Self-Care Isn’t Selfish

Feeling the overload from work, school, or life in general? From grief to caregiving to college life to the more mystical, our new display on the second floor of the library has great resources for different forms of self-care.

Sometimes grief can feel overwhelming or difficult to navigate. If you’re lost in that storm, check out Nneka Okona’s “Self-Care for Grief: 100 practices for healing during times of loss” (155.9 Oko). In this book, you’ll find 100 self-care activities that are specifically designed to help you protect your mental health, even while grieving. These include things like cooking to honor your loss, naming your emotions, and much more to encourage you to de-stress and find moments of joy in a challenging time.

Yoga is a great self-care practice for beginners to advanced practitioners. Hannah Barret wrote, “Yoga Happy: simple tools and practices for everyday calm and strength” (613.7046 Bar). In it, you can find short, illustrated yoga sequences adapted for all abilities, plus breathing techniques, meditations, and other proven mindful practices that will help to nourish and support your mind and body. Another option is Brett Larkin’s “Yoga Life: habits, poses, and breathwork to channel joy amidst the chaos” (613.7046 Larkin). Larkin gives you a five-step method for designing a personal yoga practice that works for you and your schedule.

Perhaps you are more on the wild side and need to check out McKayla Coyle’s “Goblin Mode: how to get cozy, embrace imperfection, and thrive in the muck” (645 Coy), where the focus is encompassing imperfection. “Feral self-care: 100 ways to liberate and celebrate your messy, wild, and untamed self” (158.1 Em) by Mandi Em is another brilliant option for those seeking the nontraditional. Each entry covers an activity that reconnects you with your authentic self, helping you feel more empowered, free, and confident in embracing the human experience.

Maybe you are a bit more on the spiritual and mystical side of self-care. “You were born for this: astrology for radical self-acceptance” (133.5819 Nicholas) by Chani Nicholas explores how to use astrology as a tool for self-discovery, success, and self-care. There is also “The Spirit Almanac: a modern guide to ancient self-care” (158.1 Loe), where Emma Loewe shares the ultimate guide that features hundreds of ideas for rituals, meditations, crystals, tarot, aromatherapy, and more! Lastly, Dakota Hills wrote, “Moon Bath: bathing rituals and recipes for relations and vitality” (613.41 Hil). In this book, Hills features 16 bath and shower rituals aligned with the lunar cycles and the natural rhythms of the cosmos. Organized by moon cycle, each ritual includes a bath recipe featuring healing natural ingredients. They include affirmations and meditations, along with journaling prompts to promote reflection and self-discovery.
Visit the library to explore these titles and discover your next step in taking some self-care. Many are also available to check out digitally on our free Libby app. The library is open Monday-Thursday 10 am-8 pm and Friday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm.