Living Your Best Life
Feeling truly cherished isn't just about what others do for you, but also about how you open your life up to new connections and appreciate the wisdom you’ve gained. It’s a wonderful season to prioritize your own emotional needs and recognize that you deserve to be seen. With that in mind, here are 20 things you should do for yourself.
1. Reconnect with Old Friends
Pick up the phone and call someone you haven’t talked to in years. Long-term friendships make you feel instantly connected because you have years of history together. When you speak to someone who already knows you, you don’t have to explain yourself.
2. Prioritize Physical Touch
Give someone your blessing to squeeze you extra tight when they say goodbye. Get a massage from your partner or spouse and allow yourself to soak in the touch. Your brain is wired to feel better when you release endorphins through touch.
3. Start a Meaningful Hobby
Pick up a paintbrush and learn how to paint. Or grab a shovel and start planting flowers in your garden. Doing something creative allows you to express yourself in a language that only you understand.
TEAcreativelife │ Soo Chung on Unsplash
4. Adopt a Senior Pet
Animals that have been in the shelter for a while will adore you unconditionally. Older pets will match your energy so you won’t feel overwhelmed by their enthusiasm. Plus, you get to show them love and care for them throughout the day, which will give you purpose.
5. Practice Daily Affirmations
Say positive things out loud when you look in the mirror each day. Remind yourself that you are strong, you are beautiful, and you have created an amazing life for yourself. Once you start affirming yourself, you will create a wall that guards you against feeling anything less than loved.
6. Volunteer in Your Community
Spend your free time volunteering at your local soup kitchen or school classroom. There will always be people who need your help more than you do, and giving to others is a fast track to feeling loved. Not only will you help others, but you will feel worthy because someone needs you.
The Tampa Bay Estuary Program on Unsplash
7. Host a Monthly Dinner
Host a monthly dinner night where you invite your neighbors or family over. Cook a nice meal and don’t stress if your dining room table isn’t perfect. Invite people over to your home and you will feel loved just by having others inside your walls.
8. Document Your Life Story
Start documenting your life story either by writing it down or recording yourself to send to your grandchildren. Let them know your life mattered and what you’ve been through is important to pass down. You will feel incredibly loved when you know your life is going to be remembered for years to come.
9. Join a Walking Club
Walk with friends and family a few times a week to get some fresh air and sunshine. You can talk about your week while getting your body moving and exercising. It will lift your spirits and allow you to see friends consistently.
10. Indulge in Quality Skincare
Give yourself a pampering session by applying lotion to your skin and massaging it in. You are telling yourself that you are worthy of being taken care of every morning and night. Investing time into your skin allows you to feel loved from the inside out.
Enecta Cannabis extracts on Unsplash
11. Learn a New Language
Challenge your brain by learning how to speak another language. You could even take a class and learn with others, which will offer you encouragement. Doing something that stimulates your brain will help you to feel confident and loved by your teacher and classmates.
12. Create a "Joy Jar"
Buy yourself a mason jar and decorate it however you’d like. Anytime someone says something kind to you or you have a great day, write it down on a piece of paper and place it in the jar. On nights when you feel lonely, open up your “joy jar” and remember all the good things in your life.
Kier in Sight Archives on Unsplash
13. Attend Live Performances
Attend a play at your local theater or buy tickets to see your favorite band in concert. Experiencing music and creativity with others is super empowering. You’ll feel the love from the performers and the crowd around you when sharing a live experience.
14. Set Boundaries with Grace
Say no to the things that you don’t want to do so you can open up space for more yeses. Over-givers often have a hard time receiving, so it’s important to take care of yourself first. You’ll feel loved when you stop saying yes to everyone and start focusing on the people that really matter.
15. Visit a Spiritual Center
Spend time in your church, synagogue, or anywhere that you feel at peace. Spiritual places make you feel connected to something bigger than yourself. When you feel small, you’ll realize that you aren’t alone and there are others who love and care for you.
16. Update Your Wardrobe
Wear colors that make you feel happy and grab a glittery top to shine bright. You don’t have to dress like anyone else but yourself. When you feel good about what you’re wearing, you’ll feel loved from the second you walk out the door.
17. Mentor a Younger Person
Guide someone who is younger than you and show them the ropes. You have lived your whole life learning valuable street smarts, and someone could use your help. Women mentoring other women is a special kind of love that will blossom with time.
18. Plan a Solo Adventure
Book a weekend trip and explore a city nearby or visit a botanical garden. Traveling by yourself allows you to do whatever you want without having to check with anyone. Feel the love you have for yourself when you realize that you are enough entertainment on your own.
19. Start a Book Exchange
Trade books with friends and family so you can read something new. Call each other after you’ve finished reading to discuss the book and connect over what touched your heart. Reading is a great way to show others that you care about what they have to say.
20. Accept Help with a Smile
It can be hard to accept help sometimes if you’re used to being a caretaker. Next time someone offers to help you, let them. Allow people to show you love by doing things for you and accepting it.
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