The start of a new year is always a great time to check-in on your self-care.
I think it takes a few years of working full time before you realize how critical self-care is. I never make to to June if I don’t give make myself a priority. Every year I grab a few new stress relieving activities. Here are a few new ones I’m loving:
Paint by Sticker is the best! It’s sorta like coloring but way better because it looks mosaic so it doesn’t have to be perfect. Grab your copy with my Amazon affiliate link here.
52 Lists for Happiness. (Link here.) is a great journaling book for the non-journalers of the world. I love the focus on the positive.
Start Where You Are. (Link here.) Another great seasonally themed journal. I love these guided pieces of writing.
Exercise. Last week, I shoved my elliptical in the living room. You can’t ignore it there. Get out and walk. Get on the bike. Do yoga. Do something for your body which will help your mind.
What’s your self-care routine? Leave me a message in the comment and let me know what you’re doing to keep your head calm.
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Great ideas, Jenna! Thank you for the suggestions! I am making a new commitment this year to indulge my creativity more now that my children are a little older. I also think it is important to model this behavior for my 7-year old daughter! I am reading the book Craft A Life You Love, by Amy Tangerine, to help my “reconnect” to my creativity I feel was left behind (not on purpose) when I had my kids. Other new interests are scrapbooking with Project Life, Instagram, and exercising. Here’s to feeding our creativity this year!
I do aerial yoga! Inversion therapy does so much for the mind and body! If I didn’t spend some of my week upside down, I don’t think I’d make it through with any trace of sanity. I make sure my ‘mental health’ activities are mindless and not remotely related to being an SLP.
Love the “paint” by stickers….will have to invest in one of those. I have the coloring one and have only managed to get 2 pages completed. Our brains need the distraction to recharge daily, just like our students. We as adults let life interfere with the recharging.
Jenna, I take two walks a day. The weather has been unseasonably warm here in Baltimore. The walks lift my mood. The activity is energizing and allow me to see and hear the (spring birds). It helps to clear your head by taking a walk outside. My body is flexible enough to participate in Tai Chi and yoga which ease tension and stress. Take a break from the news.
I am retired now, but when I was working in the schools, I liked to get a pedicure and full body massage once a month.. I always went somewhere warm and tropical over spring break, too!
Same here- I get a monthly massage, as well as, a mani and pedi monthly, which I just did today! Ahhhhh
I absolutely love these ideas!! I really like the adult coloring books but haven’t had a chance to even use one yet. Now there are paint by stickers! It looks like a lot of fun. I also like the links for the journals you provide. I just love these ideas!
Wine, mani and pedi, wine, cacao 85%, title boxing and wine… did I mention wine??? 🙂 great ideas!!!!
Love the idea of painting with stickers and journaling. Regarding exercise, check out the FIT SLP Facebook page. We need more people to inspire us! I love the MapMyRun and MapMyWalk apps to track any exercise I may do. Pls friend request me if you join the app. TY!
Great ideas! I taught myself to crochet and attend bootcamp. Fishing during the summer with my family is also a stress reliever.
I love taking time to journal in my bible. I have just begun this this year, I love hand lettering as well and will just sit with my family while watching tv or talking and doodle lettering styles of our names or bible verses or inspirational quotes. We have had a lot of family hardship this year and relaxation and renewal has been essential to daily living for us. Some days the job has been the escape. lol
Time for me comes in the form of camping with my family in our trailer, sewing/quilting, crocheting, and digital scrapping (although the steep learning curve makes this a little stressful sometimes). I don’t do any of these nearly often enough, but feel so much better when I do!!
I love the relaxation of a man/pedi but don’t often have the chance to do that…..need to make it more of a priority! Lol
These ideas are so helpful! Thanks for sharing. I enjoy the meditation app, Head Space. It’s incredibly relaxing and the 10 min sessions make it a nice, quick release 🙂
I walk or bike my puppy 4 out of 5 days. I leave work at 3:15, but stay focused and work hard while I’m there. Home and work boundries are essential for me.
This might sound silly but my son was really enjoying those wooden tangram tiles and I started to play around too, it was so relaxing! Similar idea to the stickers and colouring.