Unique and unusual personal care ideas to inspire and energize you
What do you need when you desperately need a little TLC that doesn’t involve baths, massages, pedicures, or brunch with friends? Well, you can try one of these 20 unusual self-care ideas for inspiration!
While each of these self-care tips may not be relevant to you, this list contains a variety of self-care tips that you can use as a starting point.
Experiment, think outside the box, and remember to always do what feels aligned with your current needs.
1. Experience life in the fairyland cottage
Fairyland Cottage is a YouTube channel that shows a day in the life of an Irish woman living, unsurprisingly, in the Irish countryside.
It’s a slow-paced back-to-nature channel that shows her drying fresh herbs, harvesting food from her garden, hanging laundry outside, and basically living a zero-waste, minimalist life.
his voice is incredibly relaxing and the images of the irish countryside are so relaxing.
It could inspire you to dream of the kind of lifestyle you would like for yourself.
2. Have fun with feel-good words
Take a notebook or piece of paper and write a word that makes you feel good (ie, it makes you smile or feel hopeful or motivates you to dream).
Then think of another word that makes you feel good and write it on the next line.
And then come up with another word and continue the process for 10 minutes.
For example, the word “ease” makes me think of “relaxation,” which makes me think of “simplicity,” which makes me think of “nature,” which makes me think of “sunshine,” and “flower gardens.” and “outdoor yoga” and “lazy afternoons”
These are all words that make me feel relaxed, warm and fuzzy and less tense.
Try it yourself.
3. Look at old photos of your favorite city
Whether it’s the city you live in or the cities you’ve visited, you can go to Google and type “old photos of _____”.
You will find many old images with great stories associated with them.
And you can also make up your own stories about the pictures.
Gives you a new perspective!
4. Take a tour of the tiny house
Living large in a small house is a YouTube channel that shows the many facets of living in a tiny house.
Even if you never intend to live in a tiny house, you’ll find plenty of decorating and landscaping inspiration on this channel, from bohemian to ultra-modern and everything in between.
And, above all, it is a reminder that many times in life, less is more.
5. Book an Airbnb in your city
Save yourself the expense of traveling far and plan an entire stay by booking an AirBnB right in your city.
Whether you’re doing it for a night or a weekend, this is a great way to take a break from the norm and treat yourself.
You will experience your city in a new way while enjoying a beautiful country house or a modern apartment, without the hassle of travel.
6. Go indoor rock climbing
Indoor rock climbing is mentally and physically challenging that also requires a lot of coordination.
And that’s why it’s great to bring you to the present moment, helping you to forget all your worries.
I first tried indoor climbing when I was in my 20s and it’s amazing how it completely clears your mind and leaves you feeling refreshed.
By the way, if you have kids, you can take them with you (unless spending time without them is part of your self-care plan). Their speed and agility in this activity will put a smile on your face (and maybe make you tremble on the inside too!).
7. Listen to bird songs
This one is pretty simple.
Find a collection of bird songs on YouTube or Spotify.
Sit or lie down in a quiet place (with headphones on, if desired).
Listen to the soundtrack and let the sounds of nature invade every cell of your body.
As you listen, paint a picture of the birds, trees, flowers, and general scenery that comes to mind.
8. Get crafty with homemade body care products
Have you ever thought of making your own soap?
It is a science and an art.
But it’s also very satisfying and boosts your confidence.
and you can do the perfect skin care product for you, with the right oils, butters and scents that you love.
Very good!
As always, jump into YouTube University to learn the basics 🙂
9. Watch George Jefferson dance
You know they say that laughter cures everything?
Well, spend 60 seconds watching the great Sherman Helmsley do his famous George Jefferson dance, and it becomes clear why that claim exists.
You will be smiling from ear to ear!
10. Spend some time daydreaming
As adults, we spend a lot of time worrying (i.e. speculating on what could go wrong or past mistakes) and not much time daydreaming (i.e. speculating on what could go right and what is funny).
