What do we really invest when we talk about self-care? Three things. Time. Energy. And a bit of money. We invest our time, energy, and money into self-care with the intention of nourishing the mind, body, and soul.
As we are nearing the end of 2022, it’s time to reflect and analyze how we spent the year.
Did it go as you had planned in December 2021 when you were making the new year’s resolutions?
Were you able to stick to the resolutions you had made?
Are you content with the progress that you achieved in 2022 or do you think you could have done better?
Self-care is not popular for no reason. The amount of stress, anxiety, fears and negative emotions we are constantly surrounded by these days makes self-care a necessity and not a luxury like most of us think of it to be.
While self-care may look different to everyone, I am going to touch on a broader view of it. Instead of talking about take a day off, have a spa session, bubble baths, and stuff of that kind ( which are unarguably self-care activities and must be done if and when needed ), I am going address how we can make self-care a part of our daily routine.
If you have read Atomic Habits, you would know the brilliant concept that the author James Clear discusses in the book. Forget about goals, focus on systems instead. This changed my life. One of my shortcomings in life is consistency. Why no matter how many goals I made (trust me when I say, I had made quite a lot), I always failed.
Atomic Habits made me realize why. It’s because my entire attention was on my goals and not the system i.e. I cared more about what I wanted to achieve than how I was going to achieve it and that was where the problem lied as James Clear says – you do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.
The most practical way to change who you are is to change what you do. – James Clear
Once you know who you want to be, start taking small steps to reinforce the desired identity. James Clear explains it with an example of his friend who lost over 100 pounds by asking herself – what would a healthy person do?
She would use this question all day long as a guide.
Would a healthy person walk or take a cab?
Would a healthy person order a burrito or a salad?
She figured if she acted like a healthy person for long enough, eventually she would become that person. She was right.
We tend to forget that self-improvement is one of the most important aspects of self-care. I’m sharing below the changes that I made in my life to feel more alive which ultimately narrows down to mindfulness.
In today’s times, mobile phones and social media platforms have become integral parts of our lives and I do not have to explicitly state how addictive they are. But the most negative impact of phones and social media platforms is I feel – the inability to stay in the present moment i.e. the inability to focus on one thing i.e. the inability to be mindful.
Has it ever happened to you that you are studying or working on a project but you struggle to do it without checking your phone every now and then?
Has it ever happened to you that you are having lunch and your eyes can’t resist going to your phone when the only thing that you should be staring at is your food plate?
Do you wake up in the middle of the night and end up spending several minutes mindlessly scrolling through your social media feed or browser or random youtube videos?
At this point, you should know that your phone has successfully managed to make you its slave and most of us do acknowledge that instead of running away from reality. The problem is not your phone or any of the social media platforms. It’s not entirely your fault either. Social media platforms are specifically made to make you addicted to them so even when you wish to use them mindfully, the addiction just manages to grab you.
For me, investing in self-care has been about investing in mindfulness and if you are already addicted to your phone, it does not come naturally to you. Not easily at least. You have to put in the effort.
Try out the following recommendations in 2023 that I’ve personally experimented with which gave me incredible results to get 1% better every day, reminding yourself that the efforts of small habits compound over time and you’ll end up with results that are nearly 37 times better after a year.
You can cultivate the following habits for either the goals that are specific to you or to help you get into the habit of focusing on one thing and getting rid of distractions.
This post may contain affiliate links. This just means that I receive a small commission if you purchase something through the links in this post at absolutely no extra cost to you. This is one of the ways I support my blog.
Books
Investing in the right books certainly equals investing in self-care. Cultivating the habit of reading can bring that shift in your life that you may have never thought about. The very fact that while sitting at your home, you get to learn the wisdom that people have gained from the rough experiences in their life, research, and struggles is fascinating.
A book, for me, is not only a source of wisdom but also a way to work on my focus.
When I was addicted to my phone, the way I would read used to be – reading a page, grabbing my phone, reading another page, grabbing the phone again and that’s how it would be. Addictions, I tell you. Getting into self-help books not only broadened my perspective but also contributed to breaking my phone addiction.
Now when I read, all that I do is… read. My focus and attention stay on the book in my hand.
Here are some books that you should definitely try to read in 2023. The number of ways books can positively influence your life is just amazing.
You can go for the translated versions if you need them. However, I cannot guarantee the translation because I haven’t read them but you can check the reviews and decide.
Atomic Habits ( Marathi )
Atomic Habits ( Hindi )
Who Will Cry When You Die? ( Hindi )
The Psychology of Money ( Marathi )
The Psychology of Money ( Hindi )
Teddy Bears
I am not going to lie, I’ve always been fascinated by teddy bears. As a kid, there was a strange pull that I felt toward soft toys but believe it or not, I didn’t have a single soft toy as a kid. Somehow, I always felt that it fell in the category of unnecessary expense and I resisted the temptation all along until one fine day when I don’t know what came over me but I decided to invest in a teddy bear.
I had enough money and I felt that I could spare a little amount and after spending days, searching for an affordable but good one, I ordered this and after spending some time with it, I realized that a teddy bear is not really a luxury like I had thought of it to be. I do wish I had got it for myself a lot earlier but better late than never.
Teddy bears offer what some of us don’t get when we really need it if not always then quite a lot of times – unshakable emotional support, calming comfort, and a sense of unwavering security.
Of course, human interaction is different. Of course, cuddling an individual is different but all of us go through times when we just don’t want to be held by another person no matter how close he/she is to us.
