At the end of the year, people sometimes begrudgingly put together their new year's resolutions list, then spend the next few months trying to fit them into their lives and not drop them altogether.

Many of us have a love-hate relationship with new year's resolutions. They can be a fun way to refresh our life and routine, but on the flip side, they can make us feel the pressure to constantly improve ourselves even more, especially if we end up giving up on our new year’s goals.

Whether you fill your calendar with new goals and activities for the new year or you are playing it by ear, one thing we should all do is give ourselves some love, compassion, and self-care time. Here we have selected some sustainable, self-care ideas to help you enjoy well-deserved treats and me-time year-round. Enjoy yourself!

Use your special occasion items whenever you want to elevate your day

Many of us own fancy household items like glasses, plates, and mugs we bring out exclusively on special occasions, holidays, and birthdays. They make those days feel extra significant, and there is something just so comforting about creating little household traditions that mark important events and celebrations.

Despite the name, we can bring these special occasion items out whenever we need an extra touch of prettiness in our lives without depriving them of their specialness. Having them around on a dull or rough day can be an easy and budget-friendly way to pamper yourself and add some special occasion magic to your routine.

So bring out your favorite fancy occasion glasses to make a regular day feel special and celebrate yourself, what you are grateful for, and the people you love.

Experiment with a fun new drink

Nothing is better than curling up with a cozy drink in the colder months and sipping something chilled and refreshing when it's hot outside. If you agree, try experimenting with a new homemade drink to spice things up and give yourself some well-deserved culinary self-care.

You can make it as low-effort or as elaborate as you want it. Just browse your kitchen & cocktail bar to see what suits your mood. Don't worry if you are not much of a barista or bartender. In this lovely pursuit, the internet can come to your aid and provide you with thousands of fun recipes to your taste that you can try recreating at home.

Take care of your houseplants

Bringing some nature into your home in the form of houseplants is such an effortless way of decorating your house, adding a lovely and calming pop of color to your space, and of course, an act of self-care.

But taking care of them can also be a way of taking care of yourself. It's the perfect opportunity to relax and focus on a soothing manual chore that will ensure your plants stay healthy and beautiful. Self-care win-win!

Though houseplants may require varying levels of care, which can feel intimidating, there is nothing to be afraid of: with a bit of research, you can quickly figure out what your plants need to thrive. So take some time to slow down, unwind and enjoy this relaxing and rewarding at home-activity.

Visit your local library

Reading is an excellent form of self-care. What's not to love about losing yourself in a good story, exploring new worlds, and following the characters in their adventures? Searching through the book-filled shelves for your next read is a lovely experience in and of itself.

To enjoy both these activities, you can plan a visit to your local library. They might seem like stuffy, boring places at first glance, but a library it's not just where a bunch of books is stored and cataloged; it's a dynamic space that connects the community it serves. You can support these remarkable places by visiting your local library and enjoying some me-time and self-care reading there.

Give loose-leaf tea a try

Whether you take it iced or piping hot, tea is always the easiest way to treat yourself to a little break. You could try its loose-leaf version to make its preparation a more memorable experience, cut down on waste, and enjoy tastier tea. You can find it in specialized shops along with the infuser you need to prepare it. Switching to loose-leaf tea is an effortless way to elevate your day and invest a little extra time into slowing down and enjoying the little things.

Make your own flavored water

There are so many perks to making your flavored water yourself. Not only is this drink so easy to make at home, but the homemade version is also cheaper, can easily be made plastic-free, and tastes way nicer.

All you need to do to make your flavored water at home is pick and combine some fresh and fragrant ingredients of your choice (think herbs, citruses, and fruit) in a pitcher or glass carafe and let that refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours before staining it.

Tailor your pieces

Feeling your best in the clothes you wear is such a lovely feeling. But sometimes, because of a poor sizing chart or perfectly normal changes in our body, our pieces don't fit as nicely as they could.

Taking time to visit a tailor shop or fixing your clothes yourself can be a great way to invest in your present and future comfort and confidence. P.S. Remember, your clothes are supposed to fit you, not the other way around.

Buy original art

The power of art is unmatched when it comes to making a house feel like our home. That's why getting new original artwork for your place is such a fun activity and the easiest way to spruce up your space and make it feel distinctive and fresh.

So plan a self-care artsy day and take yourself on a visit to your local art shops and support local artists. Alternatively, you can shop digitally from your favorite artists worldwide. It's a great way to help indie makers and make your everyday life prettier.

Learn how to grow your own herbs

Gardening is a notoriously relaxing activity, though, of course, it is not accessible to everybody. But by growing herbs, even city-dwellers can enjoy the experience of growing their food at home.

Depending on your time, location, and taste, some herbs will be more suitable than others for your house. So pick what works better for you, enjoy the satisfaction of growing some tasty greens, and use them to add some freshness and refinement to your homemade meals.

Rent fancy clothes

Wearing the right pieces with a nice texture, colors, and cut can make us feel like a million bucks. That's why experimenting with fashion can be a terrific pick-me-up.

Treating yourself with fashion, though, doesn't necessarily mean giving in to retail therapy. You can still get that thrill of novelty by experimenting and re-falling in love with the clothes and accessories you already own. But if you feel like going for something new and fancy, renting clothes is a wonderfully sustainable and budget-friendly option.

This way, you can get out of your fashion comfort zone and enjoy higher-hand, dressier pieces without the commitment of actually buying them new. Many online companies offer this kind of service, which helps you learn your personal style and make better purchases in the future too.

Check out our post on all of our favorite places to Rent Clothing Online.

Go on a nature walk

Technology offers us a treasure trove of enjoyable ways to pass the time and soothe a tired heart, like re-watching your favorite movie or connecting with like-minded people. But spending time in nature can be a great act of self-care too. Whether you walk by a sandy beach or under the trees in a mountain forest, taking a break and going for a stroll in nature is a real treat for the mind, body, and soul.

Science confirms what many of us innately feel, as exposure to nature has been associated with many benefits, including improving performance on cognitively demanding tasks.

So, weather permitting, whenever you need a self-care session, try giving a nature-based pick-me-up a shot and immerse in your local outdoors.

Find or create the perfect everyday-playlist

Music is the ultimate form of self-care. It's free, relaxing, and energizing, and you can listen to it everywhere and any time these days. You can find or create the perfect everyday playlist to make listening to music an even better self-care experience.

Regardless of your favorite genres, you can find excellent, curated playlists on Spotify or create one that will boost your mood daily. This prep will make duller everyday tasks and activities like your commute to work much more enjoyable.

Learn about your local flora and fauna

Sometimes all we need to relax is to do something mindless and comforting, like making and enjoying a sweet treat. Other times, we want something that engages our brain a bit more.

Learning about your local flora and fauna can scratch that itch just right, and it makes for a fun and bookish light-hearted self-care activity. Every area worldwide has unique flora and fauna that many of us might not know so well. Learning more about it by actively spending time in nature or through books and on the internet can be a relaxing way to get to know our town and region better, connect with nature and the seasons, and learn something new.

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