Self-Care Gifts To Give Yourself in 2021

Instead of spending the rest of the year feeling stressed out or aimlessly waiting for 2021 to arrive, why not create a plan to make it magical.

Ask yourself how you can be kinder to yourself moving forward.

Offering ourselves a little more love, acceptance, compassion, and self-care is one of the most valuable things we can do for ourselves. And it’s free, so that’s a bonus.

Here are some starting points.

Spend Some Time Alone 

Everyone needs at least some time alone, whether you’re an introvert (like me!) or an extrovert, we can all benefit from time alone. And when I say time alone, I mean *productive* time alone. Scrolling endlessly on your phone vs. getting creative or engaging your mind in a hobby you love are two very different types of alone time. Time alone can help us fill up our cup, and that’s what makes it essential to self-care.

One of the best things about spending time alone is that you don’t have to live up to anyone else’s expectation of what you should be doing, or even who you should be. You can just ‘be’ without any pressure. 

Also taking some time alone and for yourself is a wonderful way to bring perspective into your life, to help you remember what is important to you, and what you value. 

Permission to Seek Support 

Another wonderful self-care gift you can give yourself going into 2021 is permission to seek help and support. It took me so long to believe that asking for help wasn’t a personal failing on my part. I often felt like doing everything on my own meant that I was strong and capable, but I realized that asking for help was just as strong (if not more so).

Support can look like reaching out to a friend and asking for help. Joining an online support group. There are so many options. If you are looking for career success or finding your passion or how to apply it to create a job you love, Individual or Group Coaching can be an awesome option. If you’re looking for a therapist there are many online options and if you’re struggling to find an affordable one, you might try asking local colleges in your area to see if you can be seen by someone who is working toward their degree.

Permission to Not Make New Year’s Resolutions 

As you’ve probably heard me talk about a million times, New Years is my favorite holiday. I love the idea of a brand new year full of potential magic and adventure laid out before me.

I also like making goals. Not the big, overwhelming kind, but the kind that are gentle and loving and focus on joy.

With that in mind, why not focus on a word or a value that you know will benefit you – mine this year is the word pause. By choosing a word to guide you through your year, you are not focused on a goal, but on a journey. And that’s one of my favorite acts of self-care.

Create Nourishing Routines

One of the reasons that self-care New Year’s Resolutions fail is because it’s something that you force yourself to do. It’s not a gentle transition but an abrupt addition to your routine. You have a greater chance of success when you make little happy changes in your life, rather than making big changes all at once.

Amp up the Self-Care.

Take a break when you need it instead of pushing through into exhaustion. Go to bed a bit earlier so you can get a more restful sleep. Read more nourishing things. Stay away from the people that drain you and fill you with negativity. Seek healing, really good, deep in your soul stuff.