Welcome to the lovely spring month of May! The theme this month is rejuvenating self-care to improve your wellbeing. Try the self-care challenge this month with me! Print and download the free self-care tracker and do the activities in any order you choose.*
Download: May 2022 self care challenge
1 Today is National Lemonade Day! Hydrate with less sugar by making your own — fresh-squeezed lemonade will energize you.
2 Today is officially Melanoma Monday. Here is a video from the American Academy of Dermatology that shows you how to check your skin for early signs of skin cancer.
3 Today is Garden Meditation Day. Find a flowery spot and relax….
4 It’s Workout Wednesday! Since it’s almost Mother’s Day, here is a 30 minute strengthening and cardio workout video you can do with (or without) your Mom that is beginner level and does not require equipment…
5 May is a month to be grateful for people in our lives (starting with Mom!) and people who have sacrificed (Memorial Day). Today, make a gratitude list of people you are thankful for in your life.
6 Today, plan a trip or adventure. Taking trips rejuvenates neural pathways in your brain and planning something enjoyable lifts your spirits.
7 When was the last time you walked barefoot? Mindfully walking barefoot on grass, sand or dirt for 20 minutes is a form of “grounding” your energy that can boost your immune system and lower cortisol, the stress hormone. Try it on a nice day!
8 Happy Mother’s Day! If you are a mom, reflect on all you have accomplished and be proud! Perhaps, you could journal about that. Otherwise, honor the woman or women who have nurtured you.
9 Say an affirmation out loud to rejuvenate your confidence. Hold an emerald, the crystal of the month, if you like. Unlike the pricier gems, tumbled and raw emeralds are inexpensive. Emeralds, the birthstone for the spring month of May, symbolize rejuvenation.
10 Make a plant-based meal of pasta prima vera with fresh spring veggies for lunch or dinner.
11 Here is a 30-minute workout that includes 5000 steps! Can it be true? Try it on Workout Wednesday.
12 According to the Farmer’s Almanac, today and tomorrow are considered to be good days to have your hair cut! Rejuvenate your look with a new style.
13 Here is a template from Project Me that can help you plan a fun and productive weekend. Download the template: Design-My-Weekend-2020.
14 Today is National Mini Golf Day! See you on the green!
15 It is true that if you relax every day, you will live longer. Get a double brain-healthy benefit by relaxing with a book or magazine you enjoy for no less than 20 minutes a day.
16 Today is National Hug a Tree Day! According to Woman’s World, touching a tree’s bark slows down your heart rate, instantly relaxing you and sitting beneath a tree for just ten minutes will boost your energy (based on scientific studies). And, who knows, maybe that tree will appreciate the hug! 🙂 Spending time in nature also lowers your blood pressure and rejuvenates your immunity and wellbeing.
17 Make a raspberry smoothie today. Add yogurt, if you like. I use this single-serve blender nearly every morning and it is less than $15!
18 Rejuvenate your energy with this “spring clean” Yoga class…
19 Someone in your life deserves a thank you note. Maybe they aren’t around anymore but you can still write to them (and not send the letter). Gratitude is a form of self-care.
20 Did you know that castor oil is a rejuvenating beauty tool? It is good for dry lips, moisturizing skin (mix with olive oil) and de-puffing eye bags. Some people say it can help lengthen your lashes — wipe it along the lash line with a cotton swab. According to Women’s World, it can also help you soften callouses on your heels. Smooth on the dry skin, put on some socks, and buff and rinse off the dead skin and oil in the morning for rejuvenated, sandal-ready skin.
21 Today is Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day! Since it is also Saturday, why not visit a farmer’s market? Here is a list of produce in season.
22 Time to relax! Soak in the tub or take a rest with your feet and listen to some spring-inspired classical music.
23 For Mindfulness Monday, here is a free flower mandala adult coloring page from Crayola you can download, print and color.
24 Order take-out for dinner, but make it a plant-based meal.
25 It’s the last Workout Wednesday of May! Here is a low-impact HITT workout for beginners. (If you need the video to slow down, you can reduce the speed of the video by clicking on the “gear” button on YouTube).
26 Commit today to rejuvenating your inner life by following a high vibration life-style. First, eliminate or reduce low-vibration thoughts and activities from your daily life, such as complaining, judging, blaming and resentment, using profanity, frequently getting into fights or arguments, watching the news too much, watching violent TV shows or movies and playing violent video games. Next, raise your vibration by lessening your exposure to toxic situations and people and letting go of past hurts and disappointiments. Now that you have cleared away low vibrations, you have room for positive ones! Adopt healthy habits such as meditating, yoga, gratitude, nature walks and creativity — basically, self-care! If you want to try one small step, just try not complaining or grumbling for a whole day. Then see how you feel! Lighter, right?
27 Today is National Sunscreen Day! Buy yourself a fresh bottle of sunscreen that is SPF 30 or higher. But don’t leave it in the car or the sun because the heat will break down the ingredients. You need about 1 oz of sunscreen (the amