291 Essential Self Care Activities For the Soul

Self care for the soul is so important. But sometimes it can be hard to figure out what self care activities you should be incorporating into your life and which might end up being a waste of time.

Take some time for yourself, and use this comprehensive list of self care activities for the soul to find the right self care idea for you and your needs.

The idea post is a one stop shop for self care activities, and you can revisit this list later on after you try some self care ideas and want to look for some more. Caring for the soul doesn’t need to be complicated either – a lot of these ideas are simple and have no cost.

This post is going to give you 290+ self care ideas for a happy and healthy soul.

Are you looking for a comprehensive list of self care ideas? Repin and read this post from Self Care Seeker to learn self care ideas you can do for your mind, body, and soul. Improve your physicak and mental health, reduce stress and anxiety, and more! #selfcareideas

Types of self care

Self care can mean many different things. It is essentially any activity you do to benefit your physical, mental, and emotional health.

And everything is connected – caring for the soul or caring for your body it can also benefit your mental health and vice versa.

Self care for the soul could be things to benefit your mental health like therapy, journaling, etc. Self care activities could be things to benefit your physical health like exercise, healthy food, etc. And self care can be things to benefit your emotional health like creating boundaries with others.

In this post, we are going to focus on eight types of self care:

  • Mental self care
  • Physical self care
  • Social self care
  • Fun self care
  • Cleaning and organization self care
  • Personal growth and productive self care
  • Sensory self care
  • Compassionate and spiritual self care

This list is intended to give you a comprehensive look at self care ideas, and you can choose self care ideas within each type of self care or just one area that resonates with you. This list is for you, so use it based on your needs and wants.

Benefits of self care

Self care has numerous benefits for both your physical, mental, and emotional health.

These benefits vary based on the type of self care you participate in, but may include:

  • Reduced stress and anxiety
  • Improved mood
  • Increased productivity
  • Boost your immune system
  • Relieve pain or discomfort
  • Increased self love and self awareness

But there are also so many other potential benefits to self care. Like I said, it really depends on the type of self care activities you choose.

Overall, self care is critical to reducing stress and anxiety, boosting self love and confidence, and improving your physical health and well-being.

And I can say from experience, if you work at building a consistent self care routine you will see these benefits throughout your mind, body, and soul.

Additionally, you will find that each of these self care activities have multiple benefits. For example, while all physical self care ideas target physical health, you may also find that these self care ideas also help your mental health as well.

In that way, a lot of these forms of self care are connected.

Now let’s get into the 290+ self care ideas for a healthy and happy soul.

Mental self care activities

Mental self care is any form of self care that benefits your mental health. For example, this may include dealing with your feelings and emotions, challenging your brain, and reducing stress and anxiety.

1. Journal

Find the right journaling style for your personality style in this post.

2. Meditate

To learn how to meditate, read more here.

3. Take something off your to-do list

4. Unfollow toxic people on social media

5. Challenge your negative self talk

To learn how to manage negative self talk, read more here.

6. Take a nap

7. Light some candles

8. Listen to happy music

9. Do some arts and crafts

10. Read a good book

For some book recommendations, click here for 13 books for the soul.

11. Unplug for a couple of hours

12. Listen to a podcast

13. Use a pro-con list to make a decision that’s been weighing on you

14. Watch a nostalgic TV show or binge a new one

15. Set healthy mental health goals

16. Watch funny YouTube videos

17. Create a to-do list

Need a daily planner? Fill out the form below to get a daily planner that includes a to-do list, space for self care, a place to record daily gratitude, and more.

As a bonus, you’ll also get three other life changing self care resources: A weekly self care schedule, a stress management checklist, and a monthly journal.

self care resources

18. List five things you love about your life

19. Do some arts and crafts

20. Say some positive affirmations

For 35 Daily Affirmations That Will Boost Self Love, read more here.

21. Try on some clothes that make your feel confident

22. Spend time outdoors

23. Write down a list of everything you love about yourself

24. Make a vision board

25. Dial back your expectations

26. Download Sanity and Self, a great self care app for women

For more information on Sanity and Self, read more here.

27. Cuddle a pet

28. Do something you’ve been putting off

29. Get out of your comfort zone

30. Draw something

31. Try something new

32. Establish a new routine

33. Reconnect with a hobby from your childhood

34. Read more blog posts on self care

35. Forgive yourself for something from your past

36. Start learning a new language

37. Take a mental health day

38. Listen to an audio book

39. Find a therapist in your area

40. Work on a puzzle

41. Forgive someone else for a grudge you’ve been holding on to

42. Have a good cry – let it out girl!

43. Try some mindfulness exercises

44. Give yourself a pep talk in the mirror

45. Reminisce about happy times by looking at old text messages, pictures, etc.

46. Write down three thoughts you want to let go of and then shred or throw away the paper

47. Find an inspirational quote that resonates with you and put it on a sticky note on your wall for a daily reminder

For 37 inspirational self care quotes, read more ere.

48. Do a crossword puzzle

49. Do a word search

50. Let go of perfectionism

51. Communicate your emotional needs to others

52. Buy yourself some flowers

Physical self care activities

Physical self care is any form of self care that benefits your physical health. This includes exercise, beauty, healthy diet, pain or injury management, etc. Use these ideas to get healthy and feel confident in your own skin.

53. Face mask

54. Make a doctor’s appointment

55. See a physical therapist

56. Take some vitamins

57. Do some cardio

58. Tweeze your eyebrows

59. Get a manicure or pedicure. Or do your own nails at home!

For a step by step at home pedicure, read more here.

For a step by step at home manicure, read more here.

60. Get a massage

61. Do some yoga

62. Meal prep for the week

63. Hydrate

64. Get a facial or give yourself a facial at home

For a step by step at home facial, read more here.

65. Have a cup of tea

66. Cook a healthy meal

67. Treat yourself to some take out

68. Moisturize your skin

69. Take a bubble bath

70. Go to bed early

71. Stretch

For 7 stretches for back pain, read more here.

72. Plan out your exercise routine for the week

73. Buy some new athletic wear

74. Buy something new for your kitchen

75. Go grocery shopping for some healthy food – and maybe one treat 🙂

76. Use a lip scrub

77. Weight lift

78. Workout your core

79. Go on a walk

80. Listen to tunes that make you want to dance – and dance your heart out

81. Create a skin care routine to use every night

For a nighttime skincare routine, read more here.

82. Take a shower

83. Shave your legs

84. Have an at home spa day

85. Go on a hike

86. Try a new recipe

87. Do a hair mask

88. Order some custom hair care products – I recommend Function of Beauty!

For $5 off your purchase at Function of Beauty, click here.

89. Try a new hair style

90. Invest in a Fitbit

91. Buy some more athletic equipment

92. Get a gym membership

93. Try a new hair color

94. Treat yourself to a new outfit that makes you feel confident

95. Hit up a local coffee shop for a fancy coffee

96. Purchase tupperware that will help you master meal prepping

97. Make a smoothie

For a green smoothie bowl recipe, read more here.

98. Research a new workout you’ve been curious about

99. Set some goals for healthy eating

100. Sign up for the Self Care Seeker 30 Day Stay Active Challenge

Sign up here!

101. Sign up for the Self Care Seeker 30 Day Eat Healthy Challenge

Sign up here!

102. Try a new food you’ve never tried before

103. Give your body a break from working out for a day

104. List out everything you love about your body

105. Reduce alcohol intake

106. Make your own DIY body scrub

For four DIY body scrub recipes, read more here.

107. Go swimming

108. Go running

109. Take your dog for a walk

110.Get your teeth cleaned

111. Do a low impact version of your favorite workout

Social self care activities

Caring for the soul doesn’t always involve alone time! Social self care is self care that you can do with others or involve interaction with other people. A lot of times when you think of self care, you picture alone time at home. However, for extroverts self care might feel the best when done with others!

Social self care activities can also be great for when you want to connect with friends or family.

112. Have a spa day at home with friends

113. Text a friend you haven’t talked to in awhile

114. Call a family member

115. Hit the beach

116. Join a book club

117. Join a local sports team

118. Talk to someone about what you’re going through

119. Surround yourself with positive people

120. Delete photos of negative people you no longer hang out with

121. Delete phone numbers of people you don’t talk to anymore

122. Have a picnic with friends or a significant other

123. Join a support group

124. Take a road trip with someone

125. Chat up a stranger

126. Join a group exercise class

127. Find a Facebook group with people who have a shared, similar interest

128. Plan a date night with your significant other

129. Have a pool party

130. Host a movie night

131. Bring your dog to a dog park

132. Give someone a hug

133. Ask for help and lean on others when you need to

134. Binge a show with someone

135. Take a music lesson

136. Meet someone for coffee or tea

137. Reminisce shared memories with someone

138. Host a game night – or a virtual game night!

139. Take a cooking class

140. Make purchases in-person instead of online to interact with others

141. Go to a yoga class with friends

142. Take a weekend trip with friends or family

143. Go to happy hour

144. Go on a bike ride with someone

145. Single? Join a dating app and put yourself out there

146. In a relationship? Recreate your favorite date with your partner

For more self care ideas to do with friends, read more here.

Fun self care activities

Fun self care is any form of self care that brings you pleasure and enjoyment. Use fun self care to blow off steam, let loose, and enjoy yourself! You may even find a new hobby emerge from it.

147. Go to the movies

148. Volunteer at an animal shelter

149. Take a vacation

150. Paint a picture

151. Build something with Legos

152. Do an adult coloring book – or use an adult coloring app

153. Do a puzzle

154. Read a book

155. Listen to a podcast

156. Book a night in a nice hotel

157. Blast the music in your car and sing at the top of your lungs

158. Take up knitting

159. Eat your favorite comfort food

160. Go to a museum

161. Go to a comedy club

162. Attend a play

163. Go see a concert

164. Find a restaurant with live music

165. Try a new brewery

166. Go on a wine tasting

167. Read a magazine

168. Attend a trivia night

169. Do some karaoke

170. Swing on a swingset like you did as a child

171. Visit a National Park

172. Cross something off of your bucket list

173. Go to a farmer’s market

174. Try a new, bold nail color

175. Plan an extravagant vacation even if you have no intention of booking it or taking the trip

176. Visit your hometown

177. Have a photo shoot

178. Adopt a pet

179. Attend a sporting event

180. Go camping

181. Play a board game

182. Test drive your dream car

183. Try something new

184. Build a blanket fort

185. Have a dance party

186. Play a video game

187. Create a scrapbook

188. Write out a bucket list

189. Start a garden

190. Go camping in your backyard

191. Watch the sing-along version of a Disney movie

192. Roll down a hill like when you were younger

Cleaning and organization self care activities

Cleaning and organization self care is any form of self care that helps you clean your living space and organize your life. As a rule of thumb, use these self care ideas to get your life in order and reduce the stress that comes from disorganization.

193. Do the dishes

194. Clean out the fridge

195. Sort through the mail

196. Clean the bathroom

197. Vacuum your home

198. Make your bed

199. Swifter or mop your floors

200. Tidy up the kid’s toys or pet toys

201. Do some laundry

202. Change your sheets

203. Wash the windows

204. Clean out your car

205. Get your desk in order

For calming desk decor, read more here.

206. Organize your closet

For closet organization tips, read more here.

207. Donate clothes you don’t wear anymore

208. Clean the stovetop

209. Rearrange your living room

210. Add some home accents to make your space feel cozy

For ways to relax at home and make home cozy, read more here.

211. Organize electronic cords

212. Dust your bookshelves

213. Take out the trash

214. Clean out your wallet or purse

215. Clean your makeup brushes

216. Delegate tasks to others if your schedule is jam packed

Personal growth and productive self care activities

Personal growth and productive self care is any form of self care that helps you grow as a person, become more productive, and achieve your goals. I recommend to use these self care activities to achieve success and become the boss babe of your dreams.

