By Tasha Stevens
Self-care baby! YASS! When was the last time you took a day to do something by yourself? I was surprised to hear from several close friends of mine that they are almost NEVER alone. What?! To me, that is crazy!
It is important for your own mental health to check in on yourself sometimes. This might mean taking a walk around your neighborhood or even window shopping at the mall.
Being alone doesn’t necessarily mean you are lonely. I feel it is imperative that each person value their “me time” and use it to do something they truly love or to even try something new!
My top five things to do by myself are:
Go to the beach. I am fortunate enough to live in a place where there is a beach within pretty much 2-hour driving distance in either direction. If you have no beach near you, no worries! A pool, swimming hole, creek, river, etc will do the trick. Warning! Going to the beach, pool, springs, etc alone could result in some serious tan lines so be sure to bring the SPF!
Go to the movies. Alright. I know this one sounds weird and pretty lame but I actually love going to the movies by myself. Now there are some people that say there is no freaking way they ever would but try it once, you might be surprised! No guilt for ordering the extra buttery $15 small popcorn or smuggling in dollar tree candy in your purse. No shame. #treatyoself.
Take up a hobby. I have several hobbies. One of which is painting. Michael’s craft store always has some type of coupon and cheaper acrylic paint, some brushes to use and bundle packages of canvases on the low. I just happen to enjoy painting with a nice big glass of Malbec by my side. Call it my “creative juices”.
Jigsaw puzzles. Ok ok…. Pull out the jello and Bengay. I guess this one makes me seem like I’m an 89-year-old retiree. And you’d be right. But my god, the satisfaction of putting in that final piece is like a fresh sip of ice-cold water on a hot day or a mouthful of freshly made cheesy garlic pasta. If jigsaw puzzles aren’t your thing, no worries! You can do other mental games such as sudoku, crossword puzzles, word searches, or even test your thumb strength with some classic Mario.
Fine dining. This is a MUST. You NEED to go out and eat by yourself somewhere. Think it’s going to be awkward? Bring a book or a magazine or your phone to read while you’re there. Or people watch. Do whatever you must to keep your mind off of the fact that you think everyone is staring at you. (They’re not.) Sitting down and eating by yourself is an acquired taste BUT one of the most satisfying things I have done by myself thus far. You can even do baby steps with this one and make yourself dinner at home. Start there and progress to big boy steps and take yourself out for a nice dinner later. You can make it even more fun by dressing up and having a date with yourself. Who knows? If you’re single, you might take home more than leftovers. HIYO!
I hope you take the time to try even a few of these things and practice in some real self-care. Remember you can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself. If you enjoyed this post make sure you click the little heart below. Make sure to share your own experiences in the comment section below. If you step outside the box and try any of these comment below and let me know how it went.