Curating Your Self-Care Menu

Self-care is a necessary part of maintaining a balanced life, but often life has a way of getting away from us, making it difficult to prioritize the care we need to feel good in our busy day-to-day. Looking ahead to the deep months of winter, we wanted to take a moment to help you feel prepared for these often dreary times when you might need a little extra care, so we’ve put together some ideas for curating a menu of options when you need a moment of self-love. The goal with your personal menu is to make sure you’re covering each category for optimal self-care. We’re breaking it down into five areas including environment, activity, nourishment, reflection and entertainment, there’s something for everyone, no matter how you best care for yourself.

Environment

The space we spend most of our time in can be such a factor in how we’re feeling. Have you ever heard the saying, cluttered space, cluttered mind? This might not be true for everyone, but I’ve often found that when my space feels chaotic, I feel similarly both mentally and emotionally. When caring for yourself it’s important to prioritize your environment. If you’re like me and need things in their place, perhaps start with tidying up your home. For others an environment that supports your care might be all about comfort, so perhaps grab some cozy blankets and cuddle up with a comforting pillow. Or you might be someone who needs ambiance, so why not light a candle and create a relaxing glow in your home? I love to do this at my home office desk because it always gives me a sense of calm regardless of how my day is going.

Activity

This is always an interesting category for me because each person truly needs something different. Some people will want movement, whether that’s getting outside, going for a walk or hike, hitting the gym or attending your favourite fitness class. While others might just need stillness and calm to prioritize their self-care. Any of these options are great, as long as you’re choosing the activity that is best for you and what you need.

Nourishment

This one is a must-have when it comes to any self-care menu. You can’t move through life as you need to unless your body has the fuel to do so, simple as that! Whether it’s your favourite snack, making the perfect meal or beverage, or drinking enough water, we have to take care of our bodies and make sure it has what it needs to give us energy.

Reflection

A big part of self-care is about slowing down. In this case, we want to encourage you to take a step back during these moments when you’re taking time for yourself, whether you choose to journal, meditate or take some space to be creative. This can be a category that’s incredibly difficult to prioritize because life can be so fast-paced. I recommend practising reflection either at the start or end of your day when you’re naturally moving a little slower.

Want more self-care tips and ideas? Check out our Self-care section and our Instagram to stay in the know.