If I could recommend just one daily practice for you, it would be to do at least three things that fill you up, nurture you and are pleasurable. I call these types of activities self-care “wants.”
There are two kinds of self-care: self-care needs and self-care wants.
Self-care needs are things like flossing your teeth, keeping your home tidy (unless you love to do it!), folding laundry, or washing the dishes.
Self-care wants are activities that feel wonderful to you β beginning, middle, and end. These are activities that give you a positive visceral (bodily) response.
Most women have a self-care wants deficit.
(Get a link at the end of this article for a podcast episode I did explaining the difference between self-care needs and self-care wants.)
Every woman needs a list of at least 20 things she enjoys doing that fall into the self-care wants category.
Here is a list of 30 simple self-care ideas that I hope will inspire and tempt you to begin nurturing yourself even more.
30 simple ideas for self-care:
- Enjoy a cup of tea or delicious coffee.
- Draw in an adult coloring book.
- Knit, crochet, or do any craft that you love.
- Write in a journal.
- Ride a bike.
- Sit in the sun (or the rain!) for 5 minutes.
- Take a walk around the block.
- Pet your dog, cat, or favorite creature.
- Light a candle.
- Take a bath or shower.
- Listen to your favorite music.
- Take an aimless, no destination ride in your car.
- Enjoy a nice piece of chocolate.
- Read a book for pleasure.
- Work on a puzzle of any kind.
- Play a game.
- Listen to inspirational messages or programs that inspire or uplift you.
- Pray.
- Go to your favorite cafe.
- Tend plants or a garden.
- Visit a museum.
- Go on a beauty hunt anywhere that reliably pleases your sense of sight.
- Go to an art supply store and browse.
- Meditate.
- Dance or move your body in ways that feel pleasurable to you.
- Learn something new.
- Read a card, letter, email, or text you received from a friend or loved one telling you how wonderful you are or how much they appreciate you.
- Brush your hair, or massage your scalp for no reason other than to enjoy the experience.
- Anoint your body with creams or oils that nourish you physically and emotionally.
- Look through a picture book.
What’s on your list? I (and everyone else reading this post) would love to hear in the comments below!
Β© Vicki Tidwell Palmer (2021)

Hi, I'm Victoria!
I love guiding my clients on a journey of Returning to the authentic truth of who they are, Reclaiming what is theirs, and Receiving everything that is meant for them.
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I love this list! New ideas I will add to my list are: picture book, pray as self care, learn something new.
I have also been enjoying art lessons on YouTube.
I also feel so good being outside each day. I might move my workout outside, my meal, my laptop for check email. And I have a big coat so I can do it year round!
Hi Christina, thank you for adding to the conversation!π
p.s. I am seriously going to google art classes on YouTube π
I like to do pouring art.
Going for hikes.
Sitting by the water.
Cleaning
Thanks for sharing Tina!