If you’re anything like me, you live for the days where you get to just take off and treat yourself. Though, face masks and trips to the spa are nice, those prices can start adding up, and especially if you’re in college, you may not have the funds to treat yourself all the time. Here are five easy (and free!) self care habits:
- The Power of Saying NO
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Don’t let the fear of missing out and being a people pleaser stop you from checking in on yourself first. You can’t pour into someone else’s cup when your own is almost empty. Take days to recharge within yourself, instead of overextending yourself and simply feeling drained in the end.
- Practicing Self Compassion
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Don’t treat yourself with unkind words and thoughts. Words have weight, and if you keep filling your head with negative energy, soon you’ll become those negative thoughts. Take time to find the best qualities in yourself, even if it’s only one thing.
- Honor Your Feelings
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“Get real about how you feel so that you can heal.” Candace Van Dell. Do not internalize your feelings. If you’re feeling sad, cry it out. If you’re feeling angry, let yourself be angry. Your feelings are always valid, and you should never try and suppress anything, especially for the sake of other people.
- Doing Less
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There is nothing fulfilling about being burnt out and exhausted. Take your time in accomplishing goals on your to-do lists. You don’t have to over exert yourself to get things done, slow and steady wins the race after all. It’s never about how much you can do, but the quality of how it all turns out that matters.
- Logging Off & Unfollowing
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Social media can be a toxic environment. It’s proven to take a negative toll on mental health. Take some time to log off of Instagram and Twitter, delete the app, and spend the hours you would’ve had scrolling on your phone to do a more productive activity. Taking a walk, reading, (learning a new language on Duolingo). There’s also nothing wrong with unfollowing people who create negative effects in your life. If you find yourself constantly looking at someone’s profile, wishing you could look like them, or have their life, maybe it’s time to hit that unfollow button and move on. You should only be following people who uplift and inspire you.