_Cela Migan is a freshman journalism major at MU. She is an opinion columnist who writes about Daily Life for The Maneater._
Self-care Sunday is not just a fun alliteration, but a great way to take time to check in with yourself inside and out.
Increasingly popular on social media, the concept of self-care Sunday revolves around taking time on Sunday to do something special for yourself. It is something you do just for you.
Be it a bubble bath, a face mask, reading a book, doing your nails, practicing yoga or any manner of things that bring you joy. Self-care Sunday is about finding something that makes you happy.
For me, self-care Sunday is a designated day and time for me to put on a face mask and read or watch Netflix. This simple act allows me to relax and sets my intentions for the week. I mentally prepare myself and my skin.
At the very least, my skin might be a little better than if I hadn’t done anything to it. A face mask calms my skin and my mood.
I consider myself the Marie Kondo of self-care Sundays. Anyone that knows me has probably heard me rave about the “life-changing magic of practicing self-care.” It’s a practice that I got into while I was undergoing the hell that is preparing for the ACT that carried into my college days.
Sunday is typically the day when last-minute errands, homework and tasks get done. It can often be the most stressful day preparing for the upcoming week. In the midst of figuring out next semester’s schedule, summer plans and whatever is due this week, taking time to check in with yourself is essential.
So often we charge ahead without taking the time to acknowledge the present. We’re almost halfway through the semester. Have you taken a second to stop and notice what it feels like to be in your own skin? Your body that carries you and houses your soul, how does it feel? What does it need?
One of the easiest things to do that requires nothing but a bit of concentration is to lay down or sit down. Close your eyes and start at your toes, feeling the tension you hold there and releasing it. Slow your breathing and mentally move up your body, and do not forget to travel the lengths of your arms to the tips of your fingers. Once you take a moment to recognize it, it’s incredible the amount of tension you hold in your body.
For me, I find that I hold an immense amount of tension in my shoulders and my furrowed brow. I go through these motions when I need to mentally or physically reset and right before bed. It’s a great way to unwind and prepare for rest.
Face masks, although they may not yield a noticeable physical difference, are a great way to physically go through the motions and consciously do something to take care of yourself. Through this act, your brain is able to recognize your efforts to relax and follow suit.
Face masks have skyrocketed in popularity, partly due to Lara Jean in “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” and her Korean face masks. They’re enough to make anyone skip the slopes.
Try it. If you don’t like it then you don’t have to continue, but at least you tried it. I hope this reaches someone and they realize the life-changing magic of practicing self-care.
Invoke your inner Marie Kondo and ask yourself, “does this spark joy?”
_Edited by Bryce Kolk | bkolk@themaneater.com_