Are you thinking of giving yourself a Self-Care Sunday but don’t want to spend a lot of money? There are tons of ways to make this happen. Here are some ideas:
- Take a long bubble bath. Light some candles, have a glass of sparkling water with strawberries, and play your favorite playlist to make it luxurious!
- Try a new hairstyle. Experiment with a hairstyle you’ve always wanted to try but never had the time for, like curling your hair. I even have a great hair curler and some saved YouTube videos on how to make my own Hollywood waves and have never properly tried it. Be patient and don’t get frustrated. Once you’re done, take your new hair out for a drink! And on that note…
- Dress up and take yourself out for a fabulous dessert. Yes, really! This experience is all-around decadent. Get all dressed up and have a fabulous date with a sweet, luxurious treat. If you are in Savannah, try the suspension chocolate cake at Lulu’s Chocolate Bar. It is ridiculously good.
- Read a book at the beach or park. If you live in Savannah, there are the classics: Daffin Park and Forsyth Park. But also, Bonaventure Cemetery, which is beautiful and free to visit every day. If you’re visiting the beach, you can take a day trip to explore nearby beaches like Driftwood Beach! It is less than 2 hours away and so beautiful. Worth the trip!
- Go for a long walk. Listen to some relaxing music or a podcast while you’re at it! Or just listen to nature and try to disconnect.
- Take a yoga class on YouTube. This is great on so many levels. Light a candle and set up a space with a yoga mat. Slip into some comfy and stretchy clothes. I recommend this 10-Minute Yoga For Beginners from Adriene to get yourself started. This one from Kassandra in the morning is also amazing: 30 min Morning Yoga for Beginners. If you don’t have a yoga mat, you can get one at T.J.Maxx for like $15.
- Treat yourself to a spa day at home. Research natural treatments like washing your hair with chamomile tea or putting cucumber slices on your eyes.
- Write in a blank journal. Look up journal prompts on YouTube or Google if you need inspiration. Sometimes a simple question can lead to pages of writing.
- Cook a delicious and healthy meal with fresh ingredients. If you’re feeling ambitious, cook 2 or 3 meals and freeze them for the week. Soups and lasagna work wonderfully for this. I recommend Googling nearby farmers’ markets and getting fresh seasonal ingredients.
- Watch an ’80s rom-com. I recently watched “It Could Happen to You” for the first time. It was very cheesy and satisfying—honestly, they don’t make movies like that anymore.
- Declutter and organize a room or closet in your home. This can be dangerous; I get so into it that it can take over my whole Self-Care Sunday.
- Visit a local museum or gallery. Many have free days or allow locals to visit for a donation!
- Bake a delicious treat like cupcakes or brownies. Take the leftovers to work on Monday to share—it’s a great way to spread joy without eating them all yourself and gaining 15 lbs. Win-win.
- Take a nap with your kitten or puppy. This is my love language.
- Have a picnic at the park or beach. Bring along a guilty pleasure book or podcast for fun! Bring fresh fruit, water, and something delicious that says “This moment is for my enjoyment.” Like these Chocolate Sea Salt Ice Cream Pops, which are so good. I pick up some of these at Whole Foods occasionally for a treat. Special thanks to my friend David for getting me seriously hooked on these.
- Start an herb garden (if it’s spring or summer) or tend to your current one. This requires some prep and planning but is so rewarding! There’s nothing I hate more than buying those stupid little packets of basil at the supermarket. Honestly, they are so ridiculous and expensive, and you need like 20 to prepare a proper pesto, and they don’t taste that great either. I started a basil garden just out of spite and lack of good pesto.
- Write in your journal for 20 minutes. A mind dump can lead to surprising insights. Just write everything that’s making you worried and everything that’s making your heart ache. Everything. Dump it on paper and give yourself some peaceful headspace.
- Handwrite a letter or postcard to a friend. I love doing this SO MUCH and often make time to do this every week. It is a lost art! Text your friend, ask for their address, and send it. Receiving an “I got your letter/postcard” text is my favorite thing.
- Find a dance class on YouTube and learn new moves. This is how I learned to dance with a hula hoop and was an invited performer at the Electric Picnic in Ireland. It took a TON of practice and a lot of hitting my face and neck with a hula hoop, but I learned it.
- Go for a walk around the city and take photos of funny or unusual things. Finding street art and murals around the city is a very fun way to explore it.
- Invite a friend over for tea and cookies like a 60-year-old lady. No matter your gender and age, this is awesome. Do it.
- Avoid social media for a day. Your energy and headspace are very valuable! If you want to post about your day, do it tomorrow.
- Write down your goals for the week with a realistic schedule to complete them. This is harder than it sounds! We often assume we can accomplish more than we can. Start with one or two goals, and after you succeed, feed from that momentum to accomplish more.
- Visit a botanical garden. It’s a beautiful experience. My city has the Savannah Botanical Gardens, and access to all public areas of the garden is FREE! You can make a donation as well, to maintain the beautiful gardens if you visit often and if you want to access other areas.
- Write a letter to your future self with all your worries and struggles. Read it in six months and marvel at how much you’ve changed.
- Write a forgiveness letter. Even if you never send it, remember this is for you.
- Write down things you love about yourself. This is serious and committed. It’s also difficult but worth it.
- Go to a local library and browse for new books. Local libraries are treasures.
- Learn something new online. This is how I taught myself HTML and CSS. I also learned about meditation, which I am still failing at. #futuregoals.
- Try a new type of tea or coffee. I love visiting The Gallery Espresso, which has TONS of different herbal teas, and trying a new one every time I go. Make a note of your favorites and treat yourself to a box to enjoy at home.
- Watch an inspiring TED Talk or documentary. Sometimes that’s all it takes to get creative with your own projects and ideas.
Got some more ideas for this list? Share with me and we can make this list even better.
Click HERE for the Self-Care Sunday Articles, posted every other Sunday in the blog.
Have a wonderful and fulfilling day.
