Self-Care Practices You’re Probably Already Doing
When you think of self-care, do you picture bubble baths and luxurious massages? Do you immediately think “I don’t have time for that” or “That’s not for me”?
What if I told you that you’re probably already practicing self-care without even realizing it?
See, the key to a supportive self-care practice isn’t about forcing yourself to carve out extra hours in your already-busy day or indulging in rituals that don’t truly resonate with you. Real self-care needs to feel supportive. It needs to nourish you. It should make you feel seen, grounded, and genuinely cared for.
And the best way to create a self-care rhythm that actually sticks? Look at your real life, your current routines. Ask yourself: what small daily acts already feel comforting or grounding? What rituals do you already do without even labeling them as “self-care”? If you take some of these everyday habits and do them with just a little more intention, voilà: you’ve created a self-care practice that doesn’t add any extra time to your day.
To help you begin, here are some self-care practices you might already be doing, or could easily weave in, without overhauling your schedule:
🌿 Skincare Routine
Sure, it serves a hygienic purpose, but caring for your skin is an intimate act of self-love. It’s a quiet ritual, a gentle connection between you and your body. Think of it as an intentional pause. Add candles, affirmations, or a face massage to elevate the vibe.
🌿 Make the Bed
This one’s bigger than it sounds. I haven’t always been consistent with it either, but wow, making your bed really sets the tone for a focused day. Bonus witchy points if you mist your sheets with lavender or incorporate the four cardinal directions while you smooth the blankets.
🌿 Showering
Another necessity that can become a sacred ritual. Showers are powerful for clarity and cleansing, not just physically but emotionally. We’ve all had “shower thoughts” that helped us solve something big or calm our minds. Water is healing. Let it rinse off your stress, too.
🌿 Diffusing or Applying Essential Oils
This is such a simple practice, yet it weaves magic into your everyday. Diffuse oils that ground or uplift you, or try applying lavender to your wrists at bedtime; it’s subtle but soothing.
🌿 Go for a Walk
Even a 5-minute stroll around the block helps if you work from a desk or feel emotionally stuck. And when you walk, try to unplug. No scrolling. Just deep breaths and a slow reconnect with the earth beneath your feet. Feel the breeze, the sun, the present moment.
🌿 Water the Plants
Whether you have a lush garden, a patio full of pots, or one little succulent in the kitchen, nurturing something green is grounding. It’s life-giving. It reminds you that care is sacred.
🌿 Washing Your Hands
It’s mundane, but it’s also magical. When you wash your hands, pause and imagine the water taking your stress, frustration, or stagnant energy down the drain with it.
🌿 Wear Something That Makes You Feel Good
That outfit, that ring, that scent you love — wear it with intention. Not for others. For you. Clothes hold energy. If you infuse your favorites with confidence and good memories, they’ll always return that energy to you when you need it most.
🌿 Unplug
This one’s hard (and I struggle with it too), but unplugging an hour before bed or first thing in the morning really helps. It gives you time to come back to yourself, to make breakfast, write in a journal, or read something that feeds your soul before the noise of the world floods in.
🌿 Read a Book
Sure, scrolling is tempting. But picking up a real book (even if it’s cozy escapist fiction) is nourishment. It’s rest. It’s inspiration. It reminds your brain and heart that growth and play don’t have to be separate.
Do you already do some of these things? And if so… have you ever thought of them as self-care?
You don’t have to change your whole routine to care for yourself. Sometimes, self-care is already there (soft and quietly) waiting for you to notice.
