at-home spa day! Get your spa music going, close the blinds, dim the lights, light a candle (or four!), and just relax. I honestly feel relaxed just typing this! We don’t have to pay $100+ for a spa-like experience. Create what you can with your space and indulge as much as possible. Your body and mind will thank you.

Wishing you the best of self-care this month and beyond.

You deserve it.