When you are having a tough day, and feel like you just need a minute it’s okay to step back and do something for YOU. Here is a list of 10 simple self care ideas for those tough days: 

1. Listen to a song that you LOVE. For me: Dive by Ed Sheeran (Luke Combs makes a remix of this song too, give it a listen because it’s fire). Get lost in a song that puts you in a good mood. 

2. Turn your phone off for a half hour. Work can wait. Unplug from some of the stressors of your day and just be. Bonus points if you take a WHOLE day off at some point for a mental health day. 

3. Take a walk. It might seem like a super easy option, but exercise will help you process stress, but also getting outside and getting some fresh air can help you calm down from the outside in. And, like, leave the phone at home. Or hit that DND mode. 

4. Doodle, draw or journal. If you’re a creative, and getting feelings out helps you process: grab a pen and doodle some beautiful drawings (it can be stick figures, it’s okay) and get it out. You can also journal if you aren’t a modern day Picasso, but feel like you can write it out. 

5. Take a bath. Something about sitting in a hot bath (and with a bath bomb if you have one- if not hit upTarget, girl… Target should be number 6 shouldn’t it?) makes problems melt away. 

6. Download a guided meditation. There are tons of guided meditations on Spotify and Apple Music. Put your headphones in, close your eyes and let someone else tell you how to relax. It’s that simple. 

7. Call someone you love. Sometimes just hearing the voice of someone you love can be a form of self-care in itself. Everyone needs a tribe, so call yours. 

8. Do a puzzle or sudoku. As a chronic overthinker, my brain is ALWAYS reeling. That’s why most nights I sit down with a jigsaw puzzle for a half hour and turn my brain off. All that matters is finding that next piece! 

9. Workout. To quote Elle Woods: “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't.” Sometimes when I’m having a hard time handling the stresses of everyday life, hitting a workout helps me work it out. 

10. Have a cup of coffee or tea. What is it about a hot cup of coffee or tea that just brings so much comfort? Extra bonus points if you go drink it in a cute coffee shop. Sometimes coffee might make you feel more anxious, but decaf is always an option or a cup of tea.