Everyone has one of those days where they feel everything they do is wrong. Most of us feel like they need to take care of ourselves. I know that I always feel like that. In my perspective, self-care is key to living a life with as little stress as possible. I have done several things to keep myself relaxed (drinking some herbal tea, reading a book, turning off my phone, etc.). I do most of these activities based on my general mood at that exact moment. But here are five of my favorite self-care activities.
1. Stay at home and relax
The root of my stress sometimes lies on the fact that I'm just exhausted from being surrounded by so many people. The moment my mood abruptly changes whenever I'm with a group of friends, that is a sign telling me that I need to take some alone time. It is okay to let those closest to you know that you need to take a break.
2. Watch one of your favorite shows/movies
One of the ways I like to distract myself is by watching something I really enjoy (either a television show or movie). I honestly enjoy watching anything that'll make me laugh or teach me more about history (or even both). My all-time favorite things I enjoy watching are "That '70s Shows," "Friends" and all of CNN's decades series. It's all about what you enjoy watching.
3. Get energized and workout
There are times where I just want to get out of my house and be active. I feel extremely dissatisfied whenever I don't go to the gym. Once it reaches to that point, I know that I have to just get out of my house and go to the gym. It's the best way I can let out my energy, and even the emotions that I keep inside (such as anger). And sometimes, I don't even go to the gym. A simple and short walk around my town always helps.
4. Take a warm shower/bath
I always take a very long time in the shower because I spend most of my time just thinking about life. I feel like this is the only time I can truly examine my life without being interrupted. I usually make some huge decisions while I'm in there. So whenever I'm stressed out, I like to take a nice hot shower while listening to one of my favorite albums (I'm so glad I invested in some waterproof speakers).
5. Let out your emotions in a journal
This is my favorite way of releasing any type of emotion I have. It may seem like something out of a '80s teen movie, but it works. There are times where I feel like I can't tell anyone about how I feel. This could be because I don't want to hurt their feelings; or because I don't want people to give me advice. There are times where I just want to vent. So keeping a journal where no one will read it is helpful.
