Hey guys! Nita here from @mygratitudelist on Instagram. :)

I’m so excited to share with you all about Self-care journal that I’ve been doing for the past few months. It has been very helpful for me in keeping my physical, spiritual and mental health in check, especially being in lockdown and quarantine in these challenging times. I’ll be sharing some tips, ideas and prompts for you to journal about, and hopefully, you’ll find a few of these ideas helpful in your own self-care practice.

But first, let me list down the supplies I used in creating this spread.

Supplies

• Journal: Archer & Olive Traveler's Deep Green Dot Grid Notebook 160gsm (size 33 x 8.25") – I have no words for the quality of the paper of this notebook which completely blows me away! I was expecting to see some bleed through as I used watercolor as my medium on both the front and the back page, but I’m in awe as the paper holds water so well.
• Watercolor paint: Holbein Artists' Watercolor paint.
• Markers: Sakura Pen-Touch Marker in gold and rose gold.
• Pen: For writing, I use Pilot Juice-up gel pen 0.40mm.
• Paper cutter/craft knife and cutting mat: I use these to cut the page into dutch door design.

Self-Care Journal Ideas

Self-Care Checklist

I know it hasn’t been easy with all the changes and the new norm all of the sudden, and it is just so tempting to give in to the negativity. Whenever I feel like I’m close to getting burnt-out, I always look back to this self-care checklist that I made and try to do at least one thing to de-stress and calm myself down.

Depending on my needs, I list down the things that are helpful and break it down into three areas of care: Body (Physical care), Mind (Emotional care), and Spirit (Spiritual care). Each one of us have different needs, so have fun making your own checklist based on what you think would be helpful for your physical, spiritual and emotional needs.

Tips:

1. If you find it hard to identify them, it might be helpful to ask yourself “What type of care do I need?” “Do I feel worn down, stressed, anxious, exhausted, uninspired or unheard?” From there, you will know whether you need physical care, spiritual care, or emotional support, and what makes you feel happy and refreshed.
2. Make it more fun by using different colors for each care areas (color-coding).

Create a Gratitude List

It may sound simple, but a simple gratitude list can go a long way.

On some days, it would be as easy as 1-2-3 to list down a few things that I am grateful for, but on some other days, I can’t lie that it’s difficult to think about the good things especially on one of those days when things just don’t go my way.

Writing down gratitude list has been very helpful for me in cultivating positive mindset in my day to day routines. It can be done on daily basis, weekly or even monthly, you’re free to choose any timeline that suits you best.

Tips:

Some prompts suggestions:

• “What are the things that I’m grateful for?”
• “Three people that I’m most grateful for are…”
• “Three things that I’m grateful for in myself…”

Positive Self Affirmations

Affirmations are positive statements that can be used to motivate ourselves and others. Since our thoughts play a big part in our success and daily life, it’s essential to improve our mindset. Being someone who’s insecure and critical, I can’t deny that I always find myself tangled in my own negative thoughts that holds myself back from great opportunities. I believe positive self-affirmations are a powerful way in improving one’s self worth and positive mindset on a daily basis.

Some examples of positive self-affirmations that you can use:

• I am worthy of love
• I believe in myself and my abilities
• I give myself permission to make mistakes and grow from it
• I am work in progress and I give myself space to grow and learn

Other prompts and topics that you can include in your self-care journal:

• Feelings & Emotions page
• Quiet time page
• Things that give me joy

Okay, we have come to the end of my sharing! I hope you find these tips helpful and I also hope this post has given you some inspirations in creating your own self-care journal. I would love to see yours and do feel free to tag me in my Instagram page @mygratitudelist :)