38 Ways to Take Care of Your Future Self

What is self-care?

Let me start by saying what it isn’t.

Self-care isn’t eating a pint of ice cream, binge watching the new season of your favorite show, or getting a mani/pedi. Those things are awesome, and you should do them when the time feels right but they are not self-care. Self-care is when you are taking care of your future self. Intentional actions that will benefit your physical, mental, or emotional wellbeing and set you up for success in the near or not so near future.

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There are so many ways to practice self-care and not all of them make sense for everyone. The important thing is that you consider what are the things I can do today that will make my life better tomorrow.

A few self-care ideas and their benefits

1. Positive Affirmations can help with low self-esteem, lack of motivation, anxiety, or other types of negativities in your life.
2. Exercising is good for your mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing. We should all be doing this daily.
3. Stretching is exercise but you should be doing this along with strength or cardio to keep your joints strong and support recovery. See benefits of stretching in 10 Ways Stretching Enhances Your Life.
4. Drink water, drink water, drink water!
5. Hygiene because we all need to feel human.
6. Set Intentions so you have a purpose to work for every day.
7. Laugh as much as you can.
8. Asking for help is sometimes easier said than done but we should accept when we can’t do it alone.
9. Baths have been shown to lower blood pressure, ease joint and muscle pain, and lower heart rate.
10. Setting Boundaries is needed to prevent yourself from being drained, taken advantage of, steamrolled, ignored, or any other bad experience.
11. Brain Dumps can help you clear your mind and prevent feeling tense, scatter brained, or overwhelmed.
12. Taking a Break even if it’s just a few minutes is good for productivity, creativity, and mental wellbeing.
13. Breathing in a controlled way or deep breathing is powerful in managing stress and anxiety.
14. Journaling whether its bullet journaling, dream journaling, gratitude, or a simple diary is very helpful in organizing and keeping track of life, setting intentions, creating habits, and improving mental health.
15. Go to the Doctor if you’re due for a physical or just not feeling right.
16. Flossing seems so basic and simple but so many of us don’t do it.
17. Finish a Task even if it’s a simple email reply. Such an easy way to feel productive now and not hand it off to your tomorrow self.
18. Forgiveness can be tricky, but it is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Let go of that anger so you don’t feel weighed down.
19. Celebrate Your Victories even if they’re small. Letting yourself feel good about the things you’ve done right can help build resilience.
20. Complaining Less is not an easy one but certainly something to work on every day. Negative words or even just negative thoughts can affect your mood and your physical body in a bad way.
21. Goal Audits are a popular self-care tool that, when done correctly, can help motivate you to improve yourself.
22. Cooking engages all your senses and can be very soothing.
23. Get Out into Nature to breath some fresh air and heal yourself.
24. Crying because sometimes you just need to let it all out.
25. Do Something Creative, whatever that means to you, will take care of your spirit.
26. Planning your day, week, or month keeps you from making decisions based on your mood and handing things off to your future self.
27. Reading is good for the mind and the soul. Read everything you can get your hands on, learn as much as you can. Your future self will thank you.
28. Decluttering is a great way to organize your mind and your physical space, making you feel lighter.
29. Gardening isn’t for everyone but for some getting your hands dirty and growing something can be restorative and help calm the mind.
30. Practicing Gratitude is one of the best ways to improve your mental health.
31. Building Good Habits can be challenging but make self-care so much easier for your future self.
32. Making Your Bed means you have accomplished the first task of the day. It sets you up for being productive for the rest of the day.
33. Meditation takes practice and patience but will be worth it when you start to experience the mental and physical benefits.
34. Skin Care at all ages is important. Get into the habit of taking care of your skin. See Healthy Habits, Happy Skin: 10 Holistic Tips to Skincare for more details.
35. Taking a Nap when you’re feeling tired can give you the energy boost you need to get through the day.
36. Learning is one of the most important things your future self will need you to do. Whether it’s reading, listening to podcasts, or taking a class, learning is a life-long activity for us all.
37. Do Something Uncomfortable when you know it’s the right thing to do and you’ll learn from it. Remember it will be over soon, and you’ll be glad you did it.
38. Talking to Friends helps boost your mental health and feel connected.

Caring for yourself is important. Take a little time each day to improve your physical, mental, and emotional health for your future self.

Want more information and tools for self-care? Purchase the full Self-Care Workbook.

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