Children are much more in touch with daydreams (and with their imaginary friends), which is probably one of the reasons why they can float through life (at least for a while!).
So, spend some time sitting down and doing nothing but daydreaming.
And if you want, write down those daydreams in a notebook/diary.
11. Create your own printables
Do you look at printable quotes, cards or art on platforms like Etsy and think “Would I love to do something like that?”
Well you can. And you don’t have to go to design school to get started.
You can use online tools like PicMonkey or Canva to make your own pretty designs.
Get started with a free account and use information from their blogs (or YouTube tutorials) to make your own birthday cards, recipe cards, etc.
12. Create Pinterest boards that make you dream
Whether it’s travel, health, a new kitchen, a new hairstyle, or starting a business, Pinterest has an endless supply of motivational content.
So if you need inspiration for the next steps in your life or a new project, create boards and add pins that motivate you.
13. Put away your phone for a day
Put your phone away, on silent, airplane mode, or turn it off completely once a week (for example, on Sundays).
No messages, no interruptions.
Just a full day to do you.
You will realize that life goes on even when you are not connected to your phone.
And that realization is actually very exhilarating.
14. Drink and meditate
Sometimes meditating is difficult. You just can’t concentrate.
So instead of trying to force it, make yourself a hot drink (tea, golden milk, or regular honey milk), sit on a cushion on the floor (or just sit in a straight-backed chair) facing a window.
Sip your drink slowly while looking out and enjoying the simplicity of the moment.
15. Listen to Kirtan chants
Kirtan chanting stems from yogic traditions and, at the most basic level, involves reciting specific mantras in musical form.
Now, the word mantra comes from man (mind) and Between (what is the root of the word instrument).
So, a mantra is an instrument to train our mind.
When you find the right mantra, performed by an artist whose style you like, these chants can be incredibly hypnotic and relaxing to the mind.
Some of my favorite artists in this category are Deva Premal, Krishna Das, and Wah.
They all put a twist on this ancient tradition by incorporating various modern sounds.
16. Wash dishes by hand
There’s something about achieving something with your hands.
It creates a sense of accomplishment and, to a small extent, builds confidence and self-confidence.
Washing dishes by hand may not always be fun, but this is a list of unusual self-care ideas, so…
Give it a try (especially without distracting music or TV in the background).
It’s actually pretty basic.
Plus, it’s a small thing you can do to declutter your space, and having a tidy space clears up the visual clutter that would normally wear you out.
17. Having an ugly cry
There is a fine line between trying to be strong or positive and avoiding your feelings.
An important part of self-care is allowing yourself to feel your feelings.
And sometimes that means having a big ugly cry!
Just let it go.
After all, crying is not a bad thing. It is a natural form of expression, like laughter and anger.
So if you need it, just let the tears out.
It’s a strong detox and once you release that stale energy, you’ll feel lighter.
18. Practice nonjudgmental observation of yourself and others
Much of the burnout, stress, and lack of inspiration we experience comes from taking everything to heart.
That is, we are too attached to how things currently are or how we think they are. ought be.
Holding on to shoulds means we leave no room for something new to emerge.
This can lead to placing restrictions on ourselves, our children, parents, spouse, etc.
Through practices like mindfulness meditation, we can allow things to just be without infusing them with our judgment or criticism.
Those judgments or criticisms tend to drain us of joy, creativity, and inspiration anyway.
So, practice letting them go.
Here’s a fun anecdote to help put it into perspective 🙂
19. Listen to your favorite boy or girl band
We all had one or more boy or girl bands that we loved when we were kids (or even until college… just saying).
If you haven’t listened to his music lately, come back to life and marvel at the fact that you once thought music was absolutely great.
20. Catch up with the golden girls
Another classic TV show that reminds us that life isn’t complete without friendship, camaraderie, and loads of sarcasm 🙂
These ladies will help you out of a bind in no time.
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