Listen, adulting is HARD. From planning our careers to maintaining our health, adulting is not the flex our 9-year-old selves thought it would be. Many people practice self-care to combat the stress and tension that often comes with being an adult. But even THAT can become repetitive and boring after a while.
Fortunately, there are plenty of other ways to spice up your self-care routine — many of which you might not have considered before.
What Is Self-Care?
When it comes to being an adult, there are so many responsibilities to shoulder. Household chores, financial planning, and exercising are just a few of the many tasks on our to-do lists.
And aside from managing your personal wellbeing, you have to take charge of your mental health as well. And for many people, that’s where self-care comes in handy.
Self-care involves dedicating time to do things you want to do. That’s it. It’s all about YOU. It’s kind of like celebrating your birthday, but better because you can practice it every day instead of just one.
Common Ways to Practice It
Because self-care is personal, you can make it anything you want it to be. A lot of people practice it by reading their favorite books. Others practice it by indulging in a scoop of ice cream or a slice of pizza.
If you like to be pampered, you can have a self-care day at the spa. Or, for a more affordable option, treat yourself to a new hair care product for your wash day routine or bake some homemade cookies.
Self-care is important for many reasons. And there are many ways to practice it. But if you find yourself becoming bored with your routine, it may be time to shake things up a bit. Here are six forms of self-care to try out that you probably haven’t thought of:
1.
Wine Bar
A lot of men and women enjoy winding down after a long day with a glass of wine and a bubble bath. And we get it — what can be better than a glass of wine? An entire wine bar, of course.
At a wine bar, you can sample from a selection of fine wines, from red to white. Wine bars are perfect for experienced wine drinkers to try something they haven’t tried before. Or, if you’re new to drinking wine, they can also be a great introduction.
Many wine bars even offer wine “flights,” a lineup of four or more samples of wine. Wine flights provide a fun way to taste quality wines from local, national, and international wineries.
2.
Spoken Word
Part of self-care is ridding yourself of the stressors of everyday life to focus on YOU. Many people do this by journaling at the end of the day. Others do it by listening to self-help audiobooks for affirmation.
But you can also practice self-care by tapping into your creative side. For example, spoken word is helpful for releasing tension in a productive way.
Spoken word is when poets present their poems to an audience. Spoken word venues are typically a welcoming and safe space where people from all backgrounds meet for a gathering of minds.
If you enjoy writing, try channeling your emotions into poetry. For example, you can write about love, the culture, the state of the world, and anything else that comes to mind. You never know how your words can help someone in the audience who needs to hear them.
3.
Soap Carving
View this post on Instagram
Soap carving is a popular craft that can also be very therapeutic. It involves using a sharp utensil to sculpt a design or pattern into a slab of soap. The result is a beautiful sculpture you can use as decoration or in the bathroom.
View this post on Instagram
Soap carving is fun because it allows you to get creative. You can use a premade design as a stencil or carve your soap without help. And if you’re really about that DIY life, you can make your own soap from scratch. Choose from a wide selection of fragrances for aromatherapy, from floral to fruity. You can also add in your favorite colors to make your soap bar really pop.
4.
Volunteer
Another unique self-care idea is volunteering. By helping others, you can improve your own mental and physical health. Many volunteers find it rewarding because they’re helping others while also helping themselves.
According to the Mayo Clinic Health System, volunteering releases the chemical dopamine, known as the “happy hormone,” into the body. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter responsible for helping us think and plan. It also relieves stress by increasing feelings of happiness and pleasure.
This is why volunteering is important. It not only helps others, but it helps you, too. Even better, there are many ways to volunteer based on your personality, from cuddling with dogs at an animal shelter to writing encouraging letters to lonely seniors.
5.
Food Tour
If you like to practice self-care by indulging in good food, you might enjoy taking a food tour around the city. Food tours are a fun way to explore local neighborhoods while sampling from popular eateries in the area.
During a food tour, a tour guide escorts a group of people through parts of a city, explaining its history and other fun facts. But the best part about food tours is, of course, the food. As you learn about the city, you’ll stop at nearby dining establishments to try out some of their menu items.
You can choose a food tour based on the city you want to explore or the type of cuisine you want to try. Food tours are a unique self-care activity that allows you to learn a lot about a city’s history and culture. You can even tour your own city to find some cool eateries you never tried before.
6.
Goat Yoga
View this post on Instagram
If you’re an animal lover who likes yoga, you have to try goat yoga. Goat yoga is a fun activity that involves practicing yoga poses alongside cute and cuddly goats.
Most of the goats are really young, so you don’t have to worry about being injured by larger, heavier goats. Some of them are shy and may feel more comfortable simply walking around while you practice your poses. Others are friendlier with no problem giving you a little cuddle or even climbing on your back as you do the “downward dog.”
View this post on Instagram
Goat yoga is a great meditative workout that improves mental and physical health. And even better, according to News in Health, interacting with animals can help lower cortisol levels and blood pressure.