This article has been syndicated from Ampersand, an InfluenceHer Collective Contributor. Read the full post here.
At the end of January, I was in a little bit of a funk. Probably because I haaaaate winter and January felt like three years of grey-dreariness. So, to get out of my funk and to honor February, I decided to do a 30-day self-care challenge.
Of course, self-care is all about what makes you feel good, so take this as a starting guide and use it to shape your self-care challenge as your own!
Getting Started
While it’s nice to think you’ll just magically do a self-care activity every day for 30 days, it’s not super realistic without a plan. Here’s how to get started:
- Pick a start date. Sounds obvious! But, start on the first of the month, your birthday, a random Wednesday, whatever – just pick it and WRITE IT DOWN. Put it in your planner or Google calendar. Just like you schedule doctor appointments, work obligations, social events, etc., schedule your self-care.
- Figure out your daily self-care activities. Feel free to use this handy self-care calendar I created (download here!) or make a list of all the simple joys that make you feel good so you can complete one each day. They don’t have to be time-consuming or expensive–it can be as simple as grabbing your favorite coffee or making a gratitude list.
- Tell people! If you tell people you’re doing it 1) It may inspire them to do it too & everything is more fun with friends, and 2) It’s an accountability thing. The more people you tell, the more likely you’ll be able to complete all 30 days.
During Your 30 Days
Alright, you’ve got it all planned out, now here are some tips for your month of self-care.
- Be flexible. This should be a fun activity! If you can’t make it to the liquor store to pick up your favorite bottle of wine today, do it tomorrow and swap it with tomorrow’s activity. Life happens. The point is to do a little something each day, but if your 30 days don’t go exactly according to your calendar, it’s all good.
- Don’t feel guilty. If you miss a day, you miss a day. It’s okay. Again, life gets crazy. As long as you have the intention of completing an activity every day, you’re practicing self-care. You can always tack on an extra day at the end of your 30 days to do another activity.
- Reflect. Take time to reflect on how you feel throughout your 30 days. Jot down some notes or take a moment to think about it. Are you having fun? Is it making you happy? Do you feel less stressed? By doing a little check-in with yourself, you can make any adjustments to make your 30 days the most enjoyable they can be.
Read the full post here.