There are times when we need to be all by ourselves then be it to figure things out or just to have some alone time. There are times when we feel stuck and don’t wish to talk to anyone about it because we know we are capable of handling our stuff. There are times when we just don’t feel good for no obvious reason.
Holding a teddy bear or stuffed toys to yourself in such moments not only makes you feel better but also sends a calming relaxation to your anxious heart.
If you don’t already have one, you should definitely consider gifting yourself one. <3
Musical Instruments
Music is therapeutic but did you know that learning to play a musical instrument is linked to better cognition?
A twin study reveals that playing a musical instrument is significantly associated with less likelihood of dementia and cognitive impairment which support further consideration of music as a modifiable protective factor against dementia and cognitive impairment.
Learning to play a musical instrument has more benefits than you might have considered.
- It improves your ability to focus.
- It makes you more patient because if you have learned any musical instrument, you must be knowing that it’s not easy when you begin. It demands not just your time and attention but a whole lot of patience, teaching you to not give up no matter how long it takes.
- It keeps you away from your mobile screen. Your eyes will thank you for this, trust me.
- It reduces stress and anxiety as music naturally has a calming effect.
- It helps with the dopamine detox that a lot of us need these days because clearly, there is no instant gratification here. It takes time and effort.
You can look up on the Internet and do your own research if you want to know more about this and you’ll be amazed by the power that musical instruments hold to influence you in such beautiful ways.
I bought myself a piano keyboard last January after contemplating for over four months if to buy one or not. Not having enough knowledge about musical instruments only added to my misery when I decided that I definitely do want to buy.
After spending days, looking through the different keyboards on Amazon, I finally ordered one and I can’t tell you the anxiety and hesitation that I had but I was so relieved when I got my hands on it. It was the best that I could get in the amount of money that I was willing to spend.
I would have added the link but it is unavailable at the moment. If I see it, I’ll come back to add it.
The reason I chose a piano was that I have always been fascinated by it and felt that I could learn it at home from YouTube tutorials. You should get yourself whatever you’re inclined toward. A guitar, a flute, a mouth organ, a tabla, or a harmonium… the one that you’re willing to learn.
Journals
The rise in the popularity of journals should tell you the number of lives that journaling has changed and it’s not overrated, I guarantee you.
Journaling plays a significant role in improving your mental health by giving an outlet to your thoughts, thus bringing more clarity to your life. At times, you don’t even know what has been going on in your mind until your pen writes it down in your journal. It is after you finish writing and take a look at it, you realize – oh, this was on my mind?
Journaling also helps you to know more about yourself. You can find several journaling prompts in Pinterest shared by generous people that can help you discover who you truly are.
Journaling looks different to different people and I believe everyone should find what works for them instead of blindly following someone else. You can always look up examples to get started though but find what works for you.
I love keeping a gratitude journal. It helps me focus on what I have instead of sulking over what I don’t.
If you are thinking about ordering a journal from Amazon, here are a couple of ones that I have used and found beautiful –
Coloring Books
This is something that I’ve recently discovered. I am terrible at drawing. Would you believe if I said I was actually afraid of failing in that subject as a kid? I was. I was ecstatic once that subject was out and ever since then, I remember keeping my sweet little distance from drawing and coloring stuff.
I still can’t draw, that hasn’t changed but coloring books surprisingly turned out to be therapeutic for me when I was experiencing anxiety and restlessness. My mind was on a mission I won’t cooperate and it made me feel stuck and lost.
I randomly got my hands on one of the coloring books from the bunch that my sister had brought. Though my sincere reason was to spend time away from my phone, after coloring the joker ( yes, it was a joker ), I felt… relaxed. Rejuvenated actually.
While this may not be as therapeutic for everyone, you can certainly use this to break your phone addiction. Think of it as just another way to remind yourself that there is life outside your phone and learn to be without your phone for longer durations. It is quite affordable as well. I think my sister got those coloring books for like 3o rupees each.
Handicraft
Not just it is a fantastic hobby to venture into but also incredibly satisfying and rewarding. I was exposed to the fascinating macrame and beads art when I was around ten or twelve maybe. I don’t exactly recall but I remember we had given a room on rent for a women empowerment project that taught women how to make macrame and beads art and stand financially independent in life.
Those women had generously taught me and my sister as well. I still remember, completing the key holder and the newspaper holder added so much to my self-esteem back then. It took me a while to let it sink in that I made that thing because the samples they had shown were so beautiful. I could never see myself being able to make those so when I actually did… it definitely left me stunned.
Unfortunately, life got busier and I couldn’t continue exploring macrame art but after the pandemic almost stopped life, I decided to reconnect with macrame.
I do feel that we need to develop more hobbies that keep us away from our mobile screens and add value to our lives. The DIY channels on YouTube are so inspiring. They teach you to do it yourself than buying a readymade product. Of course, you can’t make everything and that’s not my point either.
My point is spend time with yourself and explore new things to discover the hidden talents inside you. There are a bunch of types that you can try.
Macrame art.
Beads art.
Clay craft.
Shell craft.
Papercraft.
Crochet.
Knitting and so many more. Find what interests you and learn it in 2023.
Are you ready to spend 2023 being the better version of yourself? You’re your biggest commitment. Invest in yourself and have a fantastic year ahead. If anything from this post brings any positive changes in your life, do come back and share with us.
With love. <3
The most beautiful post I could have read before 2023 ends ! 💗
After reading this post completely, I have felt so inspired to implement most of them . Thank you for this! 🤍
I wish your loved ones and you a very happy and prosperous new year ✨🧿
May you keep spreading joy and enlightening people with your wisdom🌈
I really feel so lucky to have got to know your page !