Remember first that you are loved, important and it will get better.
Asking for help is not a sign of weakness.
I’m sure you have had days where things are feeling stressful.
You’re feeling overwhelmed.
I’ve been there.
I learned that resilience isn’t about withstanding more, but recovering better.
This changed how I thought about my self-care.
I found the CLANG model helpful: Connect, Learn, Active, Notice, Give.
This model gives a strong framework to build your own wellbeing plan so that you have a holistic view and set of practices.
I’ve shared some suggestions below to get you started:
Drink more water
Breathe
Drink less coffee
Notice what you’re experiencing through each of your senses right now (sight, hearing, feeling, taste and smell)
What are you grateful for?
Watch less news
Spend more time with people physically or virtually than connections on social media
Learn something new
Find ways to help others
Move your body enough that you breath deeply
Send someone a note of appreciation
Listen to music you like
Dance
Watch a show that makes you laugh
Focus on the person in front of you when you’re talking with them
Spend time with your family – Zoom them rather than call
Reach out to your elderly relatives, loneliness is tough
Tell someone something you see them doing well
Go for a run
Hike a mountain and look down from the top. Appreciate the climb
Get into cold water safely with a group
Breathe deeply using your diaphragm
Build strength in your body – lift more weights
Ring a friend or family member and let them know you were thinking of them
Practice the guitar or an instrument
Learn to juggle
Keep a journal
Write in the journal!
Don’t believe all of the stories your mind tells you about yourself or the world
Read a book
Spend time on your own in nature
Have a coffee and focus only on the coffee
Be more present
Ask yourself: “Is this mine to hold?” If it’s not, let it go
Laugh
Do something for yourself you’ve always wanted to do, you deserve it
Be kind to yourself, forgiving of anything you could’ve done differently in the past and trust you’re becoming better each day
Send someone a note, gift or sign of appreciation and let them know you were thinking of them!
Write yourself a note about all the things you appreciate and love about yourself!
Be kinder to yourself
Forgive yourself
Don’t wait for perfect conditions to do something nice for yourself, or something you’ve always wanted to work towards, start now