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Your self care tool kit is something you can reach for whenever you feel overwhelmed and need a break. Use the tools inside this kit to help reduce your stress, boost your mood and increase your comfort.
You may want to consider making a self care kit if you are feeling anxious, worn down, overwhelmed, fatigued, depressed or unfocused. I reach for mine after a long day, or whenever I need a little focus or love.
Self-care is an important part of my mental health journey of living with anxiety and depression.
What is Self Care?
Using self-care has been proven to help reduce anxiety, depression, and stress overall. A self care toolkit, in essence, comforts you in times of stress or need.
It can be hard enough to dedicate the time we need to taking care of ourselves. Even more so during times of high stress or crisis. Gathering the tools and supplies can cause added stress to your life.
Why Create a Self Care Box?
Additionally, creating a ready-made self-care toolkit for yourself is the perfect way to keep all your most beloved tools together. Access them easily during times of stress.
What to Put in Your Self Care Box
There’s no right or wrong way to make a self-care kit! Anything that makes you feel safe and happy can be included. For me, a self-care kit should include things that I love and that make me feel relaxed or safe.
For Example: I like to include items from all of the following categories.
- Taste
- Touch
- Audio
- Aroma
- Visual
- An Artistic Activity
- A Body Care Item
- Something Spiritual
Examples of Self Care Kit Items:
Taste: A chocolate or two, some nice tea, a granola bar. Easy to eat foods that I enjoy and can reach for when I’m feeling like I need a quick pick me up.
Touch: A worry stone, soft pair of socks, teddy bear or soft scarf/blanket are all great examples of touch items you can place in your self-care kit. A hairbrush, dry brush or body cream are also great touch items to add to your self-care kit. Additionally, a fidget spinner or cube could be great for touch.
Audio: A pair of headphones, a mix of your favorite tunes, or a guided meditation are all great examples of self-care activities that are specific to your hearing. A favorite CD or a special Spotify playlist can all be helpful in times of high stress.
Aroma: Essential Oils, your favorite perfume, pillow spray, incense or a candle. Scented Epsom Salts for a warm bath are another great idea. Aromatherapy has been practiced for generations. It’s the use of scents on the body and nervous system. Scents like chamomile, lavender, and rose are all good options to add to your tool kit.
Visual: Pictures of your friends and family, soft lighting like a Himalayan Salt Lamp, a beautiful painting. You can add any item that brings you joy. This also is a good reminder of gratitude and visually what we are thankful for. Also, I love the idea of incorporating ticket stubs and postcards from past adventures.
Great Additions to your Self Care Box:
Artistic Activity: Watercolor paints, a journal or a ukulele are all great artistic items that you could include in your kit. Any activity that speaks to your own inner artist is a safe bet. If you aren’t necessarily super confident in your artistic abilities try sketching or an adult coloring book.
Spiritual Items: Crystals, Tarot or Oracle Card Decks, Incense, Books, a favorite poem or prayer, or a bible are all great choices for spiritual items. These items are very specific to your own personal brand of spirituality.
Body Care Items: Face Mask, Body Scrub, Massage Oil, Hand Cream, Body Butter, Nail Polish, Hair Mask, Epsom Salts, Muscle Rub. Add something to your kit that feels luxurious and helps you take care of your body.
What’s Inside My Personal Self Care Box:
Taste:
Tea and individually wrapped chocolates are my favorite things to put inside my self-care tool-kit. (Disclaimer: I ate all my self-care chocolate last night so there’s none pictured above. LOL).
CBD Oil is also, a great consumable item to add. CBD American Shaman is a great low-cost brand to try. They have everything from cookies to CBD Oil Concentrate for vaporizers. Pictured above is their watermelon flavor. I’ve also tried and liked cherry limeade. You can get 20% OFF your order with our coupon code: AMERICAN20
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Touch:
My first touch item is a palm stone made of Moonstone to hold in my hand. I love the cool feel of the crystal in my palm. For comfort, I have a pair of wool socks. In all honesty, I don’t have much use for wool socks here in Hawaii. But, they remind me of my childhood comforts growing up in Northern Michigan. And although it doesn’t fit in the kit, my weighted blanket is a great tool I use often.
Audio:
My headphones which I use with youtube guided meditations, ambient music or old school doo-wop to calm me down and ease my soul. One of my favorite things to listen to is Harry Potter ambient music. It speaks to my inner child in a really uplifting way.
Aroma:
Lavender is a perfect scent for the calm and relaxation of the nervous system. Which is why I chose a lavender essential oil roller in my kit. I love to use it whenever I feel overwhelmed. Additionally, it is very easy to pull out and bring with me if I need self-care help on the go.
Visual:
I have a few pictures in my kit of my favorite people. Also, included a few old birthday and holiday cards from my loved ones. And I even added a few fun postcards I’ve collected over the years. My tarot card deck acts as a great visual item as well. Each card provides a different beautiful piece of art to view.
Artistic Item:
You all know I’m a big proponent of journaling for anxiety and depression! So my journal and some fun colored pens are a necessity for my self-care tool kit.
Spiritual Item:
Tarot Card Deck- A gorgeous tarot card deck is a great self-care tool kit item because it allows me to connect with spirit and myself more directly. When I’m really stressed, I shuffle the cards for a long time while trying to clear my mind. Then I ask the cards to “What card do I need to get through this moment?” or “What energy can I use to feel better today?”
Crystals- I have a Rose Quartz and a Moonstone in my self-care basket. Rose Quartz is a great positive energy stone that promotes self-love, love, and passion. Moonstone is great for inner growth and personal strength. So, together these stones are great additions.
Body Care:
Giving yourself a little physical self-care is very important too. Our physical bodies are often neglected when we’re stressed. I have a face mask, hand cream, nail polish, and glass file to my kit.
How I Use My Self Care Toolkit:
What I love about my self-care kit is that no matter what, there’s something in there for my mood. Sad, depressed, anxious, stressed, melancholy, and more.
I keep my self-care toolkit at the foot of the bed on a handy built-in shelf. Keeping it there makes it easy to access every night before bed. I use self-care throughout the day (in addition to times of self-care crisis) to help me destress so keeping it handy is important.
Relax With Your New Self Care Kit
Your self care kit can be grabbed easily in times of need, just remember to restock every week or so. And don’t be afraid to switch items out seasonally too! Sadly, a warm blankie isn’t always as comfortable in July as in November! lol
Comment below and let me know what’s inside your self care toolkit!
What's on your mind?