Each month, I decided to create a self care list and get through it! These self-care activities are ideas that I find inspiring in the present moment. Every month, my list will change. I love that about this personal growth journey.
My Self Care List For May – 10 Things I Did For Myself
There are so many things I want to focus on long-term. Of course, I’m trying to weave in healthy food and make more effort to better my overall health. A healthy diet is the start of a functioning body! However, these monthly lists are more about treats – the good things I’ve wanted to do for a long time and never got around to getting done.
Different people will create their own form of self-care. Here are some examples you might be thinking of when trying to come up with positive things to do for yourself:
- Take a short nap every afternoon
- Make sure you get enough sleep
- Get lost in a good book
- Use essential oils before bed
- Log in a mental health day every few weeks
- Create a comfort zone in your house where you can unwind
- Have a dance party in your living room every night
- Indulge in a bubble bath
- Make sure there is lots of positive self-talk happening throughout your day
- Spend a few minutes every night enjoying an adult coloring book
- Join a book club with your best friend
- Limit social media
- Stock up on your favorite beauty products
- Shop for a new board game and invite friends over for a night of fun
- Manage a few minutes of exercise every morning before work
- Grab a few girlfriends and book a few spa days throughout the year
- Go for a walk with a good friend and catch up
No matter how you decide to work on your mental well-being, one thing is sure – you need to start today! Take a deep breath, grab a piece of paper, and start figuring out what to do this month to boost your spirits.
My Self Care Discovery
My journey is a little different. I turned 45 in November, and I’m not saying that number scared me… but we all know I’m at the mid-point of my life. I thought of that the other day.
WOW – I’ve lived at least half my life already. So crazy!
And I still don’t have a set of matching cups? Even though I want them? WHAT AM I WAITING FOR?
It was an epiphany. I have a great life. I’m not saying I’m trying to get out of the trenches. I have already done that a few dozen times. Today, I am stable, mostly content, but refusing to live a life where I settle. I don’t have time to settle. I want to enjoy my spin around the sun, and I think everyone should feel this way, too.
I can’t say I always had this attitude. For the last 15 years, I was so hyper-focused on MAKING MONEY OMG! ON GETTING ANOTHER GIG! ON BEING SEEN! How ridiculous. What a waste of a decade. I feel bad for my kids. But there is nothing I can do about that. Covid taught me what life is actually about, and I am NEVER GOING BACK.
I wish I had this perspective during my 30s, but I guess that’s the beauty of aging. You learn the REAL LESSONS. I get it. I freaking get it.
Anyway, here is a list of my own self-care moves – the things I’ve done over the last two weeks that brought me joy. I spent a lot of personal time thinking about what I wanted and how I wanted to feel. Bad days still come – make no mistake. But I control my energy and my destiny, and the world wants nothing but good things to come my way.
The good news? My energy levels have never been higher. Once I realized that everything was going to be ok, it was ok. What a new way of thinking. Such a simple way to live.
I’m Fixing My Smile
As a content creator, I take a lot of pictures and videos. Two years ago, I sort of niched down to food. Luckily, I don’t need to be in as many photos as I used to. HOWEVER, my teeth still bother me when I look back at what I post online. So, I finally did something about it. I wear these retainers every night and in 8 months, my smile will be fixed. Boom.
Face Filler At 40 +
I finally decided to get filler in my face. This is something I’ve always wanted to do. No matter how much weight I gain, three areas do not fill up.
- my face
- my arms
- the bottom of my legs
So, as I aged, my face started to droop, and my smile lines got really DEEP. No matter how much weight I gained, it would never fill my face.
I would ALWAYS use a soft filter on IG to try to blend my lines out. They annoyed me to NO END. Thankfully, I found AIREM and will never go back. You need to get filler twice a year. I will absolutely book those appointments until the day I die.
Daily Skincare Routine
I really kept up with my skincare routine. Obsessively. I never really cared much before, but now I am a PSYCHO. I don’t go to bed without doing my nighttime routine. And my skin is pretty clear for someone who has suffered from acne her whole life.
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Products shown:
- [I’m From] Mugwort Essence
- The Ordinary – Hyaluronic Acid Serum, Rosehip Oil And Niacinamide Serum
- Hadalabo Japan Skin Institute Gokujun Premium Hyaluronic Solution
I Am Remaining Grateful And Putting Positive Energy Out
I made this journal! No, really! My Gratitude and Manifestation Journal is a little pet project that I designed for ME, but then I decided to just put it out to the universe in case someone else was on this journey.
Every night, I light a candle, sit down, and record:
- every little thing that made me smile
- everything that made me happy
- every moment that I realized how lucky I am to have the people I do in my life
Then I project what I hope to happen. I remind myself that it’s all within my reach. If people can build aircrafts that fly people around the freaking world, I can set small goals for myself and make them come to fruition. Come on!
Prettying Up Small Spaces
I’m working on slowly redecorating my house. I got into a huge fight with my husband last month, and at the end of it, I told him our house needs new energy. So, this is my way of sweeping out any negativity I feel. Clean start!
So, I’m not spending a million dollars but still making little tweaks in each room. Tiny movements that I’ve always wanted to do but never pulled the trigger.
Products shown:
- Boho Ratan Vase – similar
- Long Wicker Tray – Home Goods
- Wood stand – similar
- White vase – similar
- Lemons
- Candle – Target clearance
- White bowl – Target
- Dried flowers
Rearranging Rooms
This is an easy one. My middle son and I whipped this room around in 5 minutes. And guess what? It feels entirely new. I used to do this as a child, too. This is definitely a personality trait. My bedroom looked 100 different ways as a teen.
What I have planned that my husband doesn’t know – redoing our master bathroom (fully) and buying a new couch. But we will cross that road when we get there.
A Full Set Of Glasses
You might read this one and think… HUH? A set of glasses is important to you? Or better yet, you haven’t had a set of glasses in 15 years? Are you crazy!?
Yes, and yes.
Throughout our marriage, glasses would break, and then I would go and buy what I needed to replace what we lost. In the end, we had cabinets filled with chaos. No one ever used the same stuff. It bothered me. It has always bothered me. But I never did anything about it. Well, part of this self care journey is about correcting little things like this.
Product shown:
Making My Life Easier When Cooking
I am a creature of habit and usually use the same spices every night when I cook. I would have a nightly meltdown whenever I went into my cabinet and watched everything fall out because it’s packed to the rim. Then I would have to clean all the excess spices that fell on the floor. UGH! Every single time I cooked.
I finally bought one of these little spinners for the kitchen counter. Believe me when I tell you that this is bringing me eternal peace. I just put my favorites on there with a candle. I light the candle when I’m about to cook and then get to work. No sweeping required.
Product Shown:
No More Messy Brand Names
Have I become one of those suburban housewives that don’t want to see product labels on my kitchen counter while doing the dishes? Yes. Yes, I have.
I hated how Dawn and Method looked sitting next to one another. Totally unmatched. This is so extra – but I do NOT CARE. I am happy.
Products Shown:
- White soap dispenser with stickers – this one is much cheaper than what I spent omg
Travel More
Covid messed me up. I am pretty sure I had a nervous breakdown somewhere in the middle. I’m fine now. No, really. But I just became someone who was afraid to leave the house. Then I became someone who was really happy in my house. Then I became a recluse by accident!
It took a long time to force myself out of my shell. I still retreat to my bedroom after dinner and stay there. It’s like my safe space. I like to be warm, and my bed is super awesome. But that’s not enough anymore.
I need to get back out and be amongst the humans again. I need to travel and get these toes in some hot sand. I need to eat great food and have fun experiences while I still can. Who knows what is around the corner for us all? Enjoy life.
Speaking Up And Fighting For Myself
I think any woman who reads this will understand what I am saying when I say that I made a promise to fight for myself, and I tend to keep it. As a mom, it’s so easy to become a shadow. I am a chef, a cleaner, a cab driver, a (list can go on forever).
Sometimes, I just want to be seen. I want to fight for me. I want to experience what I want. Is it selfish? Yes. But why do the women have to be the ones to sacrifice? How did that happen?
If I’m tired, I’m tired. If I want more affection, I’m going to ask for it. If I realize I haven’t gone out on a proper date in a very long time, we are going to fight until it is understood that dating is important to me.
I’m a very passionate person. But that’s a good thing and a bad thing. I love HARD, and I also hate HARD. Either I want to give my entire being over to you or you are literally dead to me. There is no in-between. I don’t know if it’s because I am a Scorpio or what? But that energy needs to be matched. Either obsess over me or forget it.
And if I have to keep reminding my husband that until I am SEEN and UNDERSTOOD, then I will. I will not live an invisible life. I will live a full life. One filled with high energy and moments that make me dizzy. Anything less isn’t for me.
Michele Brosius
Tuesday 16th of May 2023
So proud of your new way of thinking! You deserve all the best with less hustle & hassle. ❤️