10 Important Self-Care Habits to Start Doing Today

Live your best life with these simple and manageable self-care habits for the mind, body, and soul.

Dear Spirited Earthling,

Self-care habits are extremely important in daily life for maintaining overall well-being and managing various aspects of physical, mental, and emotional health. Engaging in self-care activities that make you feel good about yourself can boost your self-esteem and confidence. When you prioritise your needs and take care of yourself, you send a positive message to yourself about your self-worth.

This space on the internet is about wholesome personal growth that supports your mind, body, and soul. These 10 important self-care habits will bring a holistic approach to your daily self-care. Feel good, show up for yourself in relationships, at home and in the office.

1. Say Affirmations

Saying affirmations can be a powerful self-care habit because they promote positive self-talk and foster a healthy mindset. The narrative you have of yourself is incredibly important to how you view and feel about yourself. Repeating affirmations is effective in boosting your personal power, self-confidence, self-love, happiness, and attracting different energies. Start speaking kindly to yourself and manifest your dreams today.

2. Go Outside

Nature is healing, plain and simple. It is a peaceful retreat from the demands of life where you can rest and recharge. A place that welcomes you in any mood and in any phase of life. Human history is intertwined with nature and the four elements.

Go outside to calm your mind and lift your mood. You can walk barefoot and ground yourself as you connect with the Earth. Forest bathing allows you to mindfully immerse yourself in nature. Work in the fresh air, and enjoy meals outside. Being outside can be a calm experience like sitting at a lake or getting in your weekly movement minutes while hiking. Switch off your devices and be present.

3. Move Daily

Incorporating regular movement and exercise into your routine is a fundamental self-care habit. Physical activity (walking, running, yoga, Pilates, tai chi, stretching, etc.) not only benefits your body by promoting cardiovascular health, strength, and flexibility, but it also has a profound impact on your mental well-being. Exercise releases endorphins, the "feel-good" hormones, which can elevate your mood, reduce stress and anxiety, and boost mental clarity. Engaging in movement also offers a valuable opportunity to disconnect from daily stressors, giving you dedicated time to focus on yourself in your morning and evening routines.

4. Mindful Exercises

Engaging in mindful exercises can be transformative, spiritual self-care habits. These practices allow you to cultivate a deeper awareness of the present moment, fostering a sense of calm and reducing feelings of overwhelm.

• Meditation promotes mental clarity, emotional regulation, and stress reduction by training your mind to focus and let go of distractions.

• Breathwork techniques provide a tool that’s always on hand to manage stress, slow your heart rate and promote a sense of peace. By integrating these mindful exercises into your routine, you create a space for self-reflection, reduced anxiety, and a more grounded mindset.

• Have a spiritual altar in your home where you can practice rituals, connect in circle, and journal.

5. Sleep

Getting enough sleep each night is essential to living a full life and is an important self-care habit to start doing today. Adequate sleep is essential for physical restoration and healing, helping your body repair tissues, regulate hormones, and boost your immune system. Sleep also plays a crucial role in cognitive function and emotional well-being, as it enhances memory consolidation, learning, and mood regulation. Making sleep a priority can improve your overall productivity, attention span, and decision-making abilities, while also reducing the risk of mental health issues like anxiety and depression.

Try to go to sleep at the same time each night, limit alcohol and sugary foods before bed, and close out your day in a peaceful way with minimal exposure to no blue light (meditate, journal, stretch, read). A great podcast on sleep and its importance is The Matt Walker Podcast.

Related read: Helpful Evening Routine Ideas to Make Life More Wonderful

6. Hydrate

Staying well-hydrated is a simple and impactful self-care habit. Hydration is essential for maintaining optimal bodily functions (like digestion, circulation, and temperature regulation). Drinking enough water throughout the day can boost your energy levels, improve cognitive function, and improve your physical performance. Proper hydration also supports healthy skin. By making a conscious effort to drink water regularly, you're showing your body the care it deserves, ensuring that it operates efficiently and keeping yourself feeling refreshed and revitalized.

7. Laugh

Embracing laughter and cultivating a sense of humour is a wonderful self-care habit that can brighten your life in multiple ways. Laughter releases endorphins, promoting feelings of joy and reducing stress, which in turn can have positive effects on your physical and mental well-being. Humour helps you gain perspective on challenges and build resilience and adaptability. Sharing a laugh with others strengthens social bonds and improves communication, leading to happy relationships. By allowing space for laughter in your life, you're nurturing your emotional health, increasing your overall happiness, and fostering a light-hearted approach when navigating life's ups and downs.

8. Have Boundaries

Boundaries are about you and for you, not about or for other people. Establishing and maintaining personal boundaries is a crucial self-care habit that safeguards your well-being. You can see boundaries as ever-evolving commitments to yourself. Say no to people and situations that drain you and make you feel less than others. Say yes to people and situations that inspire and support you. Healthy personal boundaries create a balanced and harmonious environment that supports your growth, self-care, and overall happiness.

9. Self Check-In

Self check-ins build self-awareness. Taking time to reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and needs allows you to identify areas of happiness and stress, comfort and discomfort, or balance and imbalance. Self check-ins also encourage self-compassion and self-acceptance. When you better understand your feelings, and why you’re feeling them, you can make informed decisions that will support with your overall well-being.

Do some deep breaths and journal with prompts or free-writing, record a voice note and listen back to it.

10. Practice Gratitude

This is a self-care habit that will always and forever be on any self-care list on this blog. Practising gratitude keeps you aware of all the blessings you have in life. Go ahead and romanticise your life while you’re at it. By recognizing the good, even in challenging times, you develop resilience and a greater sense of perspective. This self-care habit brings into focus the good people, things, and situations you have in your life. As you give thanks for this, you are attracting more good people, things, and situations into your life. The Universe is listening and wants to help you, wherever your focus goes - so keep it positive. Practice gratitude in your morning and evening routines.

Remember that self-care is not a one-size-fits-all concept. It varies from person to person and can include a wide range of activities, from reading a book and taking a bubble bath to spending time with loved ones or pursuing a hobby. The key is to prioritize activities that nourish your body, mind, and soul and to integrate them into your daily routine. Track your habits to keep the motivation and celebrate your progress.

Spirited Earthling is more than just a blog – it's a gathering place for kindred spirits drawn by an interest in self-discovery, the appeal of self-care, and a desire for a deeper connection to the world. Written and created for curious minds and spiritual hearts seeking meaning in everyday life, this blog aims to help you curate your wholesome personal growth with free weekly ideas and affordable resources for sale.

As you navigate your personal growth journey using the words and ideas shared here, consider sharing this blog with someone looking for inspiration or motivation on their own journey. We are all spirited earthlings, and can lift each other together with mindful, connected living.

Thank you for being part of this community.

Best wishes, warmest regards

Jordan

---

Exercise: Choose one of these habits to start forming today.

Journal Prompt: Which healthy habit can I start doing to boost my happiness and confidence?

---

Connect with Spirited Earthling on your favourite social platforms and say hello 🌻

Join our Telegram group for a link to the new blog post of the week.

Resources for mind, body, and soul growth ♥