All The Small Things - 6 Simple Self Care Steps.

Sometimes self care is lying under a blanket with your favourite film playing on the TV, and hiding from the world. Other times it's getting dressed up and going into town with your girl friends. But what it all comes down to is giving yourself whatever you need. Self care won't always be pretty! It can be ugly and hard, and it might not be glamorous either, but that is where growth happens.

Developing a self-care routine in order to make the switch from putting yourself last, to putting yourself first can be difficult. When you're struggling with your mental health it's easy to mistake self care for self indulgence, However you need to remember it's not selfish to look after yourself. Caring for yourself is an act of survival. Here are 6 steps to remember every day. These steps may seem simple and obvious but for someone struggling with a mental illness, they are easily forgotten.

Hydration- Did you drink enough water today? There are endless benefits to staying hydrated.

Hygiene-  Stay clean and focused. Run yourself a nice hot bath or take a long shower, moisturise, shave, and relax.

Hyperactivity- Have you moved around today? Get up and do some exercise! Whether that be going for a run, going to the gym or doing a yoga workout in the comfort of your own home... Exercise helps to reduce stress, and helps you sleep better.

Rest- You should be trying to sleep as much as you can when you're self caring. Sleeping improves memory, spurs creativity, and it helps to lower stress.

Reward- Recognize hard work and your achievements big or small.

Recharge- Whether you're an introvert or extrovert get up and do something. Introvert? spend some time to chill and watch Netflix. Extrovert? Get out of the house and so something that you love doing!

^{Whatever you do remember to love yourself!}