1. Give yourself a homemade facial.  My favorite:  a honey mask.  Just wash face with warm water and spread a thin layer of raw honey (you’ll need about 1 teaspoon) on your face and lay back and relax for 10-20 minutes.  Rinse with lukewarm water.  If the honey is crystallized, you can warm gently in a water bath or just let it warm in your fingers for a minute or so before spreading on your face.
2. Meditate.  Put on your favorite meditation CD (I like this one) or search youtube for meditations.  Choose one that fits what you are looking for (for example, maybe you want one for healing or stress relief) and your time frame.  Shut yourself into a room where you won’t be disturbed – and make sure everyone in the house knows not to disturb you for x minutes.
3. Make yourself a cup of tea, put on your favorite p.j.s, and read a good book.
4. Do some yoga or stretches.  It doesn’t matter how long you do it.  Even 5 or 10 minutes is great.
5. Get yourself a small piece of really good chocolate – and savor it.  Truly savor it.  Put it in your mouth and let it dissolve slowly.  Enjoy the taste, texture, smell.  Make it a sensuous experience.
6. Call an old friend and reminisce.
7. Go outside on a clear night and look at the stars.  Don’t even try to remember any constellations.  Just enjoy the beauty.
8. Take a bath, complete with essential oils and candlelight.  Add some Epsom salts for detoxification.
9. If you live by water (a stream, lake, ocean), take your shoes off and stick your feet in.
10. Drink your water in your fanciest glass.  Infuse something in it, like mint leaves, lemon slices or berries.
11. Dry brush before your morning shower.  (Use a natural bristle brush, and use long strokes on your limbs, brushing toward your heart; shorter, circular motions on joints and your torso.)
12. Massage yourself with your favorite oil (i.e. coconut, sesame, almond, olive oil) with or without a couple drops of essential oil.
13. Do something creative.  Paint, draw, sew, knit, sculpt, write.  If you don’t feel like you can do any of those things, get yourself some crayons or colored pencils and print off some coloring sheets from the internet.  I like these mandalas.
14. Write yourself a love note.
15. Write love notes to your loved ones and hide for them to find later.
16. Throw a movie night.  Get a favorite old movie of yours or one you’ve been wanting to see, grab some yummy (but healthy!) snacks and get comfy.  Invite your significant other or kids, but only if you think they will really like the movie.  I rewatched The Outsiders with my teenage daughter once – I was so excited to share it with her, since she loved the book.  She spent the whole movie saying things like, “Why did they have to wear their pants so high? “Couldn’t they get better haircuts?”  And, “That actor ruined Dally for me.” Needless to say, it kinda ruined the movie for me.
17. On a beautiful morning, drink your tea or coffee outside. Bonus points if you watch the sunrise.
18. Make a list of all the things you’re grateful for.
19. Go for a walk.  Don’t take your phone or iPod.  Just walk and take in your surroundings, using all your senses.  Don’t even worry about making it “a workout.”
20. Smile at strangers and make small talk with the people you encounter, such as cashiers, librarians, baristas.  Look them in the eye when you tell them to have a nice day.  Connect with people.
21. Leave something beautiful for a stranger to find: A bookmark, a nice note, a little drawing, your favorite quote.

And, a BONUS one!

22.  Practice a morning ritual. 

xoxo,

Meredith

If you have something special that you do to take extra care of yourself, please share it here in the comments or on my facebook page.