10 Self Care Ideas To Improve Your Well-Being In 2023

It’s easy to read through this list and nod your head in agreement. The harder part is taking action. We know life can prevent you from adopting all of these suggestions, but find a couple that you can embrace as part of a daily routine.

1. Let go of perfectionism.

It’s hard to take care of yourself when you set your standards impossibly high. You will never be satisfied and will feel you must work harder and harder to reach your perceived definition of perfect.

You’ll never reach that, so let it go. Allow yourself to be perfectly imperfect.

2. Reassess your priorities.

When you are so busy and distracted, everything seems like a priority. You’re just spinning your wheels trying to get it all done.

Just stop for an hour, and contemplate what is most important today, this week, this month, and in your life in general.

Where are you spending time that isn’t really contributing to your personal list of priorities?

3. Amend your diet.

What you eat makes such a difference in how you feel about yourself physically and mentally. What is one small change you can make in your diet to improve it?

Trying dropping one bad item from your diet and replacing it with one good item (like a fruit or vegetable).

4. Practice 10 minutes of exercise daily.

Taking at least a few minutes a day to get your blood pumping helps clear your head.

Also since there’s a correlation between leg strength (in particular) and brain function, it makes sense to prioritize daily strength training.

You don’t have to commit to twenty or even ten minutes a day of strength training.

Afive-minute routine that hits all your major muscle groups can make a big difference in your metabolism, your mental clarity, and your overall health.

Just make sure you choose an exercise that fits you, whether it’s yoga at home, weight-training at a gym, rebounding, or a small, local spin class.

The more you enjoy it, the more likely you’ll stick with it.

Did I forget to mention that slow, focused movement in strength training helps you calm down and boosts your mood — especially when you practice mindfulness throughout each movement?

5. Practice meditation.

Meditation is one of the best self-care routines you can practice. It reduces stress and anxiety, improves memory, decreases pain, and improves your sleep. You can learn the steps to a meditation practice in this video.

Find a comfortable place to sit or even lie down (unless you’ll fall asleep), and give yourself permission to be still and meditate on something — whether it’s a passage from a book you’re reading, a phrase that’s full of meaning for you, or a question you’re asking and want the answer to.

6. Take a daily walk.

Get out in nature, somewhere quiet and peaceful, and take a long walk. Listen to the sounds, watch the sky, smell the grass. Being in nature soothes your soul and helps you process your thoughts and feelings.

7. Prepare and eat a meal mindfully.

One of the unfortunate consequences of our busy lives is the slow disappearance of the family mealtime.

We’ve become dependent on meals on-the-go and fast food, rarely taking the time to savor what we eat, much less the food preparation. Make the choice to prepare and eat a meal mindfully, at least once a week.

8. Enjoy a quiet cup of tea.

Make yourself your favorite cup of tea and curl up in a comfy chair to enjoy it without any other distractions.

9. Get a monthly massage.

A massage is amazingly therapeutic both physically and emotionally. The massage therapist can work out all of the built-up tension in your body, which in turn allows you to release any stored emotional pain or anxiety. Why not put this on your list for a self-care weekend!

10. Give yourself a digital detox.

Turn off all of your digital devices for an hour, a day, or even a week. The world won’t end. But you’ll regain some of your sanity.