Can I ask for your self care strategies?

Just as the thread title says. What works for you?

I was wondering whether we could share tips that might help each other.

My tips are pretty lame and not very exciting - I haven't done DBT. Getting enough sleep, regular physical activity and staying away from refined carbs and sugar work for me to an extent.

What are yours?

I know you're only asking for suggestions, but as a disclaimer I'll just say that I understand what works for a person might not work for the next.

I know you told me in your last post you like to take baths. Sometimes, it's really difficult to actually get yourself up and do it, but bubble baths help me SO much. Dimming the lights, lighting a candle you really love the smell of, music/no music (I like no music), as many bubbles as you can handle... When I'm having a panic attack and need some self-care to make it stop, making the water as hot as I can stand helps.

I have asthma, so going for runs isn't an option. I wish it was - it's a great stress relief. I also ######6 hate working out - my mother used to be a bodybuilder (you can imagine the invalidation that came with that) so working out is more of an enemy for me. Lately, I started using my yoga mat and just doing stretches at night. Sometimes I'll use weights, do some sit-ups. Most nights, it just helps to move my body.

Every payday, I like to spend at least $10 on something for myself that will improve my happiness. Sometimes it's a new bath bomb, sometimes it's a cat toy, sometimes it's food. This gives me at least one thing a week that I can do solely for myself. If you don't have a lot of money (I get this - was unemployed for two months recently), even just having a night where you only focus on you helps. I like to make myself a really nice, healthy meal, take a bubble bath, put a ton of lotion on, get in the comfiest pajamas, watch one of my favorite movies (non-triggering!), and maybe even have a beer or two. If you don't like beer, weed. If you don't like weed, a really unhealthy dessert.

For daily activities, though, I tend to gravitate toward easier self-care. I make sure I floss, brush, and use mouthwash every morning. I try to leave enough time in the morning so that I can make myself look how I feel comfortable - not the way I had to look because I didn't have enough time to change it. I'll either make myself a nice breakfast, or grab something quick on the way out. I drink a lot of water everyday (this helps like crazy!), and keep a tally of every bottle I drink. At the end of a long day it's so nice to know that even if you only had three, those three tallies are three things you did to better yourself and your body that day.

It was a long time before I ever gained the energy or love for myself to do any of these things. Different for everybody.

Thanks StevieGirl ! Bath bombs and stuff from Lush always brings me great joy! So do candles and incense. I buy myself a treat once a week, even if it's just a bunch of nice flowers. I also like to keep my house clean and tidy because having a chaotic house makes me feel as though the chaos is creeping into my mind!

How much water do you drink per day on average? There's a book I keep meaning to get called 'Your Body's Many Cries for Water. It looks really interesting.

#1 Taking care of your body. It's absolutely vital that you are well-rested + eat the right things at the right time and in the right amounts. I find that being even a bit peckish can easily ruin my mood.

#2 Meditating. Some like to pray, some do yoga stuff, personally I prefer the kind of meditation when you do not think a thought. Literally. You just sit there and exist.

#3 Spending a day in a park, by a river etc, especially when the weather is nice.

CloudShark wrote:Thanks StevieGirl ! Bath bombs and stuff from Lush always brings me great joy! So do candles and incense. I buy myself a treat once a week, even if it's just a bunch of nice flowers. I also like to keep my house clean and tidy because having a chaotic house makes me feel as though the chaos is creeping into my mind!

How much water do you drink per day on average? There's a book I keep meaning to get called 'Your Body's Many Cries for Water. It looks really interesting.

Lush is the best! Try their "Breath of Fresh Air" spray - it's awesome! Keeping a tidy house or apartment is key. And I have a tall glass I usually keep on my desk at work and refill it anywhere from 5-10 times a day. Recently it's been more like 3 - my medication has been making me feel off. But water-bottle wise it's probably on average about 4 or 5 of them. Really helps!

It's not enough, but it helps.

- Exercising. A lot. Feeds my narcissism, releases dopamine and endorphins.

- Buying new clothes and stuff from time to time.

- Taking the time to occasionally cook real, nice food that I like even if it feels like a waste of time and money.

- Smoking exactly as much as I feel like.

- Making sure to get slam drunk by myself on a regular basis. My music, my rules, my stimuli. No bitches to mess it up.

- Grooming. Eyebrows, nails, $#%^ like that.

where to begin….
Just picture what you can squeeze from your Face+ Body to be perfect as it can be.
then take put it on a list "to do" what to change and what to do to make it. And WHEN.
For me self care include self development as READING. and reading something meaningfull not just some fantasy book. Philosofy, psycholofy, history and only some classics.

AND JUST DO IT ! no excuses.
First you, after everything else. If you can not make yourself best what can you? After you can make your life best. It will become a habbit and develop other sides as work, home clean etc…

Good question. I think of the things I do under different categories, even if some fit under two.
Managing stress: baths, face masks, riding my bike and walking a lot, breathing exercises, playing with my cats. Cleaning (when I neglect this, it reflects in my mental state.)

Maintaining looks/ health and therefore confidence: plucking eyebrows, doing skincare routine twice a day, wearing makeup, brushing hair and teeth, getting a pedicure when my toes look awful enough. Avoiding sugar fanatically (with occasional exceptions) and trying to eat decently, cook, and drink enough water. I usually count sips of water when I wake up in the night, and try to take at least 15.

Intellectually: making myself ready as many NYTimes/ New Yorker articles as I can, at least a few every day, and reading a book or two a month. Also, researching new topics so I don't feel like an idiot.