9 Simple Self-care Practices to Support Your Wellbeing

9 SIMPLE SELF-CARE PRACTICES

to support your wellbeing

Posted by Christina Zipperlen on June 22, 2026

As Self-Care Month approaches, we wanted to share a few simple practices that help us slow down, reconnect, and return to ourselves.

Self-care is often misunderstood as something indulgent or optional. In reality, self-care practices can help reduce stress, support emotional wellbeing, improve sleep, and help us feel more connected to ourselves and the people around us.

In a world that constantly asks us to look outward for answers, self-care is a soft yet bold act of returning inward. It isn't always bubble baths and face masks. Sometimes it looks like cancelling plans. Sometimes it looks like closing the laptop before you've answered every email. Sometimes it looks like crying in the car and calling your friend instead of pretending you're fine.

Sometimes it looks like an unanswered text. Putting your phone in another room. Dancing to a song you loved when you were sixteen. Looking up at the moon before bed. Saying "not today" to something that would have once drained you.

Wherever you find yourself today, let these simple self-care practices serve as a gentle reminder that you are worthy of the same care, compassion, and attention you so freely offer to others.

1. Journaling

There is no right way to journal.

Some days you may fill pages. Other days you may write a single sentence. You might try free writing, allowing your thoughts to spill onto the page without censoring yourself. Or gratitude journaling, taking a few moments to notice what is already supporting you.

Often the greatest gift of journaling is not what you write, but what you discover while writing.

To support this practice, for the month of June we are gifting a free Own Who You Are Journal with every purchase.

2. Affirmations

Affirmations are simple statements that help us practice new ways of relating to ourselves. Over time, they can gently interrupt old patterns and strengthen more supportive ones.

Try standing before a mirror each morning and repeating:

✦ I am enough.
✦ I am whole in all my phases.
✦ This is my life.

Then take a moment to notice one thing you appreciate about yourself. It might be your kindness, resilience, creativity, or sense of humor.

If you'd like additional support, explore our guided affirmation session on the Sensitive Matters podcast or take our affirmation quiz to discover a message that resonates with you.

3. Creative Expression Through Art

Creativity gives the mind somewhere gentle to rest.

Pull out the colored pencils you forgot you owned. Paint. Doodle. Collage. Draw. Play.

Put on music. Light a candle. Sit in the garden. Release any pressure about the outcome and allow yourself to enjoy the simple act of creating.

There is no masterpiece required here. Just the pleasure of making something with your own hands.

To support your creativity, we've created a free downloadable coloring sheet working with the affirmation "I Am Enough."

4. Yoga Nidra for Deep Rest

If you've ever felt exhausted but unable to truly rest, Yoga Nidra can be a beautiful place to begin.

Often referred to as "yogic sleep," Yoga Nidra is a guided meditation practice that invites profound physical, mental, and emotional relaxation while you remain awake and aware.

Unlike many forms of meditation that ask us to concentrate or focus, Yoga Nidra invites us to soften, to lie down, to listen, and to allow ourselves to be held by the practice.

Many people find Yoga Nidra helpful for:
⟡ improving sleep quality
⟡ calming the nervous system
⟡ reducing stress and anxiety
⟡ supporting emotional wellbeing
⟡ creating a greater sense of inner peace

If traditional meditation feels difficult, especially during seasons of overwhelm, grief, burnout, or transition, Yoga Nidra can offer a gentler doorway inward.

It is one of my personal favorite practices because it asks so little of us. There is nowhere to get to, nothing to achieve, and nothing to do perfectly.

Just rest.

You can explore guided Yoga Nidra sessions through the Sensitive Matters podcast.

What words does your soul need to hear today?

Find out with our Affirmation quiz

TAKE THE QUIZ

5. Walk Barefoot in Nature

Few things bring us back to the present moment as quickly as feeling sand, grass, soil, or stone beneath our feet.

We've all experienced that sense of ease after walking along a beach, sitting beneath a tree, or watching the sky change color at sunset.

Spending time in nature has been linked to reduced stress, improved mood, and greater feelings of wellbeing. Even a few minutes outdoors can help shift the way you feel.

So if you can, step outside. Take off your shoes. Let the earth hold you for a little while.

6. Dance and Move Your Body

Put on a song you loved at sixteen.

Close the door if you need to.

Then move.

Not for fitness. Not for performance. Not for anyone watching.

Simply because your body was made for movement.

Whether it's a dance class, a spontaneous kitchen dance party, or swaying gently to your favorite song, movement can help release tension, boost mood, and reconnect you with your aliveness.

Forget "good" or "bad." Let yourself experience the joy of moving exactly as you are.

7. Let Yourself Be Supported

Self-care doesn't always happen alone.

Sometimes it looks like calling a friend, sharing a meal, asking for help, joining a community event, volunteering your time or sitting beside someone who makes you feel understood.

We are wired for connection.

Allowing ourselves to give and receive support can help us feel more grounded, nourished, and reminded that we don't have to carry everything on our own.

8. Connect With Nature's Cycles

After sunset, step outside and look up at the moon.

Notice its shape. A sliver. Half-full. Bright and round.

The moon reminds us that nothing stays the same forever. Seasons change, tides shift and difficult chapters pass.

Just as the moon moves through phases, so do we.

Whatever season you find yourself in today, it will not be this way forever.

Let that truth be a comfort. Let this moment be enough exactly as it is.

9. Meditation and Stillness

Even a few minutes of stillness can change the texture of a day.

Sit quietly. Follow your breath. Listen to the sounds around you. Notice what happens when you stop trying to fix, solve, or figure everything out for a moment.

If traditional meditation feels intimidating, try a walking meditation or a guided practice instead.

There is no perfect way to begin.

The practice is simply returning, again and again, to this moment.

Frequently Asked Questions About Self-Care

What are simple self-care practices?

Simple self-care practices are small activities that support your mental, emotional, or physical wellbeing. Journaling, meditation, spending time in nature, creative expression, movement, and meaningful connection are all examples of self-care.

Why is self-care important?

Self-care helps us replenish our energy, manage stress, improve emotional wellbeing, and navigate life's challenges with greater resilience and compassion.

How can I practice self-care when I am busy?

Self-care doesn't need to take hours. A few mindful minutes can make a meaningful difference. Writing in a journal, stepping outside barefoot, taking a conscious breath, listening to a guided meditation, or calling someone you love are all simple ways to care for yourself, even on busy days.