Written by: Samantha Higgins
As the COVID-19 health crisis continues to drag on, it is becoming more challenging for some people to stay positive. You are not alone if you are struggling during this difficult time in history. Making the time and effort to care for your own needs can have an overwhelmingly positive effect on your mind frame. Here are six self-care practices to try during COVID-19.
Start Journaling
Even if you do not consider yourself to be a writer, there is nothing quite as therapeutic as writing. Starting a journal can be a truly cathartic experience.
You can either try picking a specific topic each day or simply write freely about your current thoughts. Good topics to consider journaling about include listing your short-term and long-term goals, dream vacations, current challenges in your life, and things that you are proud of accomplishing. The goal is to get that pen to paper so that use this outlet to get you through the pandemic.
Boost Your Confidence With Physical Appearance Self-Care
You are not alone if you are feeling down about your physical appearance during this difficult time. You can combat this by using this time to pamper yourself with home care spa options. There is no time like the present to finally take those steps to make yourself feel better about how you look.
You might not be able to go get the dermal fillers in Fort Collins that you are used to, but you can use face oils, bath bombs and bath salts, and even make homemade face masks out of different foods, like avocados and cucumbers.
If a Spa is open in your area and you feel okay going a day at the spa can also boost your spirits and bring you a vast amount of rejuvenation.
Get Outside
Even if you are being extra careful about being around others, you can still enjoy the great outdoors during this time. Bonus points if you engage in exercise while outside. Do not let cold weather hinder your efforts. A walk through the gently falling snow can do wonders for your mood.
If you catch a nice day, try sitting out on your patio to soak up the sun. A dose of vitamin D is sometimes what the body needs to pull it out of a funk.
Dive Into Those Complicated Meals
If you have ever found yourself wishing you had more time to make those complicated meals with long ingredient lists, now is the time to do so. Dust off your cookbooks and plan a meal that you would have never had time to make before COVID-19 hit.
To amplify the positive effects of this practice even further, choose meals that are full of nourishing ingredients. You will feel better about yourself if you know that you are taking care of your physical health. With any luck, you will find some new recipes that will soon become part of your family’s regular rotation.
Purge Social Media
While social media provides immense benefits in helping people to stay connected during this unprecedented time, it can also bring you down. Although you do not need to completely cut out social media from your life, being intentional about stepping away from it regularly can do wonders for your mental health.
It may be that you just need to purge the feeds that do not bring you joy. If you fill your feed with the people and sites that make you happy, you will enjoy the experience much more.
Reach Out to Others
Sometimes the best thing that you can do for yourself is to connect yourself with others. If you are feeling lonely, try texting five friends or family members to brighten their day. Maybe you want to start a new text string with a group of friends so that you can stay in touch and lift each other up with funny jokes and encouraging words.
Or try calling a friend to catch up over the phone. Pour yourself a glass of wine and get comfortable as you reconnect with the people that you love the most.
There has never been a more important time to make self-care a focus in your life. You will feel better about this situation if you take the time to take care of yourself before you take care of others.
