7 Easy Things You Can Do Daily to Practice Self Care

7 Easy Things You Can Do Daily to Practice Self Care
from Unleash Your Girl Power eBook by Lindsey Turnbull

The best way to manage stress is to get ahead of it from the jump. Practicing daily self care will train your brain to be more positive- which can be a huge help when stress rears its head. And I don’t mean you need to carve out time for a luxurious bubble bath or a Netflix marathon daily- self-care is also quicker and easier than that.

It’s easy to incorporate self-care into your daily life. If you practice these (really easy) things every day, they become a routine or habit. You can change your whole mindset into one that is more compassionate, kinder, and more positive. Consider this a type of maintenance, like getting regular oil changes on a car.

Body Scans: Every hour (or more frequently if you’re in a stressful situation, do a quick scan of your body. Notice if you are clenching your jaw or fists, shrugging your shoulders, furrowing your brow, etc. If so, take a deep breath and let your muscles relax. Studies show that relaxing our bodies can relax our minds. If you could use more adrenaline or confidence, try a Wonder Woman-type of power pose.

Focus on your breath: One way our bodies react to stress is by breathing more rapidly and shallowly. Notice if you are taking deep or shallow breaths. Taking a few deep breaths can slow your heart rate, which increases when you are stressed, anxious, angry. Together, body scans and breathing are part of meditation. If you find them helpful, you may want to look into guided meditation apps or videos.

Mantras: Say your mantra regularly, to yourself. Saying something over and over will make you more likely to believe it. If you’re going to tell yourself something over and over, make it something positive. You can train your brain to think positively.

Visualize: Visualizations are really powerful mental tools. By visualizing how you will feel when you achieve your goals, your brain will work hard to achieve them. So, figure out what it is you want, and visualize what it will feel like when you get it. It’s a recipe for success!

Manage Your Time: If time is money, then you should manage your time like you manage your money. Just like you save money for things that matter to you, allocate your time according to your priorities. And don’t waste your time (or money) on people or things that don’t make you a happier, better you.

Practice gratitude: No one has everything they want. Sometimes we focus on what we don’t have, instead of being grateful for what we do have. Grateful people are reportedly happier.

Don’t give energy to negative thoughts: Everyone has negative thoughts during the day. It’s part of life and they’re totally valid. You don’t have to give weight to every thought, especially challenging or negative ones. That means you don’t need to focus on them, try letting them pass by instead, and giving time to the positive ones instead. Focusing on negative thoughts will lead to having more negative thoughts. This is a skill that takes a lot of practice!

Get the UNLEASH YOUR GIRL POWER ebook for more self-care ideas!
Includes prompts, journaling activities, advice & more for a lifetime of confidence for under $20!