Self Care Rituals That’ll Keep You Refreshed in 2021 by Kara Mason
A while ago I read an interior design article about how we tend to naturally create our own personal shrines in our homes. For me, it’s usually my dresser top where I keep a few crystals, a candle, my favorite perfumes and a potted pothos plant propagated by my mom.
I like the idea of creating spaces with meaning, and recently realized it’s not just my living space that has become deeply personal as of late. My self-care is looking less like a routine and more like a series of small rituals.
As the term “self-care” has become increasingly buzzy over the past few years, it can feel almost as if we should earn that time, that it’s only justified when we’ve had a stressful day or week or we’ve put in enough work to reserve a little indulgence.
If you’re an overthinker, the act of figuring out whether you deserve self-care becomes just as taxing as the stress you’re trying to escape. It took rearranging my thought process a little bit to realize that the small moments for me, the ones that I truly savor, are my self-care rituals: Taking a break from work to make a salad for lunch, marking the end of my day with a warm bath and splurging on a bouquet of flowers at the grocery store.
Of course I love the occasional facial or spa day as an act of self-care too, but I no longer stress about scheduling these big acts throughout my week because I’ve calculated that I’ve earned them. I find just as much comfort — if not more — in allowing myself to run a bath just because. I’ve stopped convincing myself I’ve done enough work to deserve it. I just enjoy it, and that’s enough. Especially these days.
If you’re looking to boost your self-care this year — and stop feeling guilty about it — look no further than what you’re already doing on a regular basis. Here are a few places to start:
Perfecting Your Skincare
There are few better feelings than starting the day or crawling into bed with a fresh face. Chances are you already have a skincare routine built in to your day, and making it a ritual can be as simple as adding a special product or step, like an oat facial scrub or doing a hydrogel eye mask once a week. Your skin will thank you and you won’t have to think twice about it.
A Soothing Space
Tidying up is absolutely an act of self-care. Just think about how good you feel relaxing in a clean, uncluttered space. Setting a timer for 20 minutes at the end of the day to straighten up can easily become a simple, yet therapeutic, ritual. It’s become so important to my mental health and well-being that I’ve added cleaning products that feel like a treat to use. The Aromatherapy Home Care Collection was created with just that in mind. House work quickly becomes less of a chore and more of a treat. A true win-win.
Journal
The benefits of journaling are plenty, and they’re backed by science, which makes it even more enticing as an act of self-care. Whether you enjoy free-writing on a blank page or like the challenge of a prewritten prompt, it’s pretty easy to fall into a routine. To make it feel like an extra special part of your day light a candle to set the mood. Did you know lavender can induce relaxation and help your creativity flow? Enjoy the moment and the freedom you’ll feel afterward.
xxx
Kara Mason is a writer based in Colorado. She loves musky-scented candles, exploring the Southwest and her two family labradors, Annie and Jase.