Ways to Practice Self-Care
Dec 18, 2023
When life gets tough, people need ways to feel happier, more relaxed and centered. That's why self-care is so important. It gives you a way to cope with the stresses of life by keeping your mind and body healthy.
While taking care of yourself, you can also care for the environment. Self-care and sustainability can shape a better life for you and a better world for generations to come. Here are some great eco-friendly self-care ideas you can incorporate into your life.
1. DIY Skin Care
When people think of self-care, skincare is often on the list. There's something therapeutic about the sensations surrounding a skincare routine. Plus, seeing results in your skin’s health and appearance can boost confidence and bring positive feelings.
Make skincare sustainable by creating DIY skin solutions at home. You can make DIY skincare like masks, exfoliants and treatments with ingredients already in your kitchen.
No time to make your own masks and treatments? You can always buy sustainable and clean skincare products. When shopping, be on the lookout for cruelty-free, natural, vegan and organic items.
2. Go Thrift Shopping
Many people turn to shopping as a form of self-care. Shopping helps people feel more in control and fight feelings of sadness.
However, shopping is not exactly the most sustainable form of self-care. With the unstoppable momentum of fast- and ultra-fast fashion, clothes are clogging up thrift stores, with plenty ending up thrown away. An estimated 34 billion pounds of used textiles in the U.S. end up in landfills every year.
To shop more sustainably, consider going to thrift shops. There are plenty of gems out there that are perfectly wearable and worth giving a second chance. Thrift shops also sell other things like home goods, decor and furniture. Remember to bring a reusable shopping bag when you go thrifting!
3. Take Care of Plants
Many can attest to the therapeutic benefits of plants. Taking care of houseplants is a great way to reduce stress. Plus, it’s an environmentally friendly hobby. Being around plants can boost your emotional well-being all year round — especially during the colder months when seasonal depression can occur.
So go ahead and fill your home with amazing houseplants. There are plenty of easy-to-grow varieties for beginners. You can also try raising herbs, which you can later use for cooking.
4. Clean With Eco-Friendly Products
While cleaning your home may sound like work, it can be a form of self-care. Having a clutter-free space can ease your mind and make it easier to relax. Additionally, getting rid of dust and allergens in the air can make you feel physically better.
Using green cleaning products can not only prevent pollution, but it can benefit your health. Nontoxic products reduce your risk of asthma attacks, allergic reactions and burns. When these products go down the drain or into the air, they won’t harm the environment, either.
When you’re done cleaning, light a soy candle and enjoy your cozy space.
5. Get Organized
Once you’ve cleaned your home of dirt and grime, you can organize it, too. Studies show that clutter is visually distracting and can make it difficult to concentrate on daily tasks. Clutter can add stress to your life, so getting rid of it is a great form of self-care.
As you clean up and organize your home, you’ll come across things that you don’t want anymore. Consider donating or upcycling them.
6. Meditate
Meditation is one of the simplest and easiest ways to do self-care. At its core, it doesn't need any materials. You just need a quiet space to clear your mind and relax.
Research shows that meditation can reduce psychological stress and contribute to your overall well-being. It’s an excellent way to take care of yourself, especially when you encounter stressful situations.
Try to incorporate meditation into your schedule. Even just a few minutes every day before you sleep can do wonders for your mental health.
7. Have Fun in the Kitchen
During the pandemic, people reported that staying at home and cooking meals helped them feel motivated, happy and relaxed. Cooking is a great form of self-care as it's both therapeutic and productive. Just the act of working in the kitchen can improve your mood, and you'll be even happier once it's time to dig in.
To keep cooking sustainable, avoid wasting ingredients and instead look into ways to repurpose leftovers. There are plenty of resources that help with using food scraps, too.
8. Volunteer
Helping others can be an amazing way to boost your mood. Find an organization that aligns with your values and ask about what volunteer opportunities they offer. Getting involved in a cause can strengthen your bonds in your community, introduce you to new people and make you feel good about making a positive impact.
If you want to help the planet, look for tree planting initiatives or trash pickups in your area. Eco-friendly organizations help make the planet a better place to live for you and your neighbors.
9. Start a Garden
Gardening is the perfect way to nourish your body while helping the environment. Homegrown food is free of preservatives and other chemicals that often go into processed or packaged foods in the grocery store. Additionally, transporting food across the country is a major contributor to pollution.
By starting your own garden, you can fill your body with more wholesome food and feel more connected to the Earth. It’s also a relaxing hobby that can ease stress. The benefits are endless.
Keep Yourself and the Environment Happy
Everybody deserves to engage in self-care activities. Life can be stressful, and people can avoid burnout by putting their health at the forefront. In your quest to better yourself mentally, you can also take care of the planet and ease any climate anxiety you might have. Self-care and eco-consciousness can definitely come hand-in-hand.
Next time you need to relax and unwind, try some sustainable self-care activities to help you feel better and make a positive impact on the planet.
