By Teeth Video 
The past few years have taken a toll on many people, and now more than ever, mental health awareness and self care are vital. We understand that many people need to achieve mental health, whether through a local massage therapist, journaling, or choosing a new hobby, to help start forming achievable and healthier habits. Not sure where to begin? That’s okay—we have your guide to help you achieve your self-care goals.
Are you ready to finally start taking time to care about your mental health? Continue reading our summer self care guide below and learn the importance of good care, how to form a good habit, and different tasks and things you can do to finally achieve mental health. These tasks can include:
Finding a local massage therapist
Eating healthy
Exercise
Anxiety treatment
Finding a hobby
Starting a journal
And more!
It’s our goal to help guide our readers through their own journey to finding happiness and living a healthier lifestyle. Let your self care journey start with us today!
Self-care is so important in our lives, but unfortunately, it goes neglected far too often. From meditating to skin care to physically and emotionally caring for ourselves, self-care seems to be more of a luxury than a necessity to some. This might be due to the fact that about 44% of the American population believes that self-care is only possible if you have enough time. However, this is far from the case! Self-care is an essential part of daily living that can be done in little time, so long as there is adequate dedication given to form the habit of self-care.
Forming a Good Habit
It can be very easy to start implementing self-care into your daily regimen. For starters, begin to think of self care as a habit. Just like you get up 20 minutes early every morning to get your morning coffee, you can wake up 20 minutes early to meditate! This is just an example of how easy it can be to incorporate self-care into our daily routine. When done enough times, self-care becomes an essential ritual that you won’t know how to get rid of.
For students, teachers, and even daily workers, the summer time can be the best time to start forming self-care routines. Summer self care routines can be implemented right away with little distractions, as school and classes are out and the rush to get to school in the morning is gone. Once summer is over, it will still be a habit to continue your summer self care, and you will soon find a way to incorporate your necessary self-care routines into your daily life.
Why Is Self-Care Important?
You might be wondering, what even is self-care, and does it really matter? Self-care, as mentioned earlier, can be anything from brushing your teeth and other dental treatment, to meditation, even proper hygiene and exercise. Self-care, according to the website psychcentral, is any activity that we take part in in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health.
Without self-care, our neglected state leads to heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and an overall negative mood. Luckily for us, summer self care is just around the corner, and with these 15 self-care tips, you’ll be full of ideas and activities to do to let yourself become more relaxed, more self-loving, and ready to enjoy the summer full-on!
1. Mindfulness Meditation
Self-care can be used as an effective tool for anxiety treatment, and there’s no better way to start summer self care than with mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation involves the process of slowing down and examining racing thoughts, practicing deep breathing techniques, and calming the mind and body simultaneously. Over time, research has shown mindfulness meditation to be a powerful tool against anxiety, as it teaches the anxious mind to begin to view panicked thoughts as irrational, and soon let them go away. What’s best, mindfulness meditation can be done in as little as 15 to 20 minutes a day with the help of some awesome Youtube videos online! Summer self care should be focused on creating a better, more relaxed you, and mindfulness meditation is a sure way to help that goal along.
2. Pick Up a Hobby
Whether you’re a busy mom, busy student, or simply a stressed out adult that has a heavy workload, it’s important to take time out of your day to do what you love. Reading, learning a new language, even just coloring or painting can all help you get your mind off things and get you more grounded. Stop making excuses, and find time to do what you love at least 15 minutes a day. You’ll be amazed at the results of what this simple “me-time” can do. If you want to get into a new exercise routine, however, just be sure to invest in sports physicals with your doctor.
3. Journal Writing
Your summer self care routine can be one that helps you gain an introspective view on your thoughts and yourself during this rare period of downtime in the busy year. A good way to gain a great introspective view and examine your thinking patters is to pick up journaling. Journaling can help you get out any stressful thoughts onto paper, and provide insight on any irrational thinking patterns you might have. Nervous about a big interview? Not sure if you’ll get those classes in the Fall? Write down your worries, what you’re grateful for, your dreams, anything you want! Get your thoughts down on paper, and feel how much less stressed you become this summer.
4. Practice Self-Compassion
If you’re new to self-care, and feel like your summer self care routine is going less well than expected, it’s ok! Don’t beat yourself up! In fact, reward yourself for all your wins during the day, and practice positive self-talk and positive affirmations. This is what is known as self-compassion, and it does wonders in treating symptoms of depression, anxiety, and boosting self-esteem. It does no good to constantly talk down to yourself, or think negatively about daily life. These can result in depression, so it’s important to start practicing more compassion for yourself and the beautiful person you are starting today.
5. Daily Mindfulness Walk
Take in the sights of the gorgeous sun on the beach, blooming flowers, and playful children during your summer self care routine by taking a daily mindfulness walk. A daily walk can not only be helpful in keeping you healthy, but also can incorporate mindfulness techniques throughout. Use all of your senses to really take in your environment during your walks. Using your five senses of sight, touch, sound, taste, and hearing can all help keep you grounded, and lessen stress levels overall.
