If, like many others, you resolved to practice better self-care this year, it may be helpful to define what self-care means to you personally. While everyone’s definition of self-care may vary slightly, the gesture is essentially the same – self-care is an act of self-love.
Self-care is more than resolving to treat yourself better; it’s understanding ways to treat yourself better and developing lasting habits that can help you maintain ongoing mindfulness and self-care practices. In this article, we’re going to discuss some unique ways to do a self-care Sunday. We’ll touch on how to identify some of the body’s needs as well as how to meet those needs as we practice self-care.
Make a Self-Care Kit
Practicing self-care regularly helps it become part of your daily or weekly routine. Introducing new elements into your routine can become habitual after as little as three weeks of consistent practice.
One way to help get into a habit of practicing self-care is by preparing your own self-care kits with things like bath and body products, candles or incense, and your favorite candy or treats. Then, start the new year off positively by acknowledging that you are worthy of self-care and self-love!
What Should You Put In A Self-Care Kit?
Your self-care kit can contain anything you want. So, as you assemble it, ask yourself: what are some things that make you happiest? Figuring this out is potentially the most challenging part of putting your whole self-care kit together – the introspection and self-honesty required to understand how to make gestures of self-care meaningful for you.
Whether it’s setting aside time to go for a walk at sunset, treating yourself to a much-needed manicure or pedicure, or even lighting a scented candle, self-care should always be something that resonates specifically with you. Eating a favorite childhood candy is another way to show ourselves love, especially if it’s a candy that you saved for rare or special occasions.
Self-Care Kit Checklist
Here’s a quick rundown of self-care kit items that will help you treat yourself the best this new year:
Things That Make You Happy
- A mixtape or playlist link to your favorite music, or even a specially curated playlist for self-care
- A copy of your favorite movie, show, or video game
- Photos of friends, family, pets, or anything that brings you joy
- Affirmation cards or notes to keep you in that self-love mindset
- Items that remind you of happy times, or things that make you laugh
Things To Nourish Your Body
- A water bottle to hydrate yourself
- Candy, treats, or snacks. You can even work in aromatherapy with tasty lavender treats for an extra calming boost.
- Face masks, nail care kits, or hair products
- Lotion or body scrubs
- Bath products like soaps, bath bombs, shower steamers, or bath soaks
- A list of stretches or exercises to get your body moving and release valuable endorphins
Things To Nourish Your Mind
- Fidget or puzzle toys
- Games to stimulate your mind, like sudoku, word searches, crosswords, and the like
- Something new to read – there’s nothing better on a self-care Sunday than starting a new book!
- A journal to help you practice mindfulness
Remember that these are just suggestions. Your self-care kit can (and should) include nothing but things that will feed your body, mind, and heart, whatever that may be.
Respect Your Body’s Needs
The perfect self-care Sunday begins with understanding your body’s needs and ensuring those needs are sufficiently met. In addition to nourishing and hydrating your body adequately, this can include speaking kindly to yourself or making lists of things you appreciate about yourself.
It can be difficult to shake old habits, but there are so many benefits to extending basic kindness to yourself. That’s why having a kit can be so helpful! It’s a kind of accountability exercise; by putting a self-care kit together, you show your future self that your enjoyment was worth investing time and preparation.
Respecting your body’s needs can also look like giving your attention to activities that fill you with joy and excitement and spending less time engaged in activities that fill you with dread or anxiety.
While this may seem easier said than done, and in some cases it is, the simple act of removing yourself from an unhealthy situation can be a revolutionary act of self-love. Identifying your core needs and developing the strength and wherewithal to nurture those needs is a lifelong endeavor with many peaks and valleys.
Regularly revisit your values and honor your progress so far – you have come a long way already!
Treat Yourself
It’s okay to experience joy, we promise! It’s even a good thing! It is natural to seek out sources of pleasure and enjoyment – these experiences make life truly enjoyable. And there’s a natural and distinct difference between being overly indulgent and practicing genuine self-care; overindulgence begets guilt and self-doubt, while authentic self-care feels nourishing and affirming.
In the long run, excess and avarice are unsustainable characteristics. On the other hand, practicing self-care is an act of self-love that can improve the quality of your life and potentially even its longevity!
How To Treat Yourself
There are numerous ways to treat yourself – buying a new house plant, having a bubble bath, or literally treating yourself with candy or sweets. For some people, treating themselves may look like taking the time to redecorate or reorganize; for others, a perfectly valid treat may be getting a shampoo and wash from the salon.
The gestures themselves are not overly flamboyant or extravagant; in fact, some of the best self-care techniques are things that address vital necessities while providing enjoyment or pleasure.
For example, buying a houseplant can help someone feel closer to nature, and having a bubble bath or getting your hair shampooed at the salon satisfy essential hygiene duties. As for getting a candy fix – the human body needs glucose for many purposes throughout the body.
Your Self-Care Sunday
Once Sunday rolls around, and you feel the anticipation of the impending workweek looming, remember to breathe deeply and practice some self-care. You can deploy your self-care kit in the manner that best suits you.
After all – this is your self-care Sunday. Maybe you light some scented candles and draw a warm bubble bath. Then, once in the tub, the coup de grâce – you can enjoy a sweet or sour candy.
You may find a ritual you prefer that better suits your needs; no two self-care Sundays will be identical. Self-care is not a destination; it’s a long and winding lifelong journey.
Sometimes that journey involves profound moments of self-reflection; other times, it means a simple moment of joy that you give to yourself to cheer up. It’s also natural for our needs and desires to evolve; what works as a self-care technique for you in the present may no longer serve you in the future, so it’s essential to check in with yourself using positive self-reflection regularly. May your journey treat you well and keep you safe!
Treat Yourself With Candy Club!
Are you looking to prepare for your next self-care Sunday in the coming new year, or are you just eager to build your self-care kit? Let Candy Club be the first place you choose to treat yourself to delicious candies in a wide range of flavors.
