"Self-Care Is How You Take Your Power Back."

Haley Greene
Apr 19, 2020
3 min read

-A quote by Lalah Delia.

Sometimes life can be tough, overwhelming, exhausting, draining. And if you suffer from a mental health disorder, it makes it even more difficult. Living with BPD has not been easy.

It's made me feel depressed and hopeless. It's given me anxiety. It's made me lose trust in myself. It's made me believe I'm unworthy. It's made me wonder if I'll ever be able to truly love myself. It has made me feel powerless. But I do not want to let it win. I want to be happy. I want to be proud of who I am. I want to feel worthy. I want to love myself. I want to manage my emotions. I want to learn how to validate myself and not depend on someone else to do it for me. I want to find the strength to take care of my own body and mind. I want to become powerful. I'm sure many of you can relate so if you want to make this life change with me, we must put more time and energy into practicing self-care.

I've practiced it in the past, but I admit I didn't take it as seriously as I should have. I wouldn't focus on the meaning behind it. When life got busy, I didn't always make it a priority. I put other things first- relationships, work, school, friends. I'd make excuses. When I'd feel like I was in a good place I thought it wasn't as necessary. And when I wasn't in a good place, I'd just feel too depressed to care about it. But I realized that if I wanted to be better, I needed to try harder. So I made a promise to myself to always make self-care a top priority.

Self-care can improve your mental health in so many different ways. It reduces stress. It brings peace and joy. It welcomes self-awareness. It helps eliminate negative thoughts and feelings. It nourishes your body, mind, and soul. It teaches you self-love. It allows you to take time for yourself and put yourself first. It takes back your power. And there are many different ways to practice it.

Below is a list of self-care ideas that I find helpful and rewarding. I hope you find some that work well for you. As you practice them, dig deep into "why & how" they benefit you. And promise to make self-care a priority in your life! xo

Self-Care Practices:

Meditate- Mindfulness, Loving Kindness (& you can even light candles, essential oils, incense sticks)
Give yourself credit
Practice deep breathing
Journal
Tell yourself “I Love You”
Take a break from social media
Recite self-affirmations
Create a compliment jar for yourself
Practice becoming aware of your emotions & sensations
Practice self-discipline
Color
Read a self-help book
Spend quality time with yourself
Go on a walk/explore nature
Take yourself on a coffee date
Make a vision board
Give yourself permission to be imperfect
Forgive yourself (again & again)
Validate your own feelings
Get a massage
Spend time with your pet(s)
Smile at yourself in the mirror every day
Stretch/do yoga
Listen to music
Get a pedicure
Paint your nails
Do your make-up (look good, feel good!)
Practice reframing negative thoughts into positive ones
Declutter
Research something you're passionate about
Take time to grow closer to God
Dance
Eat healthy foods
Exercise
Get enough sleep
Drink lots of water
Do a face mask
Take a bath (bubbles or bath bombs recommended)
Smoke some weed & relax your body/mind (or use other cannabis products)