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We recently added a disco ball to our living room decoration, and it’s what I am looking at while starting off this post. It’s hung up in front of the window and every afternoon it scatters sparkles across our living room walls. With a small addition, we managed to add big joy. I like to think of self-care in a similar way. I have my basic non-negotiables, absolutely essential practices for me to feel good. These are similar to basic furniture like a bed and a table. But I also have additional, more indulgent or fun practices and these are the decorations (like our disco ball). These may not always be needed, but by adding them into our days we can make our life a lot more sparkly.
Self-care has gotten a lot of attention over the last few years, and before we dive into the exercises, I’d like to pause and reflect on what it really means. Self-care is a big buzzword, and to me, it can often feel overwhelming. It’s become the perfect excuse to sell us things we don’t really need, and I often find myself falling for it, thinking I could always do more to be the healthiest, happiest version of myself. But I also want to acknowledge that “sparkly” self-care isn’t a luxury for everyone. For many, it’s a necessity and a way to cope when healthcare is inaccessible. And I know that sometimes even simple acts of care can feel out of reach, especially in seasons of low energy or mental health struggles.
By viewing self-care as non-negotiables and sparkles, I can get a clearer sense of what is essential to me on a daily basis and what practices I can add when I feel like indulging in extra care. It also gives me a framework for reflection before buying into a new self-care trend. So before we dive into the rituals, I’d like to invite you to reflect on what builds the foundation of your self-care and what adds the magic.
Categories
I find it helpful to think about self-care in four areas:
Physical: Nourishing the body through sleep, hydration, movement, check-ups, and hygiene.
Mental: Caring for the mind through mindfulness, reading, reflection, gratitude, learning or creative expression.
Social: Meeting social needs, like connecting with friends, family, or community.
Practical: Managing life’s daily tasks like cleaning, laundry or dressing in a way that supports well-being.
As you go through the following prompts, feel free to use these categories as a starting point, or adapt them to whatever feels most meaningful for you.
Want to take these reflections offline? Download the printable version of this workbook and start your self-care exploration on paper.
Reflective Prompts
- How do you feel when you have taken care of yourself well? Try to remember moments in the past when you felt truly cared for. Take a moment and freely write down whatever comes to mind.
- Take a piece of paper and fold it down the middle. On the left side, write a list of red flags: indicators for when you need to pay extra attention to self-care. On the right side, write down the green lights: signs you are doing well. Don’t overthink it; just notice what comes up.
- Do you notice any patterns in your life when self-care becomes harder to maintain? Are there things that typically get in the way? And what may support you in returning to it?
- Taking care of our basic needs is the most foundational self-care. What are your non-negotiable self-care practices?
- With your foundation in place, what brings the sparkle? Which self-care rituals, pleasures, or small indulgences make you feel most alive? Don’t overthink it, you can always come back and add more later.
3 Quick Self Care Practices
The following four ideas are simple creative practices you can use to add some more magic into your days. All of them are low-cost and accessible, using materials or things you likely already have at home.
The Gratitude Jar
Paper + Glass Jar
You can start by collecting small positive moments you notice throughout your day by writing them on a little piece of paper. Think about things that make you happy, beautiful things you noticed, or kindness you witnessed. Drop the papers in a glass jar – and watch the reminders of positivity grow and accumulate. These paper slips can also act as little sparks of positivity on a bad day. Simply pull one at random from the jar and be reminded of a magical moment from the past.
Shake It Off
No materials
I love using this method whenever I feel overwhelmed by emotions or notice something I want to let go of. I close my eyes and imagine what that feeling looks like on my body, sometimes it’s a heavy blanket wrapped around me, other times a sticky ball clinging to my shoulder. Then, I start moving my body freely and wildly, shaking it off until I can sense that the metaphorical object has dropped to the floor. Once it’s there, I take a deep breath, step over it, and continue my day. It can take as little as 30 seconds, or as long as you need.
List Making
Pen + Paper
This one is a fun one! All you need is a pen and paper (or your journal), and you are ready to go. Start by picking a category, such as movies, foods, countries, colours etc. and then start listing your favourite things within it. I list as many as I can think of, sometimes that’s 3 and sometimes 10. But it forces my mind to think of things that bring me joy, and can inspire me to reconnect with them. It also builds a lovely resource of things to go to for comfort.
Here are some category ideas to get you started:
- Foods
- Drinks
- Movies
- Books
- Colours
- Smells
- Simple Pleasures
- Places in your city
- Countries/Travel destinations
- Flowers
Final Thoughts
I hope this post inspired you to reflect on the ways you incorporate self-care into your life, and how it might add some extra sparkles into your days. If you’d like more inspiration for rituals and creative magic, I send out a monthly practice in my newsletter. I’d love to have you on board!
To a journey that feels like yours,
Annika xo
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