When most people think of “self-care,” the kinds of mental images that pop up often involve things like quietly relaxing in a hot bath, reading a book, getting a spa treatment, or listening to some positive affirmations or some upbeat music. While all of these things can be great ways of boosting your sense of wellbeing, though, “self-care” can be a much broader topic that can encompass things ranging from seeking out conscientious American Addiction Centers, to undergoing professional retraining. One area where significant wellbeing benefits can be found is with regards to certain direct physical actions that, for many people, seem at first glance to fall outside of the realm of “self-care” altogether. Here are a few examples of physical actions that can be surprisingly effective forms of self-care.
Cleaning and beautifying your home
If you were to ask most people, there’d probably be a general consensus that domestic chores land more on the side of “drudgery” than on the side of “self care,” and yet cleaning and beautifying your home can be an extremely significant thing to do when it comes to your overall sense of wellbeing. A cluttered, dirty, and visually unappealing home environment can fuel feelings of stress, agitation, frustration and despondency. And it can also cause you to feel disempowered as a whole. By contrast, keeping your home environment clean and tidy, and making it beautiful to the best of your ability, can give you a boost and can help you to feel more upbeat and in harmony. At the same time, tidying up your home can also be a meditative practice that can help you to center yourself and to take a step back from your own thoughts — at least if you do the tidying in a mindful way.
Going for a stroll
Simply going for a stroll can have a deceptively powerful effect on an individual’s sense of wellbeing, and in many cases can lead to a major mood shift. When you go for a stroll — especially somewhere in nature — you engage your muscles and get some light exercise. You breathe in some fresh air. You direct your attention outwards a bit and away from your own thoughts. Lots of reasons have been suggested for why strolling in nature, in particular, seems to have such great benefits. Health-promoting compounds released into the air by trees may be a part of it. Whatever the case, regular strolls can be great for well-being.
Spending some time on personal grooming
If you’re feeling down or exhausted, doing some personal grooming and getting dressed up may be the last thing on your mind. Ultimately, though, you’re almost certain to find that you feel more confident, more optimistic, and more energized after doing some personal grooming than you were beforehand. There’s often a vicious cycle that takes place where low mood contributes to neglecting personal grooming, and the lack of personal grooming then exacerbates the low mood. Practicing some self-care through personal grooming can potentially do a lot of good.
