An essential part of wellness, particularly for mature women over 50 – is self-care.
You may have completed the raising of your children, if you have them, or have reached career goals and no longer must spend as much time in hurry-up-rush-rush mode.
You’ve got more time available in your daily schedule to consider your own needs and resources to help you make healthy changes in your life.
Technology has made leaps and bounds in the last 20 years, which is a good thing for most of us. However, there is a downside. The number of tasks we can accomplish in a single day is also substantially higher.
This increased expectation of productivity takes a great toll on our minds. Technology can only do so much. There is always a human behind the machine. Day in and day out we stretch ourselves, sometimes too thin. It’s imperative we find ways to recharge (revive, renew, refresh) and rejuvenate (make new again) our minds.
The brain is an organ; the mind is invisible to our naked eyes, yet it exists in and is a part of every cell in our perfectly imperfect human bodies. Our minds are responsible for feelings, attitudes, imagination, and beliefs. So, how can you take better care of your mind?
Self-Care for the Mind
An adequate amount of quality sleep and proper nutrition are at the top of the list of things you should make time for in your personal life. In most cases though, that’s just not enough. We need to think creatively and forget the old idea that self-care is indulgent and unnecessary.
It’s absolutely necessary – critically so! If we don’t take care of ourselves, who else will? And if we don’t take care of ourselves, how can we possibly offer our best foot forward on any given day?
The human mind needs two things: stimulation and relaxation. We must stimulate our minds and give them new information to keep our thinking sharp and relevant. We also must give our minds a break by planning (and taking) intentional rest.
Stimulating Self-Care Ideas for the Mind
The following list should help inspire you to plan and implement self-care options which will both stimulate and rejuvenate the power of your mind.
Learn a new language
You could take a college-level class, purchase a downloadable app, or simply look online for free resources on learning the basics of a new language. Don’t forget about sign language! Not only is it incredibly interesting, but it’s also another way to earn money on the side by being a freelance interpreter.
Take a Class
As mentioned above, only don’t limit it to a language. You could take a pottery class, painting, macrame, or anything else artistic that suits your fancy. Likewise, a college-level class like accounting or writing might be more your style, and it could help advance your career as well.
Try a New Hobby
Anything you’ve always wanted to try but never seemed to have (or make) the time for. Needlework (knitting, embroidery, sewing), Construction or renovations in your home (woodwork, tile work, painting), or creating and teaching a class around your area of expertise can be both rewarding and relaxing.
Puzzles
Don’t limit this to just a puzzle you put on a table and piece together. There are tons of apps for brain teasers and twisters, word games, etc. Challenge and advance your knowledge!
Board Games
Similar to puzzles, there are lots of apps available to play online if you don’t have a partner. Backgammon, chess, and other strategy games are great options!
Learn to Play an Instrument
Piano, drums, guitar – there are so many choices and many ways to learn. Choose an in-person one-to-one learning session, a group session at a local community college, invest in an online teaching platform or grab an app to learn at your own pace.
Volunteer & Community Service
The rewards of serving others are invaluable and extremely stimulating. You can leverage your existing knowledge or get involved with an organization whose causes you support.
Purge
Go through your closet and get rid of things you haven’t worn in a year. But you don’t have to stop there. Choose a different area or room in the house each week and you’re sure to find things you didn’t even remember you had.
Purging helps to provide a fresh, clean start for the mind. When there’s too much clutter lying about, the mind has problems with focus and clarity.
Relaxing Self-Care Ideas for the Mind
The mind isn’t just brain power. It isn’t encompassed in a single organ inside the skull. The ‘mind’ is a powerful element, a seat of consciousness, which enables people to be aware of surroundings, experiences, memories, to think and feel. Much of the time our minds are running at full power.
Here are a few ideas to help give your mind a break and allow it to recover.
Massage Therapy
Go to a fancy boutique spa or have a mobile professional provide the service at your home. As much as the massage itself is therapeutic and soothing, the ambiance is just as important. Make sure the environment is clear of distractions, put on some soft music, and light a softly scented candle in a semi-dark room to get the best results.
Meditate
Some still think meditation is kooky and weird, but it can be the difference between complete chaos and soul-saving peace. Check out our resources here, and don’t knock it ’til you try it!
Garden
Fresh air is exceptionally beneficial. There’s something calming about getting your hands in the soil, creating and nurturing life – especially if your bounty is edible.
Read/Listen to a Book
Sometimes, all it takes is an escape to another world, a peek into someone else’s life, in a romance or historical novel, or a biography or memoir of someone interesting.
Aromatherapy
The nose always knows, right? Choose calm and clean scents during bath time, reading, nap time, or any other relaxing self-care activity.
Play Your Favorite Music
Why not use your favorite playlist along with aromatherapy for a double whammy? Go for classical, instrumental, slow jams, etc.
Color, Paint, or Draw
You don’t need a ton of supplies to get started. A box of colored pencils, paint pens, and blank paper will do the trick. Adult coloring books are available just about everywhere now, and there are even apps for smartphones.
Unplug
This is likely to be the hardest and yet the most rewarding form of self-care. Unplug from all things with screens for 30 minutes. Spend this time being mindful. Go outside and watch the sunset or the sunrise. Watch the clouds gently float across the sky or gaze at the stars.
Self-care for the mind doesn’t have to cost a lot and there are plenty of ways to get the job done. It’s all about nourishing your mind so you can enjoy the moments life gives you instead of constantly running on fumes.
Take the time to take care of you!
Affirmations to Support Your Self-Care Activities
I fully embrace self-love and self-care.
I am worthy of time and space to recharge and relax.
I am grateful for my mind and I will take care of it.
I use journaling to explore my thoughts, emotions, and options for my self-care journey.
I choose my own path to rejuvenation and relaxation.
I set healthy boundaries for my mind, body, and spirit.
I make the needs of my mind a priority.
I express my emotions through creative and productive activities.
I intentionally create supportive activities and experiences for myself.
