Wellbeing

10 ways to celebrate yourself

Easy ideas to help strengthen the sound of your inner cheerleader and drown out the inner critic

1. Pamper yourself

An indulgent bath is a time-honoured way to treat yourself, because it’s so effective. So, gather your favourite candles, music and home spa products and enjoy! One of our all-time favourites is the De-Stress Mind Bath & Shower Oil (£48, aromatherapyassociates. com). “Optimise your bathing experience by massaging a capful of the oil over your body prior to stepping into a warm bath or shower to cleanse,” suggests Christina Salcedas, Aromatherapy Associates’ global director of education. “Enhance the aromatherapy benefits by cupping your oiled hands to your face and inhale deeply three times to enjoy a mindul moment and restore inner balance.”

2. Sing a song

Whether you want to celebrate a big achievement, cheer yourself up after a setback, or simply belt out one of your favourite tunes with wild abandon, singing offers joy and comfort. What’s more, research shows that singing can be just as invigorating and uplifting as high intensity exercise. A study commissioned by ROXi, a free TV Music App on smart TVs (roxi.tv/console), found that four minutes of singing your heart out can send your heart rate soaring to as high as 139bpm, benefiting your body in the same way as a vigorous workout. The research, carried out by neuroscientists at Myndplay – a technology company that specialises in brain and emotion-based research – revealed brainwave responses associated with pleasure rocketed by up to 108 per cent when participants crooned high energy pop classics such as Call me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepson, and Shake it Off by Taylor Swift in short four-minute intervals.

3. Listen up

On that note, why not make a playlist dedicated to yourself, with feel-good tracks to uplift you and remind you of your fabulousness? You could get into the habit of listening to it every morning to start your day off on a positive track.

4. Give yourself a break

One of the most loving things we can do for ourselves sometimes is to simply pause during our busy days and take a few minutes to rest, breathe, meditate or just slow down. This offers us more head space and helps to ward off feelings of overwhelm and negativity. It can also help to improve our ability to switch off and sleep deeply, come bedtime.

5. Step back from screens

While social media is a great platform for documenting our successes, for many of us, our smartphones are so deeply ingrained into our everyday lives we often don’t realise when our usage is becoming detrimental to our wellbeing. We can’t honour ourselves fully when living life through a lens. In fact, an independent survey conducted by mobile phone recycler and retailer Envirofone (envirofone.com) revealed that more than half of us feel stressed about a low battery level or no access to wi-fi. “Usage of digital devices is heavily linked to the physical stress we feel within our bodies – our ‘fight or flight’ response is a biological response to stressors and can be triggered through the constant stream of information received through phone use,” says Sarah Tombs, registered therapist psychological coach. “Be intentional with social media,” she advises. “Remember that social media is not real life and often is presented as a reel. It can be helpful to keep this at the forefront of our mind when utilising social media and creating intention with how we use the apps. Follow accounts that inspire and help us feel good about ourselves and focus upon everything good within our lives already.”

6. Buy yourself flowers

The sight and scent of fresh flowers is a surefire way to invite joy into your living or work space. So often we buy a bunch of blooms for a loved one to show our care and appreciation. Why not extend ourselves the same love and attention, just because? Next time you’re walking past the florist and a beautiful bunch catches your eye, treat yourself. Better still, sign up for a monthly subscription to enjoy a regular delivery of beauty and joy to your door.

7. Nurture your inner child

Adulting feels like a serious business most of the time. Which is why lightening up and inviting more fun and playfulness into your life can add much-needed balance. Try dancing, singing, doing headstands, cartwheels and skipping, or watching old movies and TV shows you used to enjoy as a kid. Think backs to your childhood about the things you loved to do, like drawing, colouring, scrapbooking, playing games or climbing trees perhaps? Doing something you love is a wonderful way to celebrate the real you.

8. Write a letter

You may already be in the habit of gratitude journalling on a daily basis, which is fantastic for helping to foster optimism and a healthy mindset. It’s easy to be thankful for the wonderful people in our lives, but how often does your list of things to be grateful for include praise for yourself? Try to get into the habit of jotting down at least one thing about yourself that you are appreciative of – this could be how you handled a situation, how well your body has carried you through the day, or something you’ve achieved, however big or small. To take this idea one step further, write yourself a letter detailing all the great things about you.

9. Join a women’s circle

To celebrate yourself and your feminine energy with like-minded ladies, try attending a women’s circle, or holding your own. This ancient practice can help you feel the support of other women and reconnect with yourself. Check out more on women’s circles on page 16.

10. Make a date with yourself

Think of the effort you’d make for a regular date, and give yourself the same attention. Enjoy getting ‘ready’ and wearing the clothes that make you feel good. You could plan a cosy night in, cook your favourite nourishing meal, light candles and watch a great film or Netflix series. Just for you.