Self-Care is more than getting enough sleep and exercise. It involves caring for your whole person - body, mind, and spirit. Often we can be so consumed with mundane tasks of life that we neglect these other parts of us, perhaps because we think we don't have time. True self-care doesn't have to be time consuming, and it gives to you more than it takes.

 

The Explore challenge is about testing this out. It's trying one small thing to see if that is something that nurtures some part of you, whether it's body, mind, or spirit. If it feels overwhelming coming up with ideas of how you might get started, here are some resources. Let the adventures begin!

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Household and Self-Care

What can you do to take care of your body, replenish your energy, and create a peaceful space?

Bonus: complete a small home improvement project

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Care for yourself:

• Eat more vegetables

• Drink plenty of water

• Take medication and vitamins

• Get dressed up, style your hair, and leave the house

• Visit the doctor and dentist regularly

• Floss

• Spend time outdoors

• Book a massage

• Pack a lunch instead of eating out

• Reduce caffeine and screen time before bed

• Take a bubble bath

• Use lotion or other skincare

• Make time for sleep

• Exercise

• Date yourself - take yourself out to the movies, concert, zoo, botanical gardens, art museum, etc. and show yourself a good time

• Journal

• Engage in a spiritual practice (pray, meditate, attend a church service, listen to worship music, read the Bible, go to a Bible study, listen to online sermons such as those available from Bott Radio, listen to a podcast)

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Care for your space:

• Add a new decoration or rearrange something in a room (get ideas from Pinterest or by window shopping)

• Add a scent or other source of soothing/comfort

• Vacuum

• Clean a window

• Plant flowers

• Get your oil changed or other regular car maintenance

• Clean and detail your car

• Order groceries online

• Start using a calendar

• Create a system to help pay bills on time

• Complete a home repair

• Unclutter by challenging yourself to donate or throw out one full bag of items you no longer need.

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Engage in nurturing activities:

• Care for a pet

• Care for a houseplant or garden

• Cook a meal at home

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Hobbies/Interests

What activities or topics interest you? How could you engage with those?

Bonus: learn a new skill

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Places to discover how to get started with new hobbies: YouTube, Wichita Parks & Recreation classes, MakeICT classes, Hobby Lobby DIY videos, Michael's crafting classes

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Some ideas include:

• Card-making

• Duck tape projects (wallet, bookmark, etc.)

• Styrogami (making art sculptures from styrofoam cups)

• Cup-stacking (how many different ways can you come up with to stack cups?)

• Book-binding

• Butterfly, dragonfly, or bird watching (try the Botanica Butterfly house or the Bartlett Arboretum. Take photos of ones you find and keep track of which types you have seen.)

• Make an article of clothing (scarf, hat, shirt)

• Cook a new recipe

• Cake decorating (Michael's, Cake Stuff)

• Jewelry-making, enameling, metalsmithing, (MarkArts, CityArts, and Wichita Parks and Recreation classes)

• Stained glass (Bearden has classes)

• Pottery-making (CityArts)

• Sculptures (MarkArts has classes)

• Watercolor/acrylic/oil/alcohol ink painting (search for YouTube tutorials, sign up for classes MarkArts, CityArts, and Wichita Parks and Recreation,  or find additional classes at Visit Wichita or the Wichita Mom Blog.) 

• Lettering

• Chess clubs (Wichita Chess Club)

• Learn to play a musical instrument

• Make a homemade toy or musical instrument

• Build a cardboard house/fort (You can pick up free boxes from Metro Appliance. Just call ahead and they will save refrigerator or other large appliance boxes for you.)

• Gardening

• Fishing

• Boating (you can take sailing lessons in El Dorado)

• Archery (try the YMCA or Diamond Archery)

• Shooting sports such as clay shooting (Sportman's Training Center and Michael Murphy and Sons have courses)

• Leatherworking (Tandy Leather offers classes)

• Soldering and electronics (Creation Crate and EEME offer monthly subscription boxes with fun projects and SnapCircuits are a toy with different add-on packages)

• Geocaching (download apps to help you track the caches you have found, here's a fun page with a message to solve)

• Coin collecting

• Build your own miniature golf course in your home (see ideas here and here)

• Whittling and wood-carving

• Make a mosaic

• Wood-burning art

• Make wreath

• Build a pinewood derby car and race it with a local cub scout pack (Yes, you can really do this. Contact the Quivira Council in Wichita for the race date of a pack near you.)

