Millennials and Gen Z have mastered the treat yourself routine. Self-care is a booming industry and I've added a few steps into my day. Self-care doesn't have to be just about buying lavender lotion and having candles all over your room, but I indulge here and there.
There are several ways to take care of your body and mind without buying tons of things. To build self-care, you need to evaluate what in your life is causing you stress and what you can do to de-escalate that. Here's a self-care routine that I follow a few days a week.
For me, having clean skin makes me feel calm. I've suffered from acne my entire life, but my skincare routine takes care of my body and calms me down. I have a simple 5-minute routine in the morning and a more intense nighttime routine. Three times a week, I do different face masks that force me to remain calm and not crack the mask. Having a process like this helps me recenter and take care of myself.
Exercise as part of self-care took me a long time to agree to. Exercise for me was always a love/hate relationship. When I found the exercise that made me happy and took care of my body, I felt so much better about myself. I love spin classes and the high energy music makes me feel happy. I don't think during that time.
With the music playing so loudly and focusing so much on the bike, I completely lose track of all my worries. I take any frustration from my day out in that exercise. When I'm finished with my class, it feels as though the entire world is off my shoulders. Exercise doesn't have to be fitness classes. They can be long walks or looking up free yoga videos on YouTube.
Nothing cures my worries quite like a hot shower. I'll usually wash my hair and use a thick hair mask as the conditioner. I'll put my hair up and use a shower scrub and really cleanse my skin. I'll then use a good smelling body wash and wash the scrub off.
Routines make me feel calm (as you can probably tell) and having this simple one in the shower feels so nice. Additionally, to moisturize my body after the shower, I'll use lotion to make me smell even cleaner. Taking time out of my day to do this simple step always makes me feel better.
Finally, diet is a major way to treat yourself. Now, I'm not suggesting buying a $14 smoothie bowl and eating kale. I would be lying if I said I did these things. For me, self-care means meal prep for the week. I can create food that I love and that is cost-efficient.
I aim to have healthier food during the week and few treats on weekends. The 80/20 rule works perfectly here. Having food that will make me feel good about my body and feel good throughout the day is an absolute must in self-care.
