10 Ways to Practice Self-Care That Aren't Pampering

I know we all love our facial masks and bubble baths… and we love curling up with a great book or buying ourselves little gifts and treats time to time. And though, those are important for us and our self care (because you should totally be giving yourself some extra love and spoiling yourself sometimes)—there is much more to making sure you are taking good care of yourself.

I recently read an article that my dear friend Chloe wrote on her blog, Nyxie's Nook, about self soothing verses self care. It really hit the spot for me, as I used to be a habitual self soother. Those days we take to crash after a way too stressful week, you know the ones where we sit in bed with a face mask on, feet up, watching Netflix all day to try and recharge? Those are self soothing kind of days. Or how we go to the spa and get a massage so they can work all the knots and kinks out from our super crazy office job where we sit at the computer for 10 hours a day? Again self soothing, not self care.

Sure, self care can be a bubble bath in the evening or a facial every Sunday—if you are doing it as a wellness treatment and doing it as a routine. When it becomes the thing you do when you're already burnt out, well that's when it makes that transition to soothing verses care.

Self Care is preventive. Care is us taking care of ourselves before we burn out. And that means not just pampering, but also the nitty gritty stuff like not taking on more than we can handle. Like making sure we are resting every night.

The things that keep our minds, hearts, and souls healthy. And that means some of the tougher things we have to do for ourselves. As a result, you will be stronger, more confident and happier. Which equals better wellness for you all around, in all areas of your life.

1. Know your boundaries. Respect them. Stick to your limits. Boundaries are so important, more important than we realize. And you'll notice the benefits of having them once you start setting them.
2. Take care of your body. Feed it healthy foods, drink water, be active. How can you expect your body to do what you need it to do if you aren't giving it the right fuel?
3. Eliminate toxic relationships from your life. This will also help you minimize negativity in your life.
4. Self discovery. This should be a constant. You are continuously changing and growing—stay close to that.
5. Know when you need to rest and recharge. Make this a daily habit.
6. Make sure you are adding joy and meaning to your life. This means making time for your hobbies and things you love.
7. Learn how to relax and de-stress. Don’t allow yourself to stay wound up for too long. Find something that lets you release stress.
8. Get your finances in order. Practice good financial health and build security for yourself.
9. Hold yourself accountable. For your goals, for you to-do’s—of taking care of yourself. Make yourself a priority and stick to it.
10. Take your time in making big decisions. Do not rush yourself. Do the research, think it through.

Building healthy, strong self care routines will help prevent you from needing so much self soothing. It puts the horse in front of the cart where it should be. Proper self care, all around, is what will give you adequate energy, help you feel good (physically, mentally, and emotionally) and keep you healthy and happier. Self care goes beyond the pampering.