10 Self Care Ideas You Can Do Today

Photo by Audrey Paris Photo

What comes to mind when you think about self care ideas? Maybe you picture a spa day in a fluffy white robe. Or going on a retreat with a few of your closest friends. Now that most of the country is under shelter-in-place orders, self care ideas may look a bit different. But something that hasn’t changed? The stressors in our everyday lives. If you’re dealing with a postponed or cancelled wedding, have loved ones impacted by COVID-19, or just feeling nervous in general about what the future holds, we get it. 

It’s normal to feel increased stress and anxiety in uncertain times like these. Which is why it’s more important than ever to focus on what you can control. How? By practicing self care ideas that focus on taking care of yourself as a whole person—emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually.

Here are our top 10 ideas for self care to help you be kind to yourself. The best part is that all of our self care ideas can be done right at home.

10 self care ideas you can do during quarantine:

  1. Practice gratitude

  2. Be present

  3. Feel your feelings

  4. Eat well and drink more water

  5. Get enough sleep

  6. Move your body

  7. Treat yourself

  8. Say goodbye to negativity

  9. Attend to your to-do list

  10. Compliment yourself

10 Self Care Ideas to Practice Being Kind to Yourself

  1. Practice gratitude

Your wedding plans may have changed, and they may not look the way you thought they would. But don’t forget: You are still a bride. You still get to marry the love of your life. And no one can take this special time away from you. 

Remember all the wonderful reasons why you’re getting married and write them down. There’s your rock-solid partnership, the best friend who makes you laugh as hard as he makes you swoon, a life-long, forever adventure, fancy candle-lit dinners, pizza-and-beer dinners, and someone who loves your mom just as much as you do.

Then try to imagine your life without each of these amazing things. No one to help fold your laundry. No one to remember exactly how you like your coffee. No one to laugh at your dad jokes. Really try to imagine what that would be like. 

Now let yourself focus on the items on your list, one by one. All of those amazing things—every single one of those is yours! Let that sink in. Let it fill and warm your chest. Hold on to that feeling. 

We created The Mrs. Book, an heirloom quality bridal book and engagement journal, to help you capture these once in a lifetime feelings. So often, brides are so focused on getting to the big day that the engagement feels like an afterthought. But if the pandemic teaches us nothing, at least remember that when things get turned on their head, you will always have your whole engagement, wedding planning season and enduring love to cherish. Focusing on just one day, instead of making memories throughout the whole planning process, can rob us of so much joy. The Mrs. Book helps you slow down and delight in your entire wedding planning process.

We love hearing how The Mrs. Book is helping brides through this challenging time. Natalie, a Mrs. Book bride from Florida, shared,
“You created the most beautiful and special wedding book I’ve ever purchased. Thank you so much for making this. You couldn’t have released it at a better time. Opening the package brought me so much happiness. Going through the pages made me forget about what’s going on for a little while and allowed me to go back to the day my fiance proposed.” 

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2. Be present

Practicing mindfulness is a hot topic in self care ideas. But basically, it’s just a fancy way to say: Be present. One way to do this is through journaling longhand. Writing with pen and paper forces you to slow down. And when you slow down, a sort of magic happens. You start thinking about how you’re actually feeling and why you’re feeling that way. That might sound counterintuitive. But have you ever struggled with stress and anxiety? Oftentimes, one reason why it can feel so overwhelming is because we aren’t even sure why we’re feeling the way we feel. So feel the pen in your hand, the paper under it. Write down whatever comes to mind. It doesn’t have to be pretty. You don’t have to show anyone. It can be how you’re feeling in this exact moment. Or a list of things weighing on you. Whatever! The important thing is that you’re taking the time and space for yourself and thinking about how you’re feeling in the moment.

Pro Tip: If you need a quick way to ground yourself (or get back to focusing on the present), try this: Close your eyes and take three deep breaths. Whether you’re sitting or standing, feel your feet planted on the ground. Feel your belly and chest filling, then emptying. Think about any tension in your shoulders or between your eyebrows and let it melt away. This quick trick helps bring you back into your body if you find your mind racing. 

