16 Ways to Care for Your Body, Mind and Soul

Lately I’ve been taking inventory on whether I care for myself enough on a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level. After a lot of reflection and debate with myself on what “enough” would even look like, I have come to an answer. No, I don’t consistently care for myself enough. I tend to do a lot of self-care when I have a lot of free time and no self-care when I have no free time. I mean, it makes sense, who has time to relax with a packed schedule? But my busiest days are the days when I need to care for myself the most, so I’ve been brainstorming how I can give myself some extra love on those days.

I’m not always thinking about self-care, so as a reminder, I put together a list of some of my favorite things to do, especially when I’m short on time. I always feel a difference when I practice self-care: I’m happier, more understanding, more balanced and more grounded and able to handle problems better. And because feeling good gives me more energy, I become more productive. A clearer head better prepares me to tackle a full to-do list, so I usually make up for the time I took out of my day to focus on self-care. Win-win.

For me, self-care is doing something that takes me out of my routine, gives me room to breathe and decompress and makes me feel good. Here are some things I do to take care of my body, mind and soul.

Morning ritual

My morning ritual is not elaborate because I am still working on becoming a morning person, but for me it is important to have a morning routine, otherwise I feel off the rest of the day. Right when I get up, I journal to clear my mind and get ready for the day—I mostly record my dreams and interpret them but also write whatever comes to mind. Then, I make a cup of tea and think about one thing that I’m looking forward to. I have a habit of focusing on things that I don’t want to do, so shifting my mindset and getting excited about at least one thing that the day is going to bring uplifts my mood.

Rose water

Rose water has anti-inflammatory properties and soothes and cools skin. Because of this, spraying rose water on your body (I spritz it directly on my face) is refreshing and invigorating. I have a rose water spray that I keep on my desk at work and in my purse that I use whenever I feel like I need a quick pick-me-up.

Deep breaths

Sometimes when things seem crazy, either internally or externally, what I need is a deep breath. Breathing helps get energy flowing, and three deep inhales through the nose and exhales through the mouth can be a perfect small dose of self-care in a busy day. When I’m stressed, the 4-7-8 breath calms me down within seconds. To practice, close your mouth and inhale through your nose for a count of 4, hold the breath for a count of 7, then exhale through your mouth for a count of 8. Repeat until you feel relaxed and centered.

Laugh

Who doesn’t feel good after a big belly laugh? Make a list of things that make you laugh that you can use as go-tos. I have a collection of funny and cute animals on Pinterest that makes me smile and laugh and a few Instagram accounts that feature funny videos and memes. I also have people on hand that I can reach out to when I need a good laugh.

Meditation

I don’t dedicate loads of time to meditating, but even when I meditate for 10 minutes, I feel a huge difference in my mood and attitude. Lately I’ve been making my own meditations or meditating to the sound of the ocean. If I want a guided meditation on a specific topic, I usually listen to one from the Hay House meditation podcast. My favorite one at the moment is Sandra Anne Taylor’s Sacred Temple of Guidance Meditation.

Gratitude list

What a mood booster! Recently I’ve been using gratitude lists when I feel stressed, sad, frustrated, exhausted or negative. There is no way that you can feel anything but joy when you are feeling grateful, so a quick mental or written list of 5-10 things you are grateful for will catapult you into positivity. When I was writing gratitude lists daily, my life felt like magic. Literally. Opportunities were presented to me left and right, I had tons of energy, problems were solved easily, synchronicities were all over the place…. Great things were happening and I felt amazing. It was like anything that I wanted to happen was possible. So, if you have time to write a daily list, I suggest you try it! And motivate me to do the same :) If you want to learn more about how gratitude can change your life and you haven’t checked out The Secret, then you should.

Self-date

For me, spending time alone is a necessity. I usually spend my “me time” shopping, singing and cooking in the kitchen, reading a book on the beach, walking in nature or watching a movie on the couch. The last time I was in NYC, I took myself out to dinner at a restaurant I really wanted to go to, and it was perfect! If you’re not one to go out and do things by yourself, try it. It’s amazing how much you notice (internally and externally) when you do something alone.

Let it out

It’s so important not to hold things in if they’re bothering you. I have to continually remind myself that when I feel upset, frustrated, anything—I need to get it out! You can talk on the phone with someone you trust, talk to yourself in the mirror, scream into a pillow, exercise to sweat it out and, if you are creative, paint, draw, write or journal. It honestly doesn’t matter, as long as you do whatever works for you. And remember, whatever you feel is what you feel and that is ok.

Get outside

Fresh air is so healing! Taking a moment to decompress in nature can relieve stress, calm anxiety and ground your energy. Just being in nature is healing. Negative ions occur naturally in nature and have been proven to improve mood, energy and focus; increase well-being and mental clarity; relieve tension and decrease physical ailments. For me, a quick walk out in nature revitalizes my whole being.

SuperSoul

Oprah’s SuperSoul Sessions (available as a podcast, online and on the OWN network) is my go-to when I want feel lighter and be inspired and motivated to achieve my dreams. Each episode has a spiritual angle and features an interview with someone who has done something amazing. They are all so good and the Maya Angelou, Iyanla Vanzant, Tracy Morgan, Mitch Albom and Nate Berkus episodes are some of my favorites. I always feel like I received a healing session and did some deep inner work when I listen to or watch an episode.

Self-appreciation list

So that you don’t forget why you are amazing, write a list! Celebrating yourself is a good dose of self-love that will leave you feeling really good. When writing you will recognize all of the things you love about yourself, and any time you feel anything but love for yourself, take out the list, reread it and remember why you appreciate yourself.

Declutter your space

Our outer world reflects our inner world, and clutter can have a negative impact on our mental well-being. Even though cleaning up your space will take work and can seem like the opposite of self care, the final product will leave you feeling accomplished and relaxed. Whether you decide to do something small like reorganizing a bookshelf or something big like doing a deep clean, you will feel a difference. Caring for your space = caring for yourself.

Declutter your social media

Exposing ourselves to too much complaining, violence and negativity affects us in ways we don’t always notice. Whether in real life or online, toxic messages and images impact how we feel. I regularly do a check of all of my social media feeds to make sure that I’m only following people that make me feel good. When I look at my feed, I want to feel inspired, motivated and joyful. And since I have control over my feed, if someone’s posts are not making me feel that way, I unfollow or mute.

Yoga stretching

When I can, I treat myself to a massage. When I can’t, yoga and stretching is the next best thing. Here are some of my favorite poses that I am trying to do daily.

Baths

I take LOTS of baths. They’re just so good! I usually take them in the evening and set the mood with candles around the bathtub. I add Epsom salt and essential oils to the water to wash away negative energy and to boost my mood, relax my mind and balance my emotions using aromatherapy. Sometimes it’s a quick soak for 10-15 minutes, but on days when I have enough time, I grab a book or put on a podcast and relax for 30-45 minutes.

Mood booster blend—orange, grapefruit, lemon, spearmint oils
Mind-relax blend—lavender, peppermint, rosemary, eucalyptus oils
Emotional balance blend— clary sage, bergamot, frankincense oils

Bedtime ritual

I am a night owl, so sometimes I have a hard time falling asleep, especially if I slept in that day. I use essential oils to calm my energy and signal to my mind that I’m ready for bed. I rub either peppermint or lavender essential oil in my hands and on the bottom of my feet (those two places are the best for absorption) and take long deep breaths. As I’m breathing, I think about all of the good things that happened throughout the day and give thanks. If I’m having a really hard time falling asleep, I also rub lavender oil on my stomach, temples and wrists.

What do you do to take care of yourself on a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level? Tell me your go-tos in the comments.