Everyone takes care of themselves differently.
How do you take care of yourself? I'm here to share some of the ways I take care of myself when I'm not feeling well in the hopes that they're of some use to you if you need a new way to take care of yourself.
1. Stop and take a breath.
Yes, this holiday season is busy. The holiday season is always busy. There are people to see, things to do, places to go, things to buy - just stop. When you're in your car, before you're about to drive somewhere - take a breath. Just focus on the sound of your breath and the way it feels as you breath in and out and see how much better you feel afterwards. Hopefully, it'll help you out.
2. Lay down for a little bit.
Long day? Lots to do? I've had days where I've only had an hour free, with maybe 10 minutes here or there. Instead of rushing around, I just laid on my bed, legs dangling off, and stared at the ceiling. Maybe I hummed a song to myself, maybe I just laid there. Either way, having that time to let my body relax and not have to move was pretty great, especially during a busy day. Heck, if you have the time, take a nap. For added enjoyment, during my busy day naps, I liked to put a cold, wet washcloth over my face so that I could enjoy the calming sensation of a cooling breath. 10/10 highly recommend.
3. Enjoy a warm drink.
Okay, okay, I know. Some people don't like coffee, some people don't like chai. You know what my favorite few things are? That's right. Coffee and chai. Specifically, I like vanilla cappuccinos, peppermint mochas, and vanilla iced chais. Because we have a Starbucks in the middle of campus that I have to pass by when I'm on my way to class, I get tempted. Quite often, actually. (I'm accepting donations to my Paypal to fund my coffee habits and whoever donates gets a custom printed postcard from my photography ventures. I'm completely serious about that.) But really, chais are my little bit of happiness in a day. They're sweet, they smell amazing, and the taste is rejuvinating and invigorating. Try one sometime.
4. Listen to some music you like and zone out.
Got 15 minutes to do absolutely nothing? Grab your headphones or earbuds and sit down with a blanket and a pillow and get comfy. Listen to your music and stare out into nothingness. If you decide to lay down while you do it, that's up to you. If you do that, I'd like to challenge you to try and pull yourself into your mind. I have this whole spiel about how your mind isn't spatially located where your brain is, so trying to pull all the sensations of your body into your mind is a pretty difficult task unless you know your body well and know how to get in touch with your mind. Realize there's something deeper than just the physical world, relax, and let yourself slip into it. You'll find that you'll come out feeling energetic and calm, and definitely ready to take on the world.
I hope these tips have helped you a little bit, and I hope you've enjoyed all my writing so far. It's been a great semester writing, and I appreciate everyone who's ever read any of my articles.
