These Self Care Activities Can Help You Conquer Loneliness
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Loneliness is part of life. Whether you’ve recently been through a breakup or if loneliness finds itself creeping into your daily life, it may be time to start working on your relationship with yourself. If you’re anything like me, spending more time alone can be anxiety-inducing or just overall depressing, but it doesn’t have to be. There are lots of self care activities you can embark upon in order to keep yourself company and well-cared for mentally.
While I know everyone is different, I’ve been trying to integrate more intentional me-time into my routine, and I’ve found a few favorite ways to spend time with myself. A lot of what I’ve found most helpful is doing some of my daily tasks outdoors, or integrating being outdoors more into my routine. What you explore as for self-care to defeat loneliness might look different for you, but here are some of my go-to’s.
Hike and listen to music
Depending on your mood — and the mood you’re going for — the music you choose to listen to while hiking can change. If I’m using this time to have a moment to breathe, maybe I’ll opt for no music or something more chill, like some Jack Johnson. Though if I’m attempting to get a workout from the hike, I might play something more motivational or uplifting. Regardless of the vibe, the combination of music and nature can be top tier and a great way to feel less lonely while exploring your surroundings and taking care of yourself.
Hammocking and reading for class
I’m lucky to live in northern Arizona, a city studded with trees and surrounded by a forest. There are lots of great hammock spots wherever I seem to go, so I got in the habit of carrying around my hammock — if you’re looking for a good compact one, check this one out! Hammocking and just enjoying the silence can be really nice, but when I’m feeling lonely, I tend to like to keep myself busy. Now, I’m “blessed” with homework and lots of readings for school, and what better way to actually try to enjoy these assignments than to double dip with hammock time? I often feel pretty relaxed and at peace doing this, so I’d definitely recommend it.
Picnic your lunch and lay out your planner for the week
The trend of taking your self-care time outdoors continues, as another favorite me-time activity that combats loneliness is taking myself on a picnic. Taking a blanket to a nice spot with lunch is a favorite for many, but I often feel as though I need something else to do while picnicking. Working on a task like filling out my planner for the week works great with picnicking because I feel as though it can often be a stressful thing to do. Incorporating it with something fun and relaxing makes it an all the more enjoyable experience for myself.
Take your breakfast or morning coffee to your patio, balcony, or back yard
Whatever outdoor space you have at home, use it! You don’t need a nearby park or forest to take a minute to breathe in the fresh air and spend quality time with yourself. Even if you have a tight schedule, taking your meal time slowly and outside can start your day off well and on the right self-care track. Whether it’s your morning coffee, quick cereal, or some carefully made avocado toast, you can really treat yourself to some intentional relaxing time first thing in the morning.
Walk to the grocery store and pick wildflowers on the way home
Without a car, walking to the grocery store is kind of necessary for me, but I honestly enjoy my time walking there, picking out food for the week, and walking home. Not only does it get me out of the house, but it forces me to slow down something I typically try to rush through. I also try to treat myself when I do this, not necessarily with junk food (though grabbing a candy bar for the walk home is never frowned upon), but with other treats. Lately, my grocery shopping routine involves picking wild sunflowers that grow all along my walk home. Though, when the seasons change and the wildflowers dwindle, I also enjoy buying myself a bundle of flowers from the grocery store along with my food haul. Something small like that can make a huge difference, especially if it is a treat that will last all week!
Bake something a little challenging
If you like baking, maybe try to up the ante and attempt a trickier bake. I find it involves more concentration, planning, and time, but the results are usually very worth it. If you enjoy the Great British Bake Off, I like to pretend I’m competing in a signature bake and sometimes even like to draw out what I want my finished product to look like. Sure, it’ll require more attention than whipping up a batch of chocolate chip cookies from a Pilsbury tube, but your finished bake is often that much more tasty and satisfying. Also, at the end of it, you get to treat yourself to something delicious, and who doesn’t want that?
Clean your space while tuning into a podcast
When it comes to self care, a lot of things are about mindset. Don’t clean your space because you have to and it needs to be clean. Instead, consider this an opportunity to enjoy time with yourself and also create a nice environment for you to live and relax in. Imagine you are doing this for someone else you love, how would you take the extra steps to make them feel special? Do that for yourself. This is how cleaning has become one of my favorite forms of self care. You can be nice to yourself while also enjoying your time cleaning however you can. For me, that means distracting myself with a podcast or audiobook, maybe you want to throw on your favorite show in the background, or have a little dance party as you clean. Regardless, it is important to “set the vibe” in more ways than one! I also like to light candles or incense and open up all my windows to get fresh air while cleaning.
Skate with music
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Whether I’m angry, sad, or just plain lonely, I’ve found that skating really helps me get my emotions out via a healthy and fun outlet. I used to find it hard to skate alone, but now, I just throw in some music and pretend the world doesn’t exist. No deadlines, no stress, no loneliness, just skating. It’s another great way to get outdoors and moving, but there’s also something so freeing and healing about gliding around and being playful for yourself.
Paint and watch something nostalgic
Painting is a great way to take a breath and focus on something creative for a little while. It is one of my favorite self care activities that I really need to get back into. I like to sit somewhere comfy and throw on something nostalgic to watch– Gravity Falls or Gilmore Girls have been my go-tos. No pressure, just enjoying a creative outlet with some cozy entertainment.
What self care activity is your favorite to beat loneliness? Tell us about it in the comments!