Throughout the semester I found it tough to juggle school assignments, a part time job, friendships and my personal health. Out of everything on this list, practicing self-care took a back seat. Now that we have finished the spring semester of college, summer is finally here! Gone are the long days of studying and cramming in homework assignments before midnight. With this newfound time in our unclogged schedules, we can actually begin to practice self-care. Self-care can be defined as “taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health” according to Oxford Language.
With this in mind, self-care looks different for everybody. This is why it’s important to explore several methods in order to find out what works best for you. Last summer I spent time prioritizing my own exploration of self-care, and here are a few methods that I think can be a positive experience for anyone.
- Go for a Walk
I learned in a stress management class that simply walking without music is one of the easiest ways to eliminate stress. We are constantly being stimulated with entertainment whether it be music, social media apps or television. Going for a walk without music may seem boring at first, but it gives you time to be by yourself and really take in your surroundings. Not only this, but it’ll give you the opportunity to be alone with your thoughts which can be a good way to check in with your mental health.
2. Practice Reading
Not everyone enjoys reading, especially because of all the mandatory books in school. But escaping the world through the pages of a good novel is a magical experience. The summer is a great time to experiment with different genres and find the kind of book that is compelling to you. Reading doesn’t have to be your only form of entertainment, but it is a great substitute to looking at a screen all day. Along with this, reading gives you the space to explore your own imagination as you develop images for characters and become emotional attached to certain storylines.
3. Meditation
As a person with anxiety, I have found that meditation is a great way to reconnect with your mind and body. There are a plethora of resources for meditation but one of my favorites is the Calm app. With the Calm app, you can actually specify a meditation for the time of day, your current mood, or an impending stressor in your life. Although meditation isn’t for everyone, there are so many versions of meditation to try out. It just takes a few sessions to realize which style of meditation, if any, works the best for you.
4. Cooking
The most shocking form of self-care that I developed was cooking. I’m not talking about a fancy kind of dish that a Chef would make on the Food Network, but a meal that takes more time than heating up instant pasta in the microwave. I found that cooking providing me a space where I had to be focusing in the present moment and concentrating on everything I did in order to follow a recipe correctly. It was during this time that my mind would drift from the stressors of the day or the future and only think about layering a lasagna properly. Likewise, I realized that not only was making food a calming activity, but serving it to other people also made me feel good. There was enjoyment from putting effort into something and having it be appreciated by the people around me. I know that not everyone enjoys cooking, but there is peace to be found in kitchen.
All of these suggestions above stem from the one place of self-care that I find really important which is solitude. Everyday we are consumed with entertainment from technology or friends, but self-care is a time where you can find enjoyment from being with yourself. By giving back to your mind and body, you can rest you soul and recharge for the next day. It’s not necessary to practice self-care daily, but just by doing one or two things that you consider self-care activities a week you will notice a change in your energy and overall mood.