Self-care is all about benefiting yourself. It's about doing activities that benefit your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Although prioritizing self-care may sound like common sense, especially if you’re considering longevity, it’s often the first thing to go when we find ourselves in challenging situations, whether because of bad health, a financial crisis, job loss, or an unexpected death. This is why it is important to keep it top of mind and not an after-thought, especially when we find ourselves in challenging times.
"In a society in which people are expected to work long hours and pass on vacation days, there is an underlying belief that we must always be productive – which can ultimately take away from opportunities for self-care. But by taking some time out to engage in self-care, you may relieve the pressures of everyday life and reset yourself to get back to a healthy point where productivity is once again maximized. Considering the costs associated with mental health services, lost wages and more, spending some time on yourself may ultimately benefit everyone." (Matthew Glowiak, What Is Self-Care?)
Here are fun self-care activities for each zodiac sign:
ARIES
Aries people are extremely dynamic and energetic, and they have to constantly keep busy. A great way to let out some steam is to journal your thoughts. This is a great self-care activity that allows you to feel productive and satisfied.
TAURUS
Taurus people are very determined and grounded individuals. They are often the person in the family everyone turns to for support or assistance. A great way to decompress for this sign is being outdoors in nature. Taking a hike, sitting in your backyard, or walking on the beach are just a few examples that can ground a Taurus when feeling overwhelmed.
GEMINI
Gemini's are mentally gifted and quite intellectually inclined. They are very well informed and always try to gather as much information as they can to smoothly adapt to any situation. A great self-care activity for a Gemini may be reading a good book that teaches them about a new topic they have been wanting to learn more about.
CANCER
Cancerians are very loving and nurturing individuals. They are very strong-willed and they like to get everything done in their own way. A great way to nurture themselves is scheduling a massage appointment. This will allow Cancerians to have their space from others in a relaxing environment where they can decompress from everything happening in their world.
LEO
Leo's are one of the most ambitious and creative signs. They have plenty to roar about and are natural born leaders. With high energy always on, a great way to blow off some steam is to exercise consistently. Making a plan to use the treadmill or elliptical three times a week can help alleviate stress and the roaring lion inside.
VIRGO
Virgo's are delicate and sensitive, yet at the same time, they can be critical and picky. Virgos always have a logical and practical approach to all aspects of life. A fun self-care activity for a Virgo may be decluttering and cleaning their space. This can help cleanse any negative energy that's lingering and invite new energy into their environment.
LIBRA
Libra's are charming, fun-spirited and make it a priority to bring justice to any bad situation. To help a Libra get out of their heads, a fun self-care activity is watching a good movie or TV series for a few hours. Sometimes sitting and watching justice successfully unfold before your eyes, without having to do anything yourself, can feel very satisfying and relaxing.
SCORPIO
Scorpio's are truly magnetic and one of the most profound zodiac signs. They can have sharp powers of self-defense, and when they feel corned they will lash out. Sometimes they get carried away with their overwhelming thoughts. As a water sign, they are very emotional beings, but they are also very private individuals. An effective self-care activity for them may be sitting with all their feelings and letting out a good cry. This will help release whatever negative emotions they are holding onto and feel threatened by.
SAGITTARIUS
Sagittarius people are open to anything new. This sign is all about expanding new dimensions of thought. They are perfectionists in everything they do and they will accept nothing less than. A fun self-care activity may be listening to relaxing music to calm their mind, body and soul.
CAPRICORN
Capricorn's are stable, serious and confident individuals. They are natural goal setters who accomplish as much as they can to stay productive and satisfied. A fun self-care activity for a Capricorn may be buying a new planner and writing down all their goals for the days, weeks or months to come. This can help spark inspiration, motivation and feeling good about the present moment.
AQUARIUS
Aquarian's are independent and humanitarians. Above all, this sign seeks the truth. They are very tolerant to every point of view, and can see both sides of an argument. As an air sign, they are known to be day dreamers and a bit spacey at times. An effective self-care activity may be meditating on a daily basis to calm the mind and re-center this eccentric sign.
PISCES
Piscean's are able to adapt emotionally to any environment. They have strong intuition and possess some duality in their personalities. They can be very sensitive, compassionate and kind, however, if they feel threatened or uncomfortable, they can become quiet and distant. They are very creative and artistic individuals. A great self-care activity may be practicing any form of art - painting, drawing, making something with their hands, etc.
"The best health care plan is a self-care plan." - Nina Leavins