The best things YOU do for your body and soul!

[Eddie C]

I know how difficult it can be sometimes, what with school and work and relationships and just maturing and changing and growing in general, to remember that you need to put YOURSELF as one of your highest (if not THE highest) priority in your life, and take some time every day, week, month, year (and so forth) to do something for YOU and your mental and physical well being; so, I figured, why not make a topic for everyone to discuss the best things you do for yourself, or to get some ideas from other users about what you could be doing to make you feel the best you can!

My suggestions for everyone:

Save money to treat yourself to something just for you:
Even if it's just a couple dollars a paycheck, or allowance (some banks can actually help you out with this, by letting you open seperate savings accounts under your primary account, and even transfer money automatically each month to help you save - I've got one going at the moment, and $35 a month is going into a saving account so I can start planning way ahead for retirement, talk about being an ambitious, early-starter!) - whether it's for a movie you've wanted to add to your collection, or some money to treat yourself to dinner at a nice restaurant, or a piece of clothing you've got on layaway, or anything at all you might want to treat yourself to - and once you've saved up enough? Treat yourself! Not only does it feel great to purchase something for yourself, that you've saved up for and have been wanting for awhile, but it may also help you learn some saving tips, and how to avoid just putting everything on a credit card.

Especially when you're getting stressed or overwhelmed - take time for you to de-stress:
Whatever your method of de-stressing might be - go for a long jog, get a massage, take a bath (complete with candles and salts), catch up on the novel you've had sitting on your bedside table while drinking tea in a comfy chair, watch your favorite TV show, play your favorite music as loud as you can and dance and sing along, whatever! Just take some time and do it! Put whatever else you're working on aside, because even if you may have a lot to do and a deadline? You're not going to do much well if you totally overwork your body and brain!

Or, if you work better just pushing on and getting everything done? Write yourself a note, and give yourself a goal and prize when you finish! (Like: "Two more pages on this report to go! Then it's time for a bubble bath!")

Stay up to date on your medical check-ups:
I'm serious here! I HATE hospitals, hate 'em hate 'em hate 'em, but the two or three times a year when I've got to go get my check-ups done (annual gynecologist visit, annual physical, annual STI screenings, bi-annual tooth cleaning - which is my least favorite, yuck!), I'll suck it up and get them done as soon as I can. Why? Because your physical health is KEY for your overall well-being, of course! And once you know you're in good shape? You'll be able to smile happily knowing you're free until next year!

NEVER put your medical stuff on hold, because it's the sort of thing that can really build up on you and just make when you actually get in a ton worse (like the dentist - 30 minutes of uncomfortable tooth scraping? Or an hour or so of cavities being filled further down the line?).

Sleep, exercise, and eat well:
Another one that may sound like, "Yeah, duh." but come on! Sleep, good health and exercise should not be something you do "when you have the time" - they should be something that you figure out how to best make the time for! Yes, sometimes you are going to just be in a situation where you just can't get a good 7-9 hours, or where you're running late and have to skip breakfast, or are just too darn tired to do whatever you like to do to stay active, but get it in there the best you can!

Trust me, stress gets worse if you're not getting the proper nutrients to power your body, or a good amount of sleep to energize yourself, or if your metabolism and physical stamina/etc. are just draggy. So, it may seem like just another thing you need to fit in somewhere, but your body and productivity will thank you for it!

Things I do/have done recently for me:

I'm a big book-worm, and even though I've been super busy with work, I like giving myself a little time to be reading something. So, even if it's a few pages a day, or during my lunch break, trying to read a new book will help me de-stress and keep my mind active!

I love Odwalla juice. Love it. And so? I drink at least one every day. It's good for me because it's nutrient-packed, and it always puts a smile on my face and in my tummy!

Massages! They're pricey to get a good one, but saving up and treating myself once or twice a year? It's heavenly, plus? If you're like me and get all tense and knotty? Your shoulders and back will thank you!

My favorite lotion - I have a Cedar lotion that I just love. It keeps my skin soft all day, and I love the soft, warm smell it has. So, I use it every morning and enjoy being around my good-smelling self all day!

Get some exercise for about half an hour a few times a week - I haven't been getting to it recently (I'm slacking on my own advice, eek!) but every time I get out of the gym I just find myself feeling so much more relaxed and healthier! I can tell when I'm not keeping myself in good shape, because I can feel it all over! I just don't sleep as well, don't have as much energy during the day, etc.

I'm a big body-art fan, both on others and on myself! And just the other day I started to get work done on a decently sized (and pretty painful!) second tattoo! I'm absolutely thrilled with it, because it's a piece of art I'm getting entirely because I want it, and because it represents something to me! It's a huge spirit-boost to not only know I have the ability to get through it (because, yikes, the last 45 minutes of shading were brutal!) but also for the personal, spiritual, mental energy it radiates from my own body!

Chocolate! I love dark chocolate, and I don't snarf it down every day (otherwise it wouldn't be as special!) but once or twice a week, I try to have a couple Godiva truffles on hand, so I can treat myself to a piece when I've had a long day and want something sweet!

SO, what do the rest of you do for just YOU? Whether it's getting out in the sun, a sport, a musical instrument, a hobby, a treat, or just some relaxing down-time, focus on the things that are good for your body and soul!

(Originally posted by -dailicious- on the old boards here: http://www.scarleteen.com/cgi-bin/forum ... 04845.html