Every once in a while, it is necessary to unplug from the real world and pamper yourself. It gives you a sense of clarity and opens up your mind to clear and new possibilities. For me, I like to go through this pampering during the weekend, after a long tiresome week. Relaxing is necessary so that on Monday when you’re back on the grind, you are able to perform to the best of your ability. Investing in yourself is extremely important because if you feel good you will do well in your tasks. As they say, ‘you gotta nourish to flourish.’
Self-care has been put out to be fancy and expensive, but it doesn’t have to be that way. A self-care routine does not always mean spending lump sums of money. It is possible to do these things with a limited budget, and still achieve the same results. Here are a few ways of treating yourself while on a budget.
- A solo date
When someone asks you out on a date, you will normally do the most. Makeup, your favourite outfit and the best fragrances. Why do you have to wait for someone to ask you out for you to do all these things? You can do it for yourself. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. The point is to enjoy your solitude. You take your time to look good and go out by yourself and still have a good time. In the end, your self-love will increase. When you love and respect yourself, you show others how to love you and how to treat you. Everything is a reflection. Don’t wait for anyone to ask you out. Just go and have a good time by yourself. You can choose a restaurant nearby that has great and yet still affordable food. Alternatively, you can choose to do an activity, like going to the movies by yourself.
2. Do your own pedicure
I like to do my own pedicures. It’s a great way of spending time alone. It takes a lot of time and concentration, and therefore I’m not distracted by my phone or other electronic gadgets. I would suggest that you do this while listening to soft and calming music. The scrubbing and massage that you do will also leave you feeling clean and pretty. On top of this, when the results come out well, you feel amazing. So when you’re feeling low and in need of some pampering, you might want to consider a pedicure.
- A D.I.Y spa night
As I’ve said, you don’t have to spend that much money to enjoy yourself. Instead of spending money at a spa, do it yourself at home. You can have a bath with essential oils such as lavender that help to restore a sense of calm and relaxation. You can also choose to do a face mask and drink some wine while you’re taking the bath. Once you are done, you will be feeling fresh as a daisy. You can also use calming music and use part of this time to meditate on your life. Ask yourself the important questions and figure out a way to work things out. This is one of the most refreshing things that you can do. 6 Tips On How To Create A Home Spa Night
- Spend time outside in nature
Studies have revealed that connecting to the Earth’s natural energy by walking barefoot on grass, sand, dirt or rock can diminish chronic pain, fatigue and other ailments that plague so many people today. The concept is called earthing. Think about it. When was the last time you just sat out in the grass to get some sun, or walked in the sand? As kids, we play in the soil and run around outside all day. But the way life is set up, it reaches a point where you only step outside a house or building when you’re moving to another. This could be detrimental to your overall well-being. It’s very important to put yourself out there. Take a walk, visit a forest or go hiking.
- Write a gratitude list
Sometimes we are so consumed by all the things that are going wrong in our lives that we forget to sit down and actually appreciate the things that are going right. The point of a self-care routine is to feel better about ourselves in the end, which creates the need for writing a gratitude list. There’s so much to be grateful for if you just sit down and analyse properly. Health, money, friends, happiness, love, food and shelter are just a few of these things. Writing down this list will have you feeling a lot better at the end of it all. Here are 10 ways to show gratitude
- Go thrift shopping
Retail therapy is real. When you buy new things, it boosts your mood instantly. However, because you’re on a budget, you have to limit yourself. I would suggest that you only carry the amount of money that you’re willing to spend.
In Kenya, thrifting can be quite affordable. With just 1000 bob you can buy a substantial amount of clothes if you go to the right places. Just be sure not to over-do it. I also find that thrifting by myself helps me to realize my style by identifying the pieces that suit me specifically. When you go thrifting with other people you find yourself constantly seeking validation and approval from them and you may even end up with things that you don’t like. Therefore, take advantage of the opportunity to buy yourself a few things that will help to boost your mood instantly. 15 things to remember when thrifting.
7. Learn a new skill
In this digital era, it is possible to perfect a craft or skill online. As part of your self-care routine, you might want to put some time aside to do this. For example, you could learn how to do yoga or how to dance. Aside from this being a way to boost your mood, it will also contribute to your overall well-being. You could also learn how to paint or decorate a room. By doing this you will find that slowly, you start to regain happiness. This skill should be outside of your regular activities. It shouldn’t be work or school-related. In other words, it should be just for fun. 6 Reasons Why You Need To Learn Skills Outside Your Job
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