• Lego projects

• Origami

• Needlework, knitting, cross-stitch, or embroidery

• Blow your own glass ornament at Karg Art Glass

• Photography

• Puzzle-making

• Repurpose an old item (here are ideas for old computer keyboards)

• Scuba-diving (classes available through Amber Waves)

• Star-gazing (get a closer view at Lake Afton Public Observatory)

• Create a dollhouse or miniatures (kits are available on Amazon, Facebook has miniatures groups that might provide inspiration) 

• Make a Rube Goldberg machine (search YouTube for ideas)

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Cultivate Joy

Think of things that bring you peace, pleasure, happiness, or fulfillment. How could you engage
with those in your daily life?

Bonus: make a list of what you are grateful for.

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Places you might want to visit: (Wichita on the Cheap has good recommendations for upcoming events) 

• Attend a music concert

• Visit an art gallery

• Walk a labyrinth (Locate labyrinths here. I enjoy the one here.)

• Attend a hot air balloon festival (there is an annual one in May)

• Fly a kite

• Blow bubbles

• Color a picture

• Read or listen to a book for fun (not self help)

• Be playful with friends or pets

• Try axe-throwing (Blade and Timber offers this)

• Go to an arcade

• Cloud-watching

• Cook outside

• Take a road trip

• Ride Go-Karts

• Go out for a picnic lunch

• Lip sync to an entire song

• Try a new food

• Watch a sunrise or sunset

• Attend a live theater performance (high schools often have inexpensive shows and there are several youth theater groups that also offer performances throughout the year)

• Go camping, even if it's in the back yard

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Accomplishments

What small goals do you have for yourself? This include trying something new, reaching out to someone, starting a habit, or finishing a project.

Bonus: write down two compliments you have received

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Here are some things you could celebrate:

• Meeting a deadline

• Being on time for work

• Responding to texts or emails that were piling up

• Discovering something was easier than you thought it would be

• Showing kindness to yourself

• Using healthy coping skills (hint, your therapist probably has talked with you about several)

• Sending a card or letter to a friend

• Completing a home repair or home improvement project

• Organizing an area in the home

• Removing clutter

• Learning something new

• Speaking in public

• Sticking to limits you set for yourself on spending, TV watching, video games, or screen time

• Saying no without guilt

• Completing a class

• Setting and enforcing boundaries

• Speaking up

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Sports/Exercise

Physical activity improves mood and ironically leaves you with more energy. What are ways you like to move or be active?

Bonus: make regular activity part of your weekly routine.

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Places to discover new activities: Wichita Parks & Recreation Classes, YMCA classes

• Bicycle paths (maps are available through Wichita Parks & Recreation) or try a singletrack (such as the Air Capital singletrack)

• Pickleball (teams are organized through Wichita Parks & Recreation)

• Run or walk a 5K. 

• Join a softball or basketball team.

• Shoot hoops

• Bowling

• Boxing

• Gymnastics

• Walk a dog

• Frisbee golf

• Golf

• Hiking

• Horseback riding

• Hula hoop to a Spotify list of oldies

• Ice skating

• Jump Rope

• Stand-up paddleboarding or kayaking (self serve kayak rentals available downtown, and Santa Fe Lake has partnered with Flatwater Fitness and Fun for kayak and paddle board rentals)

• Aerial Silks (Flow Foundry​ offers classes, including aerial yoga)

• Martial arts

• Miniature golf

• Rock climbing (YMCA or Bliss Climbing and Fitness)

• Swimming

• Tennis

• Trampoline park

• Treadmill

• Volleyball (YMCA and numerous volleyball clubs around Wichita)

• Work out at the gym

• Yoga

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Connection and Community

We feel our best when we are connected to people who share our values and who we can join in common goals. What could you do to help create these connections?

Bonus: volunteer or find a way to serve others.

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Places to discover volunteer opportunities: volunteermatch.org, volunteerkansas.org, United Way, Humane Society, churches, and schools.

• Call a family member.

• Call a friend.

• Invite a friend to breakfast/coffee/lunch/dinner.

• Invite a friend to join you on a walk.

• Join a Facebook or other online community of people with similar interests.

• Take a class. There are many low fee classes available through the Wichita Parks and Recreation program that include everything from photography to cooking to martial arts.

• Invite people to join you for a campfire and s'mores.

• Host a game night or go out for billiards.

• Throw someone a surprise party.

• Host a themed party (Oscars watch party where everyone arrives dressed for the red carpet, cookie decorating party, costume party, backyard drive-in, glow-in-the-dark, etc.)

• Pay it forward.

• Offer to teach a class for Wichita Parks and Recreation, a public library, or MakeICT on a subject you enjoy.

• Ask a friend for help with a project.

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Celebrate

Reward yourself for a job well done. It took intention and perseverance to achieve these goals. Place the badges you've earned in your Explore book and honor the effort you put into this by celebrating.

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