“Love yourself first, and everything else falls in line,” Lucille Ball said. “You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” 

1. Candles

Aromatherapy and candles can be a great way to relax and de-stress while stimulating your brain. Lavender, vanilla, and citrus scents can help you relax with their soothing smells. While you can buy your candles for Valentine’s Day, you can even make your own candles. I recommend using coconut wax when making your candles because when it is  melted, you can rub it into your skin which is  soothing. There are plenty of candle-making kits; my personal favorite scents are Very Vanilla, Egyptian Amber and Love Spell.

2. Face Masks

Skincare can be a massive part of your self-care routine. Healthy skin can instantly make you feel more confident, and skincare can be  relaxing. While you can buy your own, making your own skin care products can be rewarding. Here is one recipe from Dr. Rodney that can reduce redness and irritation, and  moisturize your skin.

3. Read a Book

Reading can be a great way to learn about subjects or delve into a  new world of possibilities. Reading can be a healthier way to escape reality than  enjoying entertainment on screens. Screens have been proven to have negative effects on your health. With so many different genres and lengths, there is  a book for everyone. Some books I recommend are “My Sister’s Keeper,” “Educated,” “Sapiens,” “We Were Liars,” “The Love Hypothesis,” and the “Harry Potter” book series.  

4. Nurture your Social Life

Making time to hang out with friends or other loved ones can instantly boost your happiness. Nurturing your social life can mean going to a party, hanging out with friends at a small gathering, a family dinner or even giving yourself time to recharge your social battery away from people. 

5. Exercise

Give yourself time to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day,  at least three times a week (but life happens, so do what you can). Exercising can boost your energy levels, happiness, physical health and it can lessen your symptoms of depression and anxiety. Joining a sports team, walking or  jogging, doing yoga, hiking, biking and swimming can improve your physical and emotional health. 

6. Tea

Soothing herbal teas can help you when you are sick, and there are many different teas for every occasion, like mint and chamomile teas. Penn Medicine and numerous studies have found that some teas have been known to boost your immune system, fight off inflammation, and even ward off some types of cancer and heart disease. Also, it is a healthier caffeine option than coffee or soda.

7. Go outside

Connecting with nature and spending time outdoors has been known to help with mental health problems. Just by simply going on a walk outside or sitting on your porch can lower your stress levels. 

8. DIY Warming Muscle Rub

If you have incredibly stiff muscles or feel sore after exercising, this DIY warming massage run may be for you. This soothes any kind of soreness and muscle aches. Here is a recipe made by Stephanie Pollard.

9. DIY Bath Bombs and Body Scrubs 

Keeping yourself clean and treating yourself while doing so is a great way to give yourself some self-care. You can buy yourself bath bombs and body scrubs based on your preferences or you can make them! There are tons of bath bomb recipes online as well as DIY Kits. My favorite bath bombs are pokemon ones that come in a variety of scents as well as have cute pokemon inside of them and peppermint bath bombs help you feel better when you are sick. Here’s a Body Sugar Scrub Recipe from Freebie Finding Mom:

10. Gift Yourself 

Treat yourself to something you have wanted for a long time. Buying gifts for yourself is a great way to show self-love! If you save up your money, like me, then you know the rewarding feeling of buying what you really want with the money you saved—buying yourself a small item once a month or treating yourself with something bigger every once in a while. Recently, I treated myself to candle supplies so I could make my candles. Another gift could be taking yourself to a cat cafe or dog cafe.