The Essential Self Care Checklist If You’ve Been Neglecting Yourself

As I struggle with something heavy these last few days, it occurs to me that may more people out there must be struggling too. And the truth is, when you are struggling, you neglect yourself. You need to find a way back to yourself and you have no idea where north is. This is a small and simple guide to finding a way back to yourself when you have been neglecting yourself a lot.

1. Take a day off from everything and everyone. Basically this day is for you to remember how to look after yourself. So no other people, none of your regular routine. Today is just about you.
2. On your you day, wake up earlier. Lay in bed and close your eyes for a moment and think of all the things you are grateful for. Have yourself a massive cup of coffee or tea and make yourself a delicious breakfast. Eggs, and bacon. Avocado and tomato toast. Sit there and eat it slowly, really enjoy it.
3. Switch off your phone. Or at least put it on silent. Let people know you are going to be MIA for a day. Don’t bother with social media, don’t even look at the internet. Disconnect for a while.
4. Declutter and clean your room. You have no idea how incredible it is to have a completely decluttered, freshly hoovered bedroom with fresh sheets on your bed. It’s also one less stressful thing to worry about. Open up your curtains wide and let the sunshine in, or on a rainy day watch the rainfall as you clean. Once your have decluttered and cleaned your room, take a smelly candle or some incense and let the fragrance take over your room.
5. An extremely hot, long bath. Get some bath salts for this, because lavender bath salts are excellent destressers, and some dead sea salts. Use your favourite bath foam and a book in. Also, don’t forget to take in water, hot baths make you sweat toxins out.
6. Once you’re out of the bath, go into your room, and on a notebook, detail your achievements of the last month. It doesn’t have to be anything big, it can be something small too. Clap for yourself in the places no one has ever clapped for you before. Win over your anxiety at a stressful time? Put it down. Got a personal best whilst running? Put it down.
7. Now on the next page of the notebook, you need to examine and call yourself out for the things that went wrong. This is a time for some deep introspection and talking to yourself. Have you been living your truth. Is there someone you should make amends with. Have you been too harsh on someone. Are you truly happy with the life you are living right now? Once you have done some introspection, jot down some hard things you may have to do to overcome your flaws. Think of ways to amend the relationships you want to keep.
8. At this point it’s probably good to get something else to eat. Make yourself a sandwich or have your favourite soup. In the summer, get yourself a nice cool salad or a massive, delicious, deli filled baguette.
9. For the rest of the day do small, soft things. Read a book. Watch a TV show you’ve wanted to watch. Put on that sappy movie. Draw. Paint. Listen to some good music or write a new song. If you live in the countryside go for a walk. And if you have pets spend some time with them.
10. Before you go to bed tonight, meditate on your day. Consider all the things that have happened which you are grateful for. Consider how almost everything you thought was broken could be fixed. Consider how if you examine your own behaviour you are able to approach situations better. Get an early night. I promise the dreams will be sweet after a day like this.