Self Care: How To Feel Your Best, All The Time

You only get one life in this world. Well, that’s what we think, anyway. So it seems like a good idea to make the most of it, doesn’t it? However, you’ll only be able to do that if you’re feeling good. If you’re not, then you’ll find it much more difficult to enjoy all the pleasures that life can throw your way! And can you imagine if you felt great all of the time? There’s no telling how much you could enjoy life. 

The good news is that pushing yourself towards feeling your best is pretty straightforward. It’s all about self care and incorporating a few subtle changes into your schedule. In this blog, we’re going to run through some of the most effective self care methods. Take them all on board, and we’re reasonably sure that you’ll feel great in no time!

Self Care Tips

Sleeping Well

A good night’s sleep is the foundation of everything that we do. If you haven’t slept well, and you feel grumpy, then it doesn’t really matter what else you have going on in your life — you’re not going to feel on top of the world. Of course, everyone sleeps poorly from time to time. But if this is a regular occurrence, then look at making some changes. People often hurt their chances of getting a solid 7 – 8 hours of sleep by drinking coffee too late in the day, using their phone before bedtime, and failing to create a bedroom that has a restful atmosphere.

Time in the Morning

You should start as you mean to go on. If you’re jumping out of bed and having to rush around, then it’ll be no wonder that you’re not in the best of moods when you’re on your way to work. On the other hand, if you’ve had a peaceful morning, during which you’ve slowly woken your body and mind, then you’ll be much more likely to feel good. Could you go to bed a little earlier and wake up a little earlier too? That’ll give you time to meditate, drink a cup of tea, read, whatever it is that you want to do.

Limit Bad Habits

There are things that we think are good for us, which actually aren’t. For example, let’s think about, say, alcohol. While it can be fun to have the odd evening of drinking with friends, if you’re drinking too regularly, then you’ll end up with less energy — and less enthusiasm — than you could have. People who give up drinking for a month often say that just how much happier and energetic they feel. Obviously, giving up for a month isn’t the easiest thing in the world. It can be difficult, especially when Friday rolls around! But you’ll be happy that you stayed strong. Once you’ve seen how good you can feel, you’ll likely carry on with your alcohol-free existence even after the four weeks are up. 

Working Up a Sweat

The idea of switching into your workout clothes isn’t always the most appealing thing in the world, sure. And that’s especially true after a long day at work. But there’s a lot of value in doing so. For one, it’ll give you more energy. And two, it’ll make you happier. Studies have shown that working up a sweat is a bona fide mood booster because it releases endorphins into your body. If you can go for a thirty minute run and then follow it up with a cold shower, you’ll be walking on cloud nine. Give it a try! 

Into Nature

We tend to think it’s normal that we live in cities since, well, everyone seems to be doing it these days. But it’s important to remember that for the vast majority of human history, we all lived more or less outside. And now, researchers are beginning just what a negative impact spending all our time in the city can have. While there’s value in living in a cosmopolitan city, it’s important to get out into nature from time to time! Just two hours of nature time a week can significantly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, for instance. So try to make a habit of going outdoors on a Saturday or Sunday — you’ll be grateful for it in the long run, since it can have such a big impact on your mental and physical wellbeing. 

Diet Improvements

You might wish that you could simply eat whatever you want all the time, but that’s just not possible. You can have the odd cheat day, but if you’re continually eating poorly, then you’ll find it difficult to feel as good as you could. This has little to do with appearance (though, of course, you will be slimmer if you eat well). It’s more about how you feel. If you’re giving your body what it needs, then you’ll feel better. It’s as simple as that! If you don’t know how to improve your diet or just need some additional help, then look at working with an online nutritionist. They’ll be able to tell you just what you should have in your diet!

Yoga and Meditation

Life can be tough on both your body and your mind. As such, it’s important to do things that’ll help to alleviate some of the burden and pressure that we all feel from time to time. Two of the best ways to do this is to practice both yoga and meditation. They’re different, of course, but they overlap each other pretty well. With meditation, you can just get started at home — follow a YouTube tutorial if you need to, or just read some meditation instructions and get going. For yoga, it’ll be best to go to a class since it’s extra important that you’re getting the positions correct.

Slowing Down

If you’re practising meditation, then you’ll be more likely to feel in control. However, there’s no avoiding the fact that sometimes, life can be exceptionally chaotic. In these moments, what will really help is having the awareness that life is chaotic and taking the time to slow down. If you can do that, then you’ll prevent yourself from falling into a state of mania — and while this won’t have you feeling on top of the world, it’ll certainly help you to feel the best that you can at that specific moment. 

Staying Positive

Finally, be sure to stay positive! It’s amazing how powerful the mind is. If you can convince yourself that you have a problem, then you’ll probably have a problem. There’s always more than one way to look at things. And while none are better than the one, it’s true that one of them is more fun for the individual that holds the belief. Staying positive isn’t about putting on a fake smile. It’s about recognising when you might be sliding into a negative state of mind, and just bringing yourself towards a better frame of mind. That simple act alone can make a big difference.

Conclusion

As we said at the beginning of the article: you’re only going to be here once! So it makes sense to enjoy things to the best of your ability. If you can take on board all the tips that we’ve outlined above, then we’re sure that within a couple of weeks, you’ll have noticed a marked improvement in your life. You’ll be physically, mentally, and spiritually enhanced, and if you have those three things going for you, then there’s no telling what you might achieve — or who you might inspire just by being your best self.