#gender neutral self care

[Of course, anyone of any identity, including men and non-binary people, can treat themselves to a manicure, a bouquet of flowers, or a face mask. However, for a variety of reasons, some people may not feel comfortable with these traditionally ‘feminine’ self-care ideas.  The following are ideas for pampering your body and mind that have little or no gender connotation.]

Stretch||

 it’s a great way to start the day, to do during a break, or to wind down before bed. Stretch gently; never stay in a position that causes sharp pain.

stretching 101||7 basic stretches||stretches for neck pain||yoga poses you can do in bed||stretches to boost energy||

Create a luxurious sleeping space|| 

whether it’s closing the curtains, repainting, or trying a new pillow, there are lots of ways to improve your sleep. You can make it a project or just a couple of minutes.

light, bedrooms, & sleep||5 calming colors for a bedroom||mattress guidelines for good sleep||types of pillows & sleeping positions||

Experiment with texture|| 

Sensory play is often suggested for children and adults with special needs. But textures can be calming or stimulating for anyone. Have fun and see what works for you.

Homemade “theraputty”||homemade stress ball|| “sensory diet” for teens||12 ideas for tactile defensiveness||different kinds of textures

Self-massage|| 

Everyone has occasional aches. Even if nothing hurts, it can be incredibly relaxing to get a nice massage. If you massage yourself, you’ll get exactly what you want with no strangers or fees necessary.

3 ways to massage yourself||for muscle knots/triger points||4 common trouble areas and how to massage them||how-to: reflexology||reflexology self-help||11 ways to self-massage everything that hurts||

Dress in what makes you feel good||

It might be that pajamas make you feel comfortable with the world, or that you like putting your best foot forward in slacks and a button-down. Dress in whatever makes you feel good about yourself.

important aspects of pajamas||how clothing affects self-perception||link between clothes & emotional states||clothes affecting your mood||clothes, colors & mood||

Play|| 

Not just for kids anymore. Play is a powerful tool that can calm you down, pep you up, or just help you enjoy the day a little bit more.

the benefits of play for adults||importance of play||what constitutes ‘play’?||40 ideas||150+ ideas for summer||

Take in meaningful words || 

Whether they’re famous quotes, single words, or affirmations, meaningful words can be healing, empowering, or soothing. Find words, quotes or affirmations that work for you and return whenever you need to.

15 quotes to make you think||15 positive quotes||20 inspirational quotes||1000+ positive words||more positive vocabulary||list of affirmations|| 100 positive affirmations||5 steps to make affirmations work||

Mind your breath|| 

it’s natural and automatic, but it’s still important to think about your breath once in a while. More efficient breathing means more oxygen, which helps your mind and body feel and work better.

6 relaxing breathing techniques||mindful breathing||3 breathing exercises||technique to calm breathing during panic||3 types of deep breathing||relaxing breathing for depression||