Self-care is essential for caregivers to regain the inner strength and energy it takes to do our jobs well. We hear it all the time. And yet, many of us find ourselves initiating steps for self-care when we are already depleted or completely drained. One of the underlying ideas behind a truly supportive self-care routine is to incorporate it into daily life, and hopefully avoid reaching that maxed out state-of-being. 

Each person’s version of self-care is unique because self-care is all about what you want it to be. A supportive self-care routine needs to be based on your own interests and what makes you feel wellbeing at your core once again. And self-care has nothing to do with pleasing others!

Self-care time is stress and pressure free. It can be just a few minutes or several hours. Time spent in nature can be incredibly restorative but maybe a spontaneous trip to the City is calling to you. 

Mental health experts also recommend avoiding alcohol. While alcohol is constantly marketed to us as a magical relaxation elixir, it only produces the illusion of relaxation. Within minutes, the body’s chemical reaction to alcohol can leave you feeling tired and irritable. Experimenting with alcohol free drink recipes that are hydrating and delicious has become a hobby for me: 5 Fun Spring Mocktails That Can Make Any Occasion Magical

Costs for many of the best self-care activities are low to free, so we don’t have the added stress of breaking our budgets to feel good. What self-care activity will you start today? Below are a few local resources for inspiration. 

Gardening time — pruning roses, making a bouquet, planting vegetables or just taking a stroll in a community garden reduces our stress hormones: 3 Sonoma County Gardens to Visit – Sonoma County Tourism

Music — singing along to favorite songs and listening to music is a sure way to give yourself a boost. The Green Music Center has an amazing line up this summer and a lovely lawn to listen and enjoy musical performances outdoors: Home – Green Music Center

Reading — becoming absorbed in a good book can give us perspective and time off from worry. Our county libraries have free events for all ages: Events | Sonoma County Library

Nature — Mother Nature is there for us to soothe and refresh our spirits. Find your local trails and parks and pack a special snack and water. I love Crane Creek in all the seasons, and sometimes bring my discs to play on its frisbee golf course. So much nature to choose from within our Sonoma County Regional Parks: Calendar

Museums — are wonderfully varied places that cover local history, art and science. They can be low cost ways to transport ourselves to another time and space. The Petaluma Museum is located at the historic Carnegie Library and has free walking tours on Saturdays: Events for June 2024 – Petaluma Historical Library & Museum

Tapping into our innate creativity and curiosity — Learning a new skill engages us and stimulates our brain cells. Being in a state of curiosity also generates a healthy outlook on life. I am (slowly) learning to play the ukelele and developing my own collection of favorite songs that simply make me smile. Santa Rosa Junior College offers many free classes: Free Art Classes for Older Adult Santa Rosa Junior College – CreativeSonoma.org