Practicing Self Care on a Budget

Last week, we defined and described the importance of self-care, and gave some examples of how you can practice it in your daily life. While some tasks are easier than others, it isn’t hard to notice that some of the self-care “treats” we typically go to are more expensive than others. Does this mean if we’re on a budget, we won’t be able to practice self-care as efficiently? Absolutely not!! There are MANY ways we can practice self-care every day without spending a single penny. Even if we did want to treat ourselves every once in awhile, there are low-cost options that won’t break the bank, and will be just as effective! Check out some of these tips below!

Breathe

The air we breathe is free and abundant, but we often forget how valuable it truly is. An easy way to practice self-care is to just breathe! Taking a moment for yourself, whether it’s at your desk at work, or in bed when you’re having a particularly hard time getting up, taking 30 seconds to close your eyes and just breathe can make a world of difference. Whether you’re clearing your mind while you're doing it, or picturing a favorite memory, it is a time where you can focus exclusively on YOUR needs and is totally FREE! And you can do it whenever or as many times as you need to! This can be especially helpful when you're waiting on skin cancer news, or you have a biopsy coming up. These can certainly cause a lot of anxiety and worry.

Practicing good hygiene

With self-care, we often talk about nourishing our bodies with plenty of water and good food. If you can do this, that is awesome, but one thing many people forget that is also part of taking care of ourselves is practicing good hygiene. Setting aside time to take a cleansing warm shower, brushing your teeth a little extra, or flossing can make you feel all the better and ready to take on what comes next! When we get stressed or down, we often forget how rewarding the basics can feel! And of course, don't forget your daily sunscreen.

Changing your mindset

Your mind is yours and at your control 24/7. While we all can get overwhelmed or caught up in negative emotions and thoughts related to our skin cancer diagnoses, making small mental shifts daily can lead to a world of difference. Taking a minute to pat yourself on the back, or making a mental list of things you love about yourself can lead to a brighter outlook. Even just paying attention during auto-pilot activities, such as your commute to work, and finding a handful or beautiful or interesting things you pass, can help put you on the right train of thought for the rest of your day.

Adjust technology and social media habits

We are constantly bombarded by our social media accounts and technology. While some of this can be beneficial, especially when used to connect with communities like ours where you can find support, it isn’t hard to get overwhelmed by the various negative sentiments, arguments, or demands that social media places on us. Take an hour to unplug from your devices and play a fun game, or call a friend! Another great cleansing and self-care tip can be to de-clutter your social media. Take a little bit of time to “hide” posts from individuals who are constantly clogging your feed with sourness. You don’t need to unfriend them, but you can edit what (and who) you see on your daily homepages!

Practice self-awareness

Self-awareness can come in many forms. Whether it’s just having the courage to say “no” to something you really don’t want or need to do, or taking time to catch up on appropriate educational resources related to any struggles or illnesses you are currently dealing with, knowing what your up against and what you need can help you shape the way you approach situations in the future. Our communities have tons of news articles, clinical articles, and all-around detailed, and factual content about many things you may be experiencing throughout your daily struggles. Use your resources to stay in the know, and structure what you do based on what YOU need and want!

Never forget, self-care can take on so many equally beneficial forms, so long as we stick to it and remember it is a never-ending journey. Try to make little, feasible shifts every day, and keep building on what you’ve established!