It’s that time of the year when we think about how all the months just flew by. Yes, the new year is on the horizon and it’s time to start planning how to end the year, as well as begin a new one. Reflecting on how your year has been is important to help you plan for the next year. One of the best ways to do so is through self-care practices.

So, here are some self-care tips to help you end this year on a positive note and begin next year with a hopeful one.

  • Practicing gratitude

Start with being thankful for living one more year, no matter how old you are. Life’s unpredictability was well shown in the past years of COVID-19. You have survived it and managed to traverse ahead in life. Now, that deserves gratitude. 

Feeling thankful does not have any restrictions. You can feel thankful even for the smallest of things in life, like coffee, butterflies, books, and more. Journaling is one of the best ways to practice gratitude. It is also one of the best self-care practices. Noting down the things you are grateful for in life will come in handy when you feel down in life. Just browsing through your happy thoughts will help you realise that a bad day is ‘just one bad day’.

  • Travel

Staying in the same place, and commuting on the same route to the same job, college, or school can make you feel stagnant in life. As a new year approaches, the chances of this feeling growing bigger are high. One of the best ways to get over this feeling is to travel. 

Taking a trip somewhere is one of the best ways to realise that you are in charge of your life. Things do not need to be the same in your life, you can change them whenever you want. So pack that bag, book a ticket and go! 

  • Skin-care

Nothing can beat feeling pretty inside out. Pamper your skin, get that face serum you have always wanted, change to satin pillowcases for a wrinkle-free sleep, and book a couples massage at your favorite spa with your bestie! Skin care is not a vain act. Feeling beautiful inside out helps stay positive about life.

  • Talking to ‘not humans’

While skincare is for the outside, interacting with other beings is for the inside. 

  • Pets

Playing with dogs, cats, and other pets can teach you to have fun in life even with very little available. Pets make you feel less lonely which is of great help during new year celebrations. Adopting a pet is one of the best self-care ideas and activities, combined.

  • Earthing

People pay thousands to go on ‘earthing’ retreats where they walk barefoot on grass and play with soil in order to connect with the universe. Interacting with nature helps realise you are not alone in this world and minimize your problems. Gardening is a simple and affordable way to do that. Sowing seeds and watching something you plant, grow, is fulfilling.

  • Cleanse

Throw out things you don’t need in your life anymore. This is a cathartic self-care process. It will give more space for the coming year to fill in. Throwing out things will also help you figure out which matters the most to you. This is also applicable to relationships in your life too. If someone is detrimental to your mental and physical health, try and get them out of your life. This is one of the best tips for finishing the year strong.

  • Boundaries

Setting boundaries is not negative. Boundaries with your feelings and actions help a lot. For example, don’t hold on to past grudges, let them go. Set yourself a time limit to sulk and hate someone, then forget that feeling. Forgetting and forgiving people will help you take back your power in life. It will also help you reach out to new people and experiences.

  • Do nothing!

Yes, you heard it right. Do nothing. Sleep well and take that rest you have been postponing throughout this year. Rest your mind and body. Sleep tourism is getting popular. Take a vacation to exclusively sleep, eat healthily and meditate. Go into the new year with a healthy mind and body.

Hope these self-care practices help you end this year on a strong note and begin next year on a hopeful one.