A Healthy Being is a Happy Being

18 Sustainable Self-Care Tips

By Ellie Marie Hammond

January 18, 2022

My essay “Sustainability Begins With You” discusses the connection between taking care of ourselves and sustainability. To build on this idea, I decided to share my favorite (and earth-friendly) self-care methods.

1. Meditation

Meditation has been my #1 self-care method. When I began my meditation practice, I found myself coming back to life- --my anxiety vastly decreased, I became more resilient to life’s challenges, and I felt my body, mind, and emotional states reconnect. There are so many different ways to meditate, including breathing exercises, guided meditation, holding yoga poses, and so much more.

I recommend trying different types of meditation. YouTube has many free guided meditations, as well as informative videos on the different kinds of meditation.

2. Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the art of being here now. The practice of mindfulness involves focusing on what is going on in the present moment without placing judgment on what you are perceiving. Adopting mindfulness techniques into my daily life helped me become more patient, calm, and content. I am by no means an expert, but mindfulness has contributed to making me a happier person.

3. Sleep

Along with meditation, getting enough sleep is crucial for me to feel my best. Having the energy to not just get through the day but to take extra steps to be sustainable begins with ensuring that body and mind have time to restore, refresh, and reset. Getting into a sleep routine that makes your evenings enjoyable and relaxing is an important part of getting amazing sleep. In my nightly routine I incorporate time for meditation, journaling, gratitude, and pampering. I also enjoy soaking my feet in warm water and using a homemade foot scrub.

4. Cook Your Favorite Foods

There’s nothing like satisfying a craving for a good, home-cooked meal. Take the time to create something in the kitchen that you know you’ll enjoy; put on your music, take space for yourself, and enjoy some me-time. It never hurts to make sure you get your veggies in this meal as well. By the time you’ve finished cooking and devouring, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and your body will feel satisfied.

5. thrift shopping

I never argue against retail therapy. It’s important to treat yourself every now and then. However, it’s also important to be a smart, budget-minded, sustainable consumer. That’s why second-hand shopping and thrifting is a great go-to for treating yourself.

Camping at my special spot—Grandpa Ronnie’s 800 rural Iowa acres.

6. exercise

We all know at this point that exercise does us an incredible amount of good. However, sometimes we can’t find the time, don’t enjoy gyms, haven’t found an exercise that we love, and so on. The good news is there are so many different ways to get moving; yoga, going for walks, or finding a sport, to name a few. Exercise will go so far in helping us achieve internal homeostasis, as it makes us feel good about ourselves and keeps our physical bodies healthier.

7. massage

Treating yourself to a massage regularly or semi-regularly is not simply luxurious, but rather a fantastic way to maintain personal health in many different areas. The benefits that massage has for the body and mind are numerous and include stress reduction, sore muscle relief, reduction of tension in the body, ease digestive issues, prevent or treat headaches, and lowering high heart rates and blood pressure.

8. facials

Not only are facials great for relaxation, they have important health benefits, as well. Facials cleanse your pores, improve circulation, and are anti-inflammatory. I struggled with acne in my teenage and early adult years, which negatively affected my self confidence and caused extreme amounts of social anxiety. However, I always felt like my best self after a facial.

9. at home pampering

Going to a professional for some TLC may not always be an option. However, there are ways to give yourself a mini-spa day at home. Personally, I enjoy washing my feet with a homemade foot scrub at night, and using a face mask once a week. Putting time and effort into giving my body a treat has done more for me than I expected; it’s given me a deeper bond with myself, as I know I can count on myself to give my body what it needs.

10. journaling

Journaling has become a true therapeutic tool in my self-care routine. There are so many ways to journal, and each has its own benefits. Personally, I use my journal to check in with myself emotionally and physically. I feel clarity after writing things down, and it is helpful to be able to re-read old entries to see any patterns, changes, and progress. Truly, I can’t recommend journaling more; it is a powerful method to connect to yourself.

