The 10 best self-care activities (according to these 10 bloggers!)

My favorite bloggers are back with their awesome advice! This week they tell us what their favorite self-care activity is and what practices are most important to keep their minds in tip-top shape.

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A while ago I posted an article with their best mental health tips (read it here!), and now they're back with their favorite self-care activities!

Self-care has kind of become a buzzword and heavily associated with bubble baths. And while I totally support and encourage this, self-care can and should be so much more. It's not so much what you do; it's the act of doing something good for yourself. 

If a foamy bubble bath is the one thing that gives you half an hour of peace and quiet from life and kids -- then that is your ultimate self-care activity.

If waking up at 5 a.m. because it is the only way you will have time to run and clear your head before work -- then that is the ultimate self-care practice for you.

We are all different, and we all need different things at different times.  But what is clear is that we all need self-care activities that ground us and have positive health benefits, whether it be mental, physical, or both.

Dee from Morning Coffee With Dee

​My favorite self-care activity lately is yoga. I got into it a few months ago and I find it SO helpful for both my physical and mental health. It really helps you understand that connection between the mind and the body so it's awesome for self-care. I love that yoga can be slow and relaxing, or fast-paced and bring you to a sweat. There are so many different options and I think it's a great self-care practice that anyone can benefit from.

Kat from Blue Jay of Happiness

Every Wednesday evening I have a "self-care evening." I practice yoga, have a bath and then switch off completely with either a book or a movie. It gives me the space to really relax halfway through a busy week and is something I can look forward to! 

Catherine from The Blissful Mind

Going for a walk is probably my favorite self-care activity. If I can find a trail near water or in the forest, I instantly feel less stressed. Nature can be so therapeutic. 

Christine from The (mostly) Simple Life

Most mornings, I sit on the couch with my cup of coffee and my dog on my lap and scroll through Instagram for a few minutes. The house is completely quiet and I enjoy a few relaxing minutes of doing nothing before I start my day. On days that I have early morning appointments, I really miss this time to myself. ​

Paula from Thirteen Thoughts

​Self-care looks different for everyone but for me, journaling is hands-down one of the best self-care activities. Our brains tend to process information differently when it's written down. Journaling on a regular basis, writing down all your feelings, your thoughts, your plans, your questions, your fears, can all bring some much-needed clarity into your life. This is especially important and useful if you find yourself feeling emotionally overwhelmed at times.

Kelly from Kelly Williams Therapy

My favorite self-care activity is to read an affirmation card before taking a magnesium salt bath for 20 minutes. I don’t always have time for the bath, but I try to take a few minutes to read an affirmation card every day. Sometimes I

read the cards I’ve made for myself and sometimes I read cards I’ve purchased from other sources (here & here). Life gets busy and I’ve been known to fall out of my routine for a few days or weeks at a time. That’s why I have a self-care automation plan. I use the app Thoughtback to record my positive thoughts. The app sends them back to me at random intervals via email which helps me to not fall back into the habit of negative thinking.

Valerie from Valerie Wong Wellness

My all-time favorite self-care practice is what I call my “sacred mornings.” I love the early morning and I’m usually up at 5 am. My husband sleeps later than me, so I have about two hours all to myself. I don’t have a structured routine, but a few things I always do are fix myself a cup of coffee, read the blogs I like to follow, snuggle with my cats (my favorite part!), journal, write my affirmations, and go for a short walk. This routine really helps ground me and sets a positive tone for my day – I’m definitely not the same without it!

Allison from Wonderlass

Favorite self-care activity: I have two. :-) Daily meditation for at least 10 minutes and moving my body every single day (preferably outside in nature) for at least 20 minutes! (Running, walking, dancing, whatever. I just get moving.) ​

Anni from Solutions to All Your Problems

Exercise. Hands down. :) It’s the very first thing I do every morning and it lets me start my day off feeling calm and relaxed.

Erika from In Search of Better (aka me!)

My best self-care tip is to know yourself and what you need.​ For me, it is five minutes of meditation, because it's something that I can always do.

​I wish I could lift weights three times a week, because I love it and it makes me feel great, but with a chronic illness it's just not possible during a bad flare-up. But meditation? It's a positive thing I can do for myself no matter how bad my physical health is or how busy my day gets. By giving myself an easy win I'm setting myself up for success.

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Are you feeling inspired? Kick-start a new, or reestablish an old, habit by taking this free 7-day self-care challenge!

Free 7 Day Self-Care Challenge!

Get a printable self-care planner & tracker with 30 ideas to choose from!

Thank you!

You will have it in your email shortly. If you don't see it, check your junk folder! It likes to hang out there. :)

Did you like this article? Please share it on Pinterest! :)

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Related articles:

• 10 bloggers share their best mental health tips!
• Free mental health planner kit
• 10 simple ways to help you relax at bedtime

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