Self Care Ideas for Middle Aged Women That You Can Do Today
Last Updated on December 16, 2020 by lydiaf1963
Try these simple self care ideas and brighten your day while enjoying some quality me time. You can do many of them right away!
Self what?
Self care is the art of finding balance in your life.
Activities which promote the well being of mind, body and spirit can help ward off an imbalance in your life that might prevent you from presenting your best self to those who need you.
Think of self care as preventative maintenance. Consider scheduling your activities just like you would changing the oil in your car or having your furnace serviced.
Why Self Care Is Still Important In Midlife
As older women, we’ve experienced many seasons of life. And every single one of them has brought it’s own variety of stress. But, despite aging bodies and the issues that come with them, things are very different for us now.
Our children are grown, or mostly so. We may be caring for our spouse, parents or grandchildren. We may be re-inventing ourselves after a divorce.
For 2020 we’ve been dealing with isolation and anxiety due to a frightening virus.
Life is different, but it can still be tough at times.
Practicing Self Care Is NOT Selfish
Taking time for yourself is not selfish at all. In fact, when you think of self care as preventative maintenance, it’s very practical.
When you deliberately and mindfully take a break in order to be the best partner/parent/adult child/sibling/friend/co-worker possible, you’re committing a loving act. As adults, we can distinguish between nurturing activities and self indulgent excess, right?
The self care ideas listed below can be done alone or with family/friends. They don’t cost a lot of money, either. However, the benefits to your well being are priceless.
Pick one or more activities that appeal to you and find time to do them this week. Schedule time if necessary.
BODY
- drink more water
- eat healthful food
- get a massage
- go for a walk/swim/bike ride
- get plenty of rest
- go to the gym
- take a day trip
- take a nap
- stretch and breathe
- stop working through lunch
MIND
- do something creative
- go to a movie
- listen to/watch a podcast, TED Talk or documentary
- play a board or card game
- read a book
- sign up for an interesting class
- try a new recipe
- work a puzzle
- join an interest club
- write a (real) letter and mail it
SPIRIT
- buy fresh flowers
- give someone a hug
- meditate and/or pray
- sing/dance to your favorite songs
- wear your favorite outfit/piece of jewelry
- spend time on personal development
- spend time with friends/family
- update your look (hair/nails/makeup)
- walk barefoot in the grass or on the beach
- listen to the birds
After you try one of these ideas, take a moment to think about how they made you feel.
I already do some of those things, what else can I try?
Did you notice that very few of those ideas involve a lot of planning, intense self examination or evaluating past/present relationships? Those things are important and some (many? most?) of us would benefit from doing one or all of them.
The purpose of this post was to get you to pause and take a break. Regroup, recharge, and figure out what soothes your body, mind and soul.