6. Outdoor Exercise
Exercise is a crucial part of summer self care, and can help you look good and stay fit. Also, exercise helps relieve us of pent up adrenaline, stress, and is considered in the health care system to be one of the best treatments for anxiety and depression. Releasing natural feel-good endorphins is just one benefit of exercise. Enjoy the summer with a bike ride, jog, or power walk!
7. Aromatic Baths
Aromatherapy has long been used be ancient cultures to soothe man and his worries. Ancient Egyptian carvings even show methods of how to extract essential oils for use for aromatherapy! Lucky for us, the advent of already made essential oils such as lavender and eucalyptus, oil diffusers, hot tubs and bath bombs can make a memorable, self-care bath routine possible even tonight! Take this summer self care routine to the next level by adding moisturizers and candles for an ultra-luxurious, pampering experience.
8. Therapy
We all need help every once in a while, some more than others, and there is no shame in seeking mental health services this summer, or as soon as possible, to treat underlying conditions. Whether you’re a student stressed over the upcoming semester, a mom stressed over her kids, or even a retiree that’s stressed over finding assistance living for seniors, there are a myriad of situations that can all cause us stress in daily living. Seek the mental help you need, and remember that telemedicine is allowing even the busiest people to get help through online meetings.
9. Acupuncture
Your summer self care routine can not only be beneficial to your emotional and mental health but also your physical health! Acupuncture actually combines both and can be a great alternative method of seeking pain relief. After you’ve tried ergonomic chairs, expensive mattresses, even traditional medicine, why not try the natural, ancient Chinese medicine of acupuncture to seek some pain relief?
10. Massages
Besides acupuncture, massages can be a great way to get some much-needed pain relief and get rid of tension. Most tension tends to accumulate in the neck and upper back area, causing headaches, tight muscles, and fatigue. A summer self care massage can be a great way to reboot your body, and get you feeling your best again.
11. Healthy Eating
It’s not enough to just exercise and meditate during your summer self care routine. Studies have shown that what we eat has a huge impact on how we feel. The more veggies and greens your body has, the more nutrients, oxygen, and minerals your brain can use in order to process emotions properly. Incorporate more delicious fruits and veggies this summer, and try some exotic juices and even acai bowls for a refreshing, healthy treat!
12. Social Media Cleanse
Social media is a great way to keep in touch with family and friends. However, the increasing models presenting unrealistic beauty, rising tensions, and even political divides between friends and family can all make social media a toxic environment to participate in. Depression and anxiety can both result from too much time on social media, as well as hinder your outside work. This summer, take a break from the drama, recharge, and cleanse yourself from social media to keep your mental health in good shape.
13. Skin Routine
A skin routine is an essential part of your summer self care routine and can be done in as little as 10 minutes twice a day. To start, consult with your doctor about any allergies or skin irritants you might have a negative reaction to. Use good products that are natural, and include a cleanser, moisturizing, toner, and any other products for your specific skin type. This can include hyperpigmentation therapy ointments, eye creams, or even products for oily or dry skin. Don’t be afraid to ask for help at your local beauty supply store, and feel what a difference this pampering skin-care routine can do for you.
14. Good Oral Hygiene
Having good oral hygiene and getting regular dental services treatment is an important part of maintaining your overall health. Try incorporating a good oral hygiene routine in your summer self care routine, including flossing, using mouthwash, and even using an electronic toothbrush instead of a regular one. You’ll find that having to deal with less cavities, bad breath, and having a great smile can all be beneficial in boosting your confidence and self-esteem.
15. Nightly Sleep Routine
Sleep is an overwhelmingly important part of our health, and without adequate sleep, you can be sure to face some troubling consequences. Lack of concentration, memory loss, irritability, depression, and at the very worst hallucinations can all occur with lack of sleep. Why, then, is it so difficult to incorporate a good nightly sleep routine?
Our phones, worries about the next day, staying up to do work or homework, and everything in between can make it difficult to wind-down and stay asleep during the night. Try shutting off all electronics at least an hour before bed, drinking some relaxing tea such as chamomile before bed, and using meditation to help you fall asleep faster. Nowadays, even products such as CBD seem to help some insomniacs find relief. Whatever you choose to do, make it a habit during your summer self care routine, and stick to it for the best results and to feel more rested.
Self-care doesn’t have to be a grueling or difficult process to incorporate into your daily life. Baby steps are sometimes all it takes to get started. For instance, call up your insurance to seek mental health treatment or get information on general dentistry. Take a five-minute walk, and turn it into 10 minutes, then 15. Or, meditate even during your lunch break at work to unwind during the middle of the day.
It’s important to remember that the most important thing in this life is you and your health, and your top priority should be maintaining your mental, physical, and emotional health. If you’re unhappy with life, make some changes! This could be exercising more or investing in a plastic surgeon to fix that one feature you’ve always hated. Take this time during the summer to solidify your self-care habits, and use it to de-stress, continue your self-growth, and be the best version of yourself.