As you will probably notice, most of these are for physical self-care. For me simply the act of doing something for myself improves my mental health, and these are all easy to do on a weekly/daily basis.
I used to schedule in "self-care" on Sundays, where I did things like a face mask, paint my nails, a long hot shower; things that made me feel pampered. And if I didn't do it I just didn't feel as calm and happy as I otherwise would that week. But ever since I got a jade roller to use in my skin-care routine I don't feel that need anymore because I do it every day! Along with the physical benefits of using it, the fact that I'm taking the time for myself twice a day to sit down and apply my rose water toner, hyaluronic acid serum, and almond oil with the rose quartz tools (now when I hit 30 I thought I should amp up my skin-scare routine!) has made a huge difference in how I feel. It's just a few minutes but I honestly look forward to it and sometimes do it at 7pm instead of before bed just because I want to feel good and pampered! These products are very budget-friendly and easy to fit into your life -- I hope they will help you as much as they have helped me! 
1. Warm eye compress
I got one from Koamask to help with my dry eyes and it's really nice to use. I heat it in the microwave for 20-25 seconds right before bed and lie with it for 10-20 minutes until it's cooling off and I'm drifting off to sleep. It has moist heat, which helps the natural oils flow back into the eye (I can literally feel this happening, so it definitely works!), and helps keep the eye lubricated. Along with improving my eye health it's also very relaxing and something you can do during the day just to unwind and take a break. :)
Update: I now have an electric eye mask which is slightly more expensive but really worth it in my opinion. I got mine from Drop of Diviniti and it has four different temperature and timing settings so I can safely drift off to sleep. 2. Rose quartz jade roller
Like I mentioned, I recently got a jade roller and I love it so much I ordered one as a birthday present for a friend within just a few days, and plan on giving one to all the women in my life as their birthdays roll around, haha.
Apart from being incredibly pretty it helps with muscle tension, the lymphatic system, puffiness, fine wrinkles, and stress. While it has a remarkable effect on puffiness (even after a night of drinking it made me look fresh and normal!), how relaxed it has made my face is even better. I didn't realize quite how much tension I used to hold in my facial muscles, but the difference is amazing and I haven't been having all those tension-headaches I used to get either! All you do is gently roll it from the middle of your face outwards in various directions (nose to temple, eye brow to hairline, etc.). It only takes a few minutes and the rose quarts is wonderfully cool to the touch which is lovely under the eyes. Mine came in a set with a Gua Sha as well, a flat stone that is perfect for massaging neck and forearm muscles. Overall it's just amazing quality for the price! 3. Travel-friendly journal
The best thing for my anxiety is to journal. I try to do it every night, but as long as I do it 3-4 times a week it's enough to get my worries, feelings, accomplishments, and thoughts I wouldn't utter anywhere else out. I've always been that way, that things get stuck in my brain going round and round until I tell someone or write it down, so doing this regularly has made me feel better than I have in years!
I really prefer the smaller sized journals from Peter Pauper Press, because it makes it easier to bring it with me to the office or traveling. I can't tell you how many pages I've written sitting in airports or cafes. It's also great to bring if you need to spend some time in the doctor's office or waiting for car maintenance. 4. Almond oil
This oil from Viva Naturals has been my massage oil of choice for years, and I recently started using it as moisturizer in my face-care routine as well! Massaging has so many benefits -- it helps your stress levels, muscle tension, blood pressure, insomnia, headaches . . . and did you know that even the person giving the massage benefits from it too?? Hello, oxytocin!
If you don't know how to give a massage, don't worry! I went to massage school and wrote a tutorial on how to do an easy Swedish back massage. If you don't have anyone to trade massages with, you can easily massage parts of yourself as well, like your neck, forearms, and legs. 5. Leg roller
Which brings me to my third massage-related favorite -- the leg roller. You have such big muscles on your legs it can be tiring to massage them by hand, so this is amazing! You simply roll it over your muscles; I like to do it while I'm watching TV, it gives me a great reason to watch my show! ;)
If you work out I really recommend getting one of these, because you really don't know how tight your muscles are until you try massaging them! (This was something we discovered again and again in massage school, haha) It will help your recovery-time, help avoid injuries, and help your performance. I got mine from Elite Sportz Equipment, which may not be available anymore. But I have tried a few different ones and generally they're the same. :)
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Hi, I'm Erika!I know what it's like living with anxiety and depression, but living and living are very different things. I believe in practical tips and methods, and I will use them to help you be the brave, daring, darling individual you are. Categories
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