217. Update your LinkedIn profile

218. Set healthy personal goals

To learn how to set goals and achieve them, read more here.

219. Establish a weekly self care schedule

220. Choose a new daily affirmation to say every day

221. Update your resume

222. Set career goals

223. Build up a new skill

224. Research a class or development opportunity

225. Think about higher education

226. Find some inspiration to achieve your goals

Click here for 8 media devices that will inspire you to achieve your goals.

227. Check something off of your to-do list

228. Build a self care morning routine

For a self care morning routine, read more here.

229. Build a self care night routine

For a self care night routine, read more here.

230. Challenge your negative self talk

231. Forgive yourself for past mistakes

232. List five things you are grateful for

233. Forgive past grudges

234. Create a five year plan

235. Work on breaking an unhealthy habit

236. Feel stuck at work? Research job openings

237. Get ahead on birthday gifts for friends and family

238. Organize your finances

239. Do your taxes

Sensory self care activities

Sensory self care is any form of self care that engages your senses. This form of self care is really beneficial to highly sensitive people, or someone who experiences things more intensely than others.

Use these sensory self care ideas if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed or have been experiencing sensory overload lately.

240. Listen to calming sounds

241. Light a candle in a dark room and just sit

242. Go cloud gazing

243. Sit outside by a fire pit

244. Try aromatherapy using candles or an oil diffuser

245. Create a soothing playlist

246. Go star gazing

247. Go to an art museum

248. Wiggle bare feet in the grass

249. Lay down and close your eyes for a few minutes

250. Take some deep breaths

251. Use a weighted blanket

252. Watch the sunrise or sunset

253. Watch an ASMR video, like this one:

254. Find tea or spice specialty store to enjoy some smells

255. Put on some comfortable clothes that feel soft to the touch

256. Do something with your hands like gardening or woodworking

257. Pet a dog or cat

258. Put up some unique lighting in your home

259. Get in bed early

260. Put on some noise cancelling headphones

261. Eat your favorite food or dessert

262. Remove yourself from a toxic situation

263. Turn off phone notifications for news outlets

264. Fill your home with plants

265. Reduce clutter

266. Get some fresh air – maybe keep the windows in your home open for the day

267. Drink some hot water with lemon

268. Take some time to process your emotions in this moment

269. Use some essential oils

270. Do a body scan, checking in with each part of your body and taking note of how each part feels

Compassionate and spiritual self care activities

Compassionate and spiritual self care is any form of self care where you engage your spiritual beliefs (whatever they are!) and your compassion for others. Use these self care ideas to get in touch with your spiritual side, explore other beliefs, and to help others.

271. Meditate

272. Attend a church service

273. Do some yoga

To learn about the physical and mental health benefits of yoga, read more here.

274. Pray

275. Read about beliefs that are different from your own

276. Attend a bible study

277. Jounral about your spiritual beliefs

278. Donate to a cause you are passionate about

279. Take a religion course

280. Practice mindful eating

Click here to learn how to practice mindful eating.

281. Go on a retreat

282. Volunteer for an organization within a cause you care about

283. Donate food or other items to others in need

284. Add some mindfulness activities to your morning routine

Click here for mindfulness activities to add to your morning routine.

285. Go on a mindfulness walk

286. Determine your personal values

287. Figure out what your priorities in life are

288. Read poetry

289. Find some inspirational quotes

290. 30 Day Meditation Challenge

Sign up here!

291. Use a guided meditation app

Click here to read about the best guided meditation apps to find the best one for you.

Those are the 290+ self care ideas for the soul.

Self care has numerous benefits for you physical, mental, and emotional health. Use these self care ideas to find those benefits in your own life.

Caring for the soul is important. Take some time for yourself today and try one of these self care activities. You deserve it!

Comment below with your favorite way to practice self care for the soul.

For more self care ideas for the soul, read more here:

Click here to subscribe to Self Care Seeker for more content like this post and to download free self care resources!

Similar Posts

5 Comments

Tell me what you think!