Looking After No.1 - Self-care Boxes

After my post about Safe Havens and Panic Buttons, a few people have requested that I do another post about coping with anxiety. The idea for self-care boxes was actually sparked after I was trying to work out what to get my Mum for Christmas. Before I went to Uni, I used my last pay cheque to buy my mum a penguin family pandora charm, stating that not only was it my leaving gift to her but also just in case I failed abysmally at getting her a Christmas present. So, I had at least covered my back but I couldn't just get her nothing. After days and weeks of racking my brain cell I came up with the idea of a self-care box. My Mum suffers with fibromyalgia and lymphodema following her battle with breast cancer and the woman is an absolute warrior, she still works a very demanding job and dedicates so much time and energy to her family, even on the days where anything that touches her feels like such an immense pain. (In all honesty, I can't begin to imagine what she goes through everyday.) So I made her self-care box with the thought of her bad days, when she's in pain and needs to rest. Her box contained:

1) A Blanket Throw

This is to keep her warm and also something to snuggle up with. This was to ensure that she would relax and sit or lie down because as amazing as she is, my darling mum often over does things and her fatigue can really ruin the next day for her.

2) Slippers

To go with the blanket throw and to remind her that when she takes off her work shoes that the working day is over and it's time to relax.

3) Tea Light Candles

We have tea light candle holders around our bath tub and again, this is something to help her relax on bad days because let's face it, who doesn't love candlelit baths?

4) Favourite Chocolate

.... Need I say more. Even J.K. Rowling speaks of chocolate as way of fighting off dementors (which were her personification of depression.) So that stuff is blooming magical!

5) Hot Water Bottle

To go with the blanket throw, slippers and chocolate, making for a cosy and chilled night in after a nice bath.

There were a few other random bits and pieces in there too which were personal to my mum and I but safe to say she loved it! But you're probably wondering, how the heck can I translate this to dealing with anxiety? Well, quite easily actually. If you use the template of what I put in Mother G's box, you can personalise and customise what you want to put into your self-care box. And even choose a pretty box to put your items in. Mine has penguins on.... Are we surprised?

Why Do I Feel They're So Important?

I believe everybody should have a Self-care box not just those of us who suffer with depression and/or anxiety because they are just wonderfully useful for a grey drizzly day where you might feel down or after a bad day at work/school/college/Univeristy/educational establishment. Because you
know when you open it there are things in there that can comfort you, like the blanket throw and hot water bottle, make you smile, I made a little Netflix coupon in mine to remind me to sit back, relax and watch a comedy film or QI. Or even to remind you to eat, drink and wash because let's face it, that's the fundamentals of self-care. When you're depressed, as an example, you tend to become quite numb and you don't care too particularly about your appearance or you won't eat or drink as much as you should. I made one for a friend as a Christmas present which contained tea bags and chocolate, something to eat and something to drink. As much as these posts are all about tips to cope with anxiety I can never stress enough how important it is to talk to other people, someone you trust or go to your GP if you feel you may be depressed or suffering from anxiety and get help, don't ever suffer in silence.

I'm happy to be someone to talk too, feel free to contact me by E-mail rebecca.j.a.goodwin@gmail.com

Or by Twitter @RebeccaByTheSea