Self-Care

Self-Care is one of the most discussed topics, here on Thirteen Thoughts. For a very long time, the only “self” I knew, was self-hate, self-doubt, and self-harm.

Being kind to yourself doesn’t always come easy. It’s often something that we have to learn to do, all over again. It’s not about being lazy, or unproductive or booking a spa day.

It’s about knowing when to slow down. It’s about knowing that it’s okay, to not be okay. It’s okay to feel tired, overwhelmed, stuck, or worn out.

Over the years I’ve written quite a few posts about self-care; what it is, how you can practice it daily, make it a part of your routine, how it can change your life and, most importantly, why you need to practice more kindness toward yourself. Here are some of my most popular pieces on self-care.

*SELF CARE KIT- WHAT IS IT + WHY YOU NEED ONE

Resting against the warm radiator, reading books while sipping peppermint tea and snacking on sugar cookies. Growing up, that was my ideal recipe for a crappy day.

I guess I had my little self-care survival kit (which included Harry Potter books and my favorite peppermint tea) long before I knew what self-care was.

If you want to practice more kindness toward yourself, creating a self-care kit is a great place to start.

What’s a self-care kit?

Think of it as a box of things and activities that make you feel good. Things that help you unwind, relax; things that make you smile, are comforting and help you clear your mind. It’s a bit more than just your favorite face mask, although an indulgent, multiple-step skincare routine is usually on top of my self-care to do list.

It’s about including more love toward yourself in your daily routine. READ MORE


* 50 WAYS TO PRACTICE SELF-CARE

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Being kind to yourself isn’t a luxury…. it’s a necessity.

It also isn’t an act of selfishness. Practicing self-care means that you’re willing to accept yourself and acknowledge the fact that you have both strengths and weaknesses. When you take care good care of yourself, you also set the standards for how you want to be treated by others. READ MORE


*15 SIMPLE SELF-CARE PRACTICES

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I remember the days when “self-care” wasn’t a thing. At least not for me. Reading a book? Listening to music? Taking a long bath? Making a four-course meal that takes three hours to prepare, at least twice a week? Those were the things I just did. Without giving them a second thought.

As my schedule became more packed and work became more demanding, doing things like picking up a new book or trying a new recipe, became somewhat of a luxury. Luxury I no longer had the time for. For a while, the first thing I did after I opened my eyes and the last thing I did before I closed them at night, was to check my email, reach for my laptop and work. READ MORE


*15 SMALL WAYS TO REJUVENATE YOUR MIND, BODY + SPIRIT

Small Ways to Rejuvenate

Promise me something. Promise me that you’ll always have fun, that you’ll always have a heart of a kid, that you won’t change.”

These words were spoken to me by one of my very good friends. It’s been over ten years since that moment, yet I remember it as clear as it happened yesterday. It wasn’t until recently, that I started to wonder; what does that mean, anyway?

I mean, you can’t always have fun, can you? You can’t help, but “grow-up.” READ MORE


*IT’S OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY

Rough patch, a bad day, a major setback. Sometimes, it seems like one thing goes wrong after another. And another, and another.

Sometimes an unexpected challenge or an obstacle might come your way, and you find yourself stressing out, worrying and not knowing what to do. And, some days, you just have nothing. Zero motivation, no creativity. All of the sudden, you’re being plagued with self-doubt.

You think you have to be strong all the time.

You think you’re not allowed to cry, to admit that you’re not okay. READ MORE


*20 THINGS TO START DOING FOR YOURSELF

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One of the most important relationships in your life is the one you have with yourself. How often do you nourish it?

How often do you make yourself, or your own happiness, a priority? You spend a lot of time giving. Giving yourself to others, your work. Life gets busy and you often put yourself last.

You sometimes commit to doing things you don’t feel like doing.

Some days, you can’t help but beat yourself up over a stupid mistake you’ve made.

You have fear of being judged stopping you from doing and trying things you’ve always wanted to do. Perhaps, you’ve heard the world tell you that it’s “too late” for you to make a change, to try new things, to stir things up. READ MORE