Practice Self-Care

I\’ve been spending a lot of time working with the LATC school counselors over the last week or two, trying to come up with some ideas on how to get our staff and students to be more mindful of self-care. Not only are we dealing with a crazy election season and a pandemic, but we are also now getting into the colder months, and seasonal depression is beginning to set in for some. It\’s also getting darker a lot earlier now as well, which is certainly not helping. And while I know being a college kid can be challenging, and it\’s very important to reach out to them during this time, they\’re not the only ones struggling. So, I decided I\’d share with all of you some of the ideas we came up with, in case you need to practice some self-care as well.

1. Read a book! This may be something you already do on a daily basis, but for some, reading hasn\’t been on their minds since they finished school. Reading a good book is a great way to take time away from the hustle and bustle of your everyday life. Escape reality and spend some time in a made up land far, far away!

2. Spend time with a pet. If you own a pet, this shouldn\’t be hard! If not, then find a friend who is willing to let you come snuggle with their fur baby. If you ask nicely, I might let you come hang with Dobs for a while. 😉

3. Ask for help. This one is a lot easier said than done for many. I know I\’m one of those people who would rather try to do it on my own than ask for help. But it\’s important! Why get frustrated trying to do something all on your own, when it could be done much more efficiently if you simply ask for help. Less stress for everyone!

4. Grab a hot drink and take a brain break for 15 minutes. This is a fun one! Who doesn\’t love kicking back with a hot beverage and just hanging out for a while? This could be something you do on a daily basis.

5. Turn on some music and dance! I\’m not afraid to admit that I\’ve done this a time or two. Sometimes, you just gotta dance all that stress away! If you\’re a Grey\’s Anatomy fan, go \”dance it out!\”

6. Relax by a fire. This one will be especially nice next week when those temps start dropping again. I\’m so glad LATC bought a fire pit this year! I can go out and relax by the fire any time I feel like it. And it\’s a great way to connect with the students, too! 🙂

7. Call – not text – a friend and tell them how you are truly feeling. Have you been feeling down lately? Sometimes it helps just to get it off your chest and tell someone. And with this pandemic going on, it\’s not always easy to meet up with your loved ones. Give them a call and make sure you\’re both doing okay.

8. Edit who you follow on social media. This is something I really need to do as well. If there are people taking up your feed with nothing but negativity, get rid of them! Ain\’t nobody got time for that.

9. Make a craft or art project. This is a great way to unwind and forget about the stresses of everyday life. Either do a DIY project, or we have lots of businesses in town, like Soulful Creations and The Painted Fox, that have classes for you to join as well.

10. Practice a day of gratitude – write down what you are thankful for, and tell others you are thankful for them. With Thanksgiving coming up, what better time to give thanks?? Tomorrow is never guaranteed, so take the time to tell those you love how you feel.

11. Declutter and organize a spot in your house. While cleaning doesn\’t seem like such a great idea to many, the result of cleaning is what you need! A nice, tidy place to hang out in reduces stress big time. Even if you just wash your sheets on your bed. That\’s a small start, and it always feels SO good getting into a nice, freshly cleaned bed.

12. Write, draw or doodle in a journal. I took some time off from this for a few years, but I\’m glad I\’ve gotten back into writing in my journal every night. It\’s a great way to get things off my chest when I\’m frustrated, or to make sure I remember something that makes me really happy. I strongly recommend this one if you don\’t already do so!

13. Bake a dessert and enjoy it! I have NO troubles with this one! I LOVED baked goodies and will happily do this every day for the rest of my life. It\’s good for my mental health, after all! 🙂

14. Take a nap! I don\’t think I need to convince anyone why this one sounds like such a great idea. Go on, take that long nap – make it two even. You deserve it!

15. Watch a movie. I\’ve found it difficult lately to sit through a movie without wanting to scroll through my phone or get up and do something while I watch. I\’m sure I\’m not the only one who needs to put that phone down and pay attention to what\’s going on in front of me. It\’s a great way to RELAX!

We had a whole lot more ideas planned out, and even made it into a Bingo sheet for staff and students, so they had even more of an incentive to practice self-care. I hope this gives you a few ideas to use this weekend, and take some time to relax. And get outside and enjoy the weather! It may be the last nice weekend we have for a while.

Stay healthy everyone!

Until next time! 🙂

Megan Reiffenberger