150+ Self-Care Ideas & Resources to Nourish, Nurture and Energise You

This post was written by Saint Belford Co Founder, Alex Phillips.

OUR DEFINITION OF SELF-CARE 

Self-care is about consciously enhancing your wellbeing and overall quality of life. It’s about listening intently to what your body needs and adopting mindful habits, routines and rituals that nourish, nurture and energise you inside and out.

THE BUSY BADGE OF HONOUR 

The concept of self-care gets thrown around alot, but it’s so much more than a trending buzzword.

It’s a prescription for cultivating stamina and boosting self-awareness, two fundamental pieces that contribute to our quality of life.

The unfortunate thing is, many of us are quick to neglect ourselves in favour of wearing the busy badge of honour.

We find ourselves completing yet another task on our to-do list and saying yes to more commitments than our tired minds can manage, instead of taking the timeout we promised ourselves last week.

Then, we proceed to complain about our severe lack of time.

And the vicious cycle continues until our bodies begin screaming at us and surrendering is no longer a choice we get to make.

We didn’t hear the whispers so now we must pay the painful price of neglect.

The brakes have been slammed against our will as our bodies slowly attempt to repair the damage.

I’m not just painting a picture of burnout.

I’m speaking from personal experience. It’s ugly and debilitating and I’m sure many of you can relate.  

If you’ve had to learn this lesson more than once, you are not alone.

I’ve been there more times than I’m proud of.

As Aubrey Marcus says, it’s like being back in the same prison cell with all the keys. Accurate.

You already know that feeling at the top of your physical and mental game and living a life that truly fulfills you begins with a pledge to put yourself first.

I know, it’s easier said than done.

THE PLEDGE TO STAY WELL 

It’s a journey and a constant work in progress, but we need to begin somewhere. We can begin by recognising that it’s a priority, not a luxury, to proactively look after our minds and bodies.

What works for you may not work for me and vice versa.

Ultimately, it’s about listening intently to what your body needs, being open to change and adapting your routines, rituals and habits accordingly.

You can use the following 150+ practical self-care ideas as inspiration to curate a personalised menu of self-care rituals which you can put into practise inside and outside your natural habitat.

There are three sections: Mind, Body and Soul.

Each section has been subdivided into three categories: 10 minutes or less, 30 minutes or less and 60 minutes or more.

If you’re looking for resources (articles, blogs, videos, podcast episodes, free apps) for the ideas mentioned below, download our FREE Pledge To Stay Well eBook and put yourself at the very top of your to-do list.

Happy self-caring!

1. Practise mindful meditation
2. Practise controlled breathing
3. Practise yoga
4. Practise gratitude
5. Listen to uplifting music
6. Power pose
7. Do a mindful body scan
8. Take a cold shower
9. Make your bed
10. Chant Om
11. Write morning pages
12. Leave yourself a loving post it note
13. Feel your emotions
14. Practise positive self-talk
15. Practise saying no to things that don’t serve you
16. Let go of negative thoughts
17. Sing along to your favourite songs
18. Practise mindful colouring
19. Try aromatherapy
20. Get some sunshine
21. Play on a swing
22. Watch the clouds
23. Go for a mindful walk
24. Listen to nature sounds
25. Watch the waves crash
26. Take a walk along the beach
27. Create a folder or album of photos, videos and screenshots that make you happy
28. Keep a minimum number of tabs open on your laptop
29. Remove apps you don’t use
30. Celebrate your milestones
31. Reflect on your day
32. Plan your day the night before
33. Try a guided sleep meditation

1. Watch an inspiring TED talk
2. Create a bucket list
3. Set a goal that aligns with your values
4. Set smaller process goals
5. Practise self-reflection
6. Create a personal mission statement
7. Write a letter to your future self
8. Perform an 80/20 analysis
9. Clean out your email inbox
10. Clean up your desktop
11. Tidy up your workspace
12. Practise emotional freedom techniques
13. Play an instrument

1. Watch your favourite movie
2. Create a self-care kit
3. Commit to building a new healthy habit
4. Drop a habit that doesn’t serve you
5. Read a self-development book
6. Learn a language
7. Watch a documentary
8. Learn about a topic that interests you
9. Learn a new skill
10. Listen to a soothing podcast
11. Turn off notifications for the day
12. Do a social media detox
13. Do a digital detox
14. Practise fear-setting (Tim Ferriss)
15. Face one of your fears
16. Take a pottery class
17. Paint
18. Draw
19. Bake a healthy treat
20. Plan a holiday or something to look forward to
21. Ask for help
22. Join a support group
23. See a therapist
24. Try flotation therapy
25. Play board games
26. Go camping

1. Stretch your body
2. Dance
3. Do a kettlebell workout
4. Do a 10 minute full body workout
5. Skip to music
6. Get your heart rate up
7. Self-massage
8. Make a clean smoothie
9. Sip on a cup of tea
10. Drink more water
11. Try oil pulling
12. Practise dry brushing
13. Moisturise
14. Enjoy a sauna session
15. Practise earthing
16. Try cryotherapy

1. Take an epsom salt bath
2. Plan your meals in advance
3. Cook a nourishing meal
4. Practise mindful eating
5. Go for a nature walk
6. Practise tai chi
7. Swim laps
8. Go for a run

1. Sleep
2. Make kombucha
3. Bake healthy treats
4. Go for a hike
5. Go for a scenic bike ride
6. Get a massage
7. Practise pilates
8. Get a health check
9. Practise martial arts
10. Take a boxing class
11. Play team sports
12. Start crossfit
13. Play tennis
14. Go rock climbing
15. Visit the Hot Springs

1. Watch the sunrise or sunset
2. Hug someone you love
3. Recite a mantra or affirmation
4. Read real life uplifting stories and life lessons
5. Start a jar of awesome
6. Make a list of all the things you love about yourself
7. Reflect on your accomplishments
8. Call a friend or loved one
9. Gaze at the stars
10. Pray
11. Read poetry
12. Pay it forward
13. Perform a random act of kindness
14. Donate to a charity
15. Step out of your comfort zone
16. Laugh out loud

1. Have an honest conversation with a friend
2. Plant something
3. Play with animals
4. Define or revisit your core values
5. Reconnect with old friends

1. Read fiction
2. Read an inspiring book
3. Start or resume your passion project
4. Start a DIY project
5. Create a vision board
6. Perform a life audit
7. Create a Dreamline (The 4 Hour Work Week)
8. Start the conversation about mental health
9. Exit toxic relationships
10. Attend social events
11. Volunteer at a soup kitchen
12. Go to a comedy show
13. Go to a gig
14. Visit a museum or art gallery
15. Practise forgiveness
16. Forgive yourself
17. Practise self-acceptance and letting go
18. Try crystal healing
19. Learn about the 7 chakras
20. Spend some quality time with friends and family

We know that sifting through the sheer volume of content to find a decent article in the self-care department can be a tad overwhelming, not to mention time-consuming. As a result, those grand intentions to put yourself first can very easily wither away.

This year, we made it our mission to conduct the preliminary research for you, so that you can spend less time in rabbit holes and more time self-caring.