3. Feel your feelings

Give yourself permission to feel your feelings. If you’re feeling sad, that’s ok. If you’re feeling angry, that’s ok, too. We’re not advocating for mulling on negative thoughts, but definitely let yourself feel what you need to feel. And remember to be patient with yourself if you’re not as productive as you usually are. It may be tempting to see others crushing it on social media, or even in your own community, but remember that everyone is on their own journey in life. Everyone’s different. Once you’ve let yourself really feel your feelings, then try one of our other self care ideas to get yourself into a more positive mindset. 

4. Eat well & drink water 

Lots of brides kick their diets into high gear to look and feel their best in the months leading up to their big day. But it’s more important than ever to nourish yourself, whether your wedding is just a few months away or postponed indefinitely. You are worth it. And your body is worth it. Eat a balanced diet with lots of greens (we love broccoli, kale and spinach!), lean proteins, whole grains and fruits. Here are some of our favorite nutrient rich recipes to try during quarantine:

Lastly, make sure to drink more water. How much is enough? The rule of thumb from the fitness experts at Tone It Up is to drink half your body weight in ounces, spread throughout the day. It can increase your metabolism, cut down on mindless snacking (since we often confuse thirst for hunger) and keep you feeling your best. 

5. Get enough sleep 

It’s safe to say: We could probably all use more sleep. It’s so important to our well-being, both physically and mentally, but one of the first things people neglect. Did you know that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared insufficient sleep in the U.S. a “public health problem”? According to a CDC study, more than a third of American adults are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis. Make sure to get at least seven hours of sleep a night to reap the benefits. In fact, sleeping 60 to 90 minutes more per night can make you happier and healthier. Just ask the American Psychology Association.

6. Move your body

Just like sleep, physical movement has been linked to positive wellbeing, including reducing your risk of depression and anxiety; helping you sleep better; managing your weight; and strengthening your bones and muscles—which is so important for women!

A few of our favorite ways to get moving include:

  • The Sweat App. Quick, full-body, 28-minute workouts you can do with minimal equipment in your living room.

  • The Peloton app. It’s not just for people who own a Peloton bike or treadmill! We love their cardio and yoga classes that require little to no equipment. Try a 90-day trial for free. 

  • Blogilates on YouTube and IG. If you don’t have any equipment at home, give these workouts a try. No weights or equipment are needed, and Cassie is so entertaining it feels like working out alongside a friend!

7. Treat yourself

Everyone knows this part about self care. That’s because when it’s combined with taking care of yourself mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, physical pampering is just as important. You deserve it! Think of what makes you feel good. It doesn’t have to break the bank. Some ideas for treating yourself during quarantine:

  • Order your copy of The Mrs. Book. TMB bride Carrie calls it “the prettiest wedding heirloom book there ever was.” Thanks Carrie!

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8. Say goodbye to negativity 

With nowhere to go, and many of us consuming more content than usual, be careful with what you let in. If you feel like certain social accounts are triggering you into playing the comparison game or making you feel anxious, give yourself permission to stop following or mute updates. We can’t control others’ actions, but we can control what we see every day in our feed and how it makes us feel. This is especially important to pay attention to as your wedding gets closer. We recommend not checking Pinterest in the months leading up to your big day. Your wedding is going to be amazing and you don’t need to introduce any feelings of doubt about any of your plans.

Remember: Your love is enough, your wedding will be enough, and most importantly, you are enough.

9. Attend to your to-do list

One of the best self-care techniques not often talked about is doing things you don’t want to do. Let’s say you’ve been putting off doing a wedding task or reaching out to a vendor to talk about things like deposits or changing dates. Taking care of nagging logistics is one of the most powerful self care ideas. Make a list of the things that have been weighing on your mind and set aside time to tackle them and cross them off. We promise you’ll feel so much better.

10. Compliment yourself

Positive affirmations are the gold standard of self care ideas, and for good reason. They work! Make a list of positive statements about yourself. Include kind things people have said about you. Then keep this in a place you can reference later on hard days when you need a boost. Also practice giving yourself these compliments on a daily basis to nurture positive self talk.

Ready, set, self care!

With all of these tips for self care, you may be wondering Where to start? Jump in wherever looks most interesting to you! You don’t have to do them all at once. Just find a rhythm that feels good to you, whether that’s 10 minutes or an hour a day. There’s no right or wrong answer.

And if you find yourself not making time for these self care ideas, come back to this thought: being kind to yourself fills you up. You can’t take care of others until you first take care of yourself. So you’re actually doing everyone a favor ;)

Document your engagement journey today in The Mrs. Book.

Jordan MelbergComment