Maintaining health and wellness can become challenging at times regardless of who you are and what your circumstance might be. One way to combat difficult times is by generating a self-care plan – this creates an extra layer of buffer to stress or any overwhelming feeling and can prove to be beneficial to wellbeing. However, self-care plans are personal to the individual, so some ideas may be more effective than others depending on the person. Here are some tips that can help you discover how to both narrow and adjust your self-care plan as needed.
Start With The Basics
Chances are you’re going to turn to your self-care plan whenever you’re feeling pressured by something. This means that there might be days where activities that require a lot of energy or effort – but are otherwise fun – may not seem as desirable compared to when you’re in a good mood. For starters, ask yourself this question, and provide an honest answer:
“What kind of things do I like to do to help me wind down from a long day?”
Add Something Old or Something New
We all have our fair shares of activities that we liked to do but stopped. Perhaps one of yours might be something that could strike your interest again. Again, ask yourself: “Has there ever been anything that I use to enjoy doing, and might want to start up again?”
You might even be in a position where you’re ready to explore new horizons that were otherwise untouched before. This could be something related to what you’re already familiar with (e.g. learning ceramics after picking up painting) or may even be entirely new. This is a great way to expand your knowledge and interests, so ask yourself “Has there ever been anything I haven’t done before, but always wanted to?”
Reassess Your Plan
It’s completely normal to fall in or out of interests over time, or even be in a position where doing what you like just doesn’t seem to fall within your schedule accordingly. This is why it’s important to step back every once in awhile and judge your satisfaction with how your self-care plan is going. One way to do this is by approaching the following questions: “After some time, do I find myself enjoying this activity? Are there some activities I seem to favor over others? Do I have anything that I think I might want to add to my idea list?”
Make It Personal
While it’s great to try something new or turn to things that you know have been proven to be relaxing or healthy, it’s necessary to keep a level of authenticity with yourself. Since your self-care plan is tailored by you and for you, your efforts should have an honest reflection and consideration to them. Make sure that if you decide to add something to your self-care plan it’s because you think it will help improve your wellbeing.
By: Sara E. Rosenquist, Anxiety In Teens Contributor