Self-care is…
Today is World Mental Health Day and oddly enough, I had to take a sick day because I’m actually sick and not pretending to take a sick day that is actually a mental health day. I’ve taken plenty of those. Thankfully, nowadays, I think it’s less strange to be honest about those days but there’s still a stigma. In fact, most of the time I put that shame/guilt on myself. Once, in high school, I made myself throw up on my shirt so I could avoid going to school because I was so depressed. Granted, that was way before I understood my depression, but the “faking sick to cover mental illness” started early in this house.
This morning, I went to the store early to get the things one gets when they’re sick - medicines, orange juice, stuff to make tomato sauce (anyone else eat regular tomato sauce as if it’s soup but not eat tomato soup?) I realized how lovely it is to go to the store so early when nobody’s around, and how wonderful it is to drive with no traffic. It got me thinking about all the little things that are self-care but will never make it on a list with spa treatments, face masks, and hanging with your girlies.
So, here’s MY personal self-care list. And I encourage you to write down your own!
Going grocery shopping early in the morning when the aisles are free of humans
Returning all the things that you’ve been meaning to return
Finally talking to a therapist again
A garbage bowl when you’re cooking (a trick I learned from Rachael Ray when I first started getting into cooking in 2004)
Onions and garlic sauteed in oil, I wish I could bottle it
A cozy sweatsuit that doesn’t look cute
Watching a riveting documentary (even if it’s usually about the holocaust, or the opiod epidemic but sometimes it’s about the brain!)
Saying no
Drinking 40oz of water before doing anything else
Putting on a full face of make-up on Zoom and not in real life (see above)
Coffee already brewed before you get up
Remembering to take your medicine
That feeling when the animals are walked/fed/watered and you have no obligations for about 4 hours
Saturday morning between 6 and 8am when the day hasn’t started and the weekend is just ahead of you
Embracing the season you’re in
Listening to an old song/album that you haven’t heard in a very long time (the other day I listened to Michelle Branch “All You Wanted” and it took me right back to high school)
Cooking while listening to a podcast
Making someone laugh
Going thrifting and finding perfect gems (like bear candlestick holders that you offer MORE for)
Logging out of Instagram for a day
Canada Dry ginger ale on a plane, or when you’re sick
Hiking with your dog and seeing how excited they get off leash
Doing something nice for someone else
Anticipation, like planning a trip you want to take or asking friends to come over on a Saturday and planning a menu all week
Cold mornings under blankets when you don’t have to get up yet
Air drying your hair when you’re not going anywhere
Watching a Christmas movie OFF-SEASON
Listening to Christmas music OFF-SEASON
Asking for help
Singing songs in the voice of Michael McDonald
Catching up with old friends
Editing pictures
Ordering something online and feeling super excited for it even though you know, deep down, it’s going to disappoint you
POSTING TO THIS BLOG, and not caring if anyone but Casey reads it
Happy (?) World Mental Health Day! Do something nice for yourself today. Just don’t sing songs as Michael McDonald because that’s MY thing.