(Published 2024 January)
Take Care of You Without Breaking the Bank
Taking care of ourselves with kindness and gratitude is crucial to our well-being. But self-care doesn’t have to mean an expensive vacation or weekend getaway full of massages, candles, and wine. There’s a wealth of options you can try at little to no cost! Here’s our list of ways to take care of yourself without breaking the bank:
Look at the night sky. Drive to a hill away from the city—where light pollution distracts from the view--and stargaze. No one has ever observed the universe’s dark beauty and had regrets. We’d bet all our animal crackers on that.
Put your goals on paper. When goals float around in our head, we might feel overwhelmed and not know where to start. Try writing them down and prioritizing them in the order of what matters most. Then write down the objectives for each goal; how are you going to achieve them? Finish the list or your priorities change? Start a new list!
Take a hike. Research shows being in nature increases our body’s calming system more than being in an urban setting. There’s something about being surrounded by trees or sand and hearing a bird’s cry that makes us feel like there’s more to life than our 9 to 5. Plus, physical activity releases happy hormones (also known as endorphins), which eases stress.
Cook. Cooking (or baking) can be a creative outlet, so whip up a favorite recipe or try your hand at something entirely new. Your culinary creation can be as simple as scrambled eggs or as ingredient rich as gumbo. Whatever you make, you’ll end up with a treat at the end.
Hopefully, at least one idea on this list encourages you to focus on your own personal health in a kind way.
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