Creating A Self-Care Toolkit - Learning to Live Light

What should you put in your self-care toolkit?

Whenever I mention the self-care toolkit to someone for the first time, the first thing that comes to mind is a box filled with at-home spa supplies. And though you can indeed do that (and I’ll be talking more about that in a minute), a pampering yourself is just one element of self-care.

There’s so much more to it than that.

What you put in your self-care kit is entirely up to you. But if you’re creating one for the first time, there are three things that should definitely be added to your armory. Three things that I have in mine and three things that every good self-care toolkit should have. Want to know what they are?

A list of self-care activities to fall back on (aka your self-care back-up plan).
A self-care pamper kit, and
A network of people you can trust.

Let’s take a look at each one in turn.

Self-care toolkit item #1: The self-care back-up plan.

The first essential element of the self-care toolkit is the self-care back-up plan. We might have a great self-care routine down. However, when life gets complicated and our usual routines go out the window, it can be hard to follow our normal self-care routine. We might not have time to go to the gym or spend a whole Sunday afternoon prepping our meals for the week.

And that’s where the self-care back-up plan comes in.

The self-care back-up plan is a list of five or six activities that help us to take care of our wellbeing when we’re not able to follow our usual routine. A list of activities that we can incorporate into our day to help us get through the most stressful periods of our life without having to think too much about it.

Here’s what’s on my self-care back-up plan…

Drink more water.
Drink peppermint tea instead of coffee (or switch to decaf).
Check out the Calm app or listen to my favorite worship playlist
Go for a walk.
Read for 20 minutes before bed, and
Go to bed one hour earlier.

None of these things are particularly complicated or fancy but I find them essential if I’m to stay calm and keep my stress levels low.

What will you include on yours?

Make a note of the activities you can incorporate into your day when you’re unable to follow your usual self-care routine. Be sure to keep it somewhere safe. Record it on your phone or add it to your diary or journal. If it helps, use a habit tracker so that you can keep track of your progress.

Self-care toolkit item #2: The self-care pamper kit.

One of my favorite parts of my self-care toolkit is my self-care pamper kit. A pretty little box that I keep in my bathroom that is full of all the things I use whenever I want to indulge in a little ‘me-time’. No matter how stressed or burned out I might be feeling, being able to reach for this little self-care package makes all the difference. It makes me feel thoroughly spoiled! In it, I have:

My favorite calming essential oils for a warm bath
A bath pillow
A face mask – I really like the clay and charcoal ones
Homemade body butter (of course, with my fav essential oils)
A foot mask, yep, really!
My favorite camomile, mint tea
A few pieces of dark chocolate

Don’t already have a self-care pamper kit?

Go create one! Not only is it a lot of fun but just opening it makes you feel pampered and spoiled! It’s a great way to very quickly lift your mood. Get yourself a pretty little box and start adding things to it. Then be sure to get it out whenever you need a little pick-me-up.

Self-care toolkit item #3: Your circle of trust.

The last item every self-care toolkit should have is a network of people you trust. Why? Because when times are stressful and difficult, it can be hard to stay positive and keep going. Having a few close friends that have your back, will cover you in prayer, and can help you to keep pushing through.

Admitting we’re struggling isn’t always easy…

We all need people we can rely on, that we can reach out to. But asking for help when we’re struggling isn’t always easy. Admitting that we’re experiencing a difficulty can be hard.

We might think we’re doing okay when we have a lot on our plate. That we’re coping. But chances are we aren’t. And because it can be hard to spot when we’re on a slippery slope, having someone that knows us looking out for us really can make all the difference.

Being prepared…

Taking steps to plan now can make maintaining your self-care routine easier in the future. Always remember it’s during the hardest times that you need to nurture yourself the most. And when you have something like a self-care toolkit to fall back on, it becomes a little gift to yourself. Which makes life a little less stressful and much more enjoyable!