Before I started my self-care routines, I knew absolutely nothing correct about self-care and how it was done. I had the misconceived idea that self-care was only for rich ladies, that it took hours of your day, and that it only consisted of having your hair done perfectly for your rich husband. How I got to this conclusion, I am unsure, but that is where I was.

So now that I know a fair bit more about self-care, I wanted to create a safe space for those who either don't know much about self-care, have never tried self-care or are just starting out in self-care to learn about a few things I wish I had've learnt back in the day.

How about all in one place?

Going the extra mile like I try to do, I've created a printable for you giving you a deep dive into self-care, where to start, how to try it, ways it can help you, and ways to help other people with self-care whilst doing self-care yourself.

1. Self-care isn't just for adults

The earlier you learn self-care habits, the more chance you have of making them a part of your life.

What self-care can our youth do?

Here are three simple ways you can do self-care when you are a teenager.

1. Daily exercise

Doing exercise daily will help your physical and mental well-being. Not only does exercise release endorphins, but it will keep you healthy.

2. Skincare

Taking care of your skin is part of many people's lives, and working out what works for your skin takes a while to work out if you are doing it on your own. If you don't have access to a skincare professional (one that is not affiliated with a skincare brand) I suggest trialling different products.

3. Setting Boundaries

Saying no and accepting nothing less than your value is a skill we should learn from a young age. The older you get and the more you just say yes to please people, the harder it is to break the habit.

2. There is a type of self-care for everyone

Self-care isn't just for women or the retired. It isn't just for single people or parents. There are countless ways to do self-care, if you are after some ideas, keep reading below.

Surely there isn't something for everyone?

You may be thinking? Well, let me show you just how wide self-care can be.

• Introverted? Set some boundaries
• Extroverted? Go out to a natural juice bar with friends
• Single mum? Ask a person you trust to look after your child and spend some time with yourself
• Retired? Take a little holiday with your spouse, best friend, or child.
• Teenager? Take some time to find the perfect skincare routine for yourself
• Locked in the house for a length of time? Connect with friends over video chat

3. Self-care can be done at any point in the day

Self-care doesn't need to be actively done at a certain point during the day. You don't need to schedule out time where self-care can only be done during that time. Self-care can be as simple as eating healthily or showering.

4. Little steps consistently are better

If you're like me and often find yourself going full-blast at something for a short time before giving up, try doing something small every day rather than a big gesture only once or twice.

Small things to try

A few ways you can start small is by getting enough sleep every night, exchanging one meal every day for a healthier version, or washing your face every night before bed.

5. Not all self-care needs to be relaxing like meditation

Exercise is a good example of how self-care doesn't need to be quiet time. If you are someone who likes to be energetic, look for self-care that gets you up and about. Go for a walk or run, enter a marathon, or clean your house.

So what to do now?

Now that you've read a few different points about self-care, why not try a few different self-care routines and see how good you feel afterwards? If you want even more help, why not grab my self-care printable I made with you in mind?