Treat yourself every once in a while to a fresh bouquet of flowers to cheer up your space and encourage you to speak kindly to yourself.

When in doubt dance it out! It never hurts to bust some moves, especially if you can get away with it outside. Above shows Truss deLima and I doing exactly that.

11. gratitude

When we develop a mindset rooted in gratitude, we attract positivity to ourselves and others. No longer do we focus on what we lack in life, but we see more of the abundance life has to offer. Practicing gratitude for Earth’s gifts connects us to the natural ecosystem.

12. forgiveness

When I started practicing forgiveness a miracle happened: I suddenly had more energy. All that energy I put into resentment suddenly freed up giving me more happy energy to work with. Through forgiving myself and others for painful experiences, my psyche felt cleansed and my personal power restored. Forgiveness can be tricky--sometimes you aren’t ready, you don’t know how, or those you need to forgive are not seeking your forgiveness. However, forgiveness is most important for the one doing the forgiving, not for the person being forgiven. Take care to heal past wounds and traumas through forgiveness--including forgiving yourself--and watch your days become brighter.

Nothing like a best friend to confide in.

13. spend time outdoors 

Studies show that time in nature can lead to a range of benefits, including less stress and higher self esteem. It’s a possible treatment for anxiety, including climate anxiety. It calms our tensions and helps our nervous systems unwind. It also addresses systemic issues such as climate change, as people who spend time in nature tend to be more apt to protect it.

For me, getting outside is the best medicine; nature restores me and gets my mind back in shape. Feeling the wind, hearing the birds, and looking at the trees never fails to give me a calm perspective. Take advantage of the benefits fresh air has to offer and give yourself time outside to recharge.


14. sungazing/stargazing

When I need a quick recharge, sungazing and stargazing are among my go-to options. “Sungazing” does not mean staring directly into the sun (NEVER stare or gaze directly at the sun), but rather allowing yourself to bathe in sunlight. If sunshine is streaming into your room through a window, sit in it. If you find a sunny spot outside, stand in it. Make it a point to enjoy sunrises and sunsets. Each time I step outside at night to look up at the moon and search for stars I learn a little bit more about the universe. Both sungazing and stargazing relieve anxiety and fill me with wonder.

Painting is my hobby. I do it for fun, relaxation, and a sense of fulfillment.

15. get a hobby

Having a hobby that falls outside of my career has been instrumental in connecting with my inner self. Personally, I’ve discovered my hobby of choice is painting. I loved art as a kid, and find that whenever I paint I feel relaxed, accomplished, and a lightness of being. Pursuing and engaging in personal interests is the important balance we need in our working lives. 


16. establish routines

In order to incorporate self-care into my daily life, I find it necessary to establish morning and nightly routines to better manage my time. Having a daily routine helps put an end to procrastination, as well as diminish anxiety throughout the day. My life feels more put-together, as I have a structure in place to ensure that I am taking care of my mind and body.

17. probiotics

Our gut is our second brain. Our nervous and digestive systems are connected so it’s important to give your tummy everything it needs to be happy and healthy. In college, I wrote a research paper about how probiotics are being studied as treatments for mood disorders. I was shocked at what I found. Turns out, if our gut environment is lacking good strains of bacteria, our behavior and mental state can pay the price. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to get probiotics (helpful bacteria) into our bodies.

18. speak kindly to yourself

Throughout your life, there’s no one you talk to more than you talk to yourself. I remember the moment I realized I was my own worst enemy; I became mindful of my negative inner dialogue and noticed that I would not speak to others the way I spoke to myself. I understood then that I needed to start treating myself with kindness and understanding, the same way I would treat a friend or loved one. We are what we make ourselves to be, and in order to be our best selves we need to first be kind to ourselves.

 



Copyright Linda Mason Hunter, 2021

NO AI TRAINING: Without in any way limiting the author’s [and publisher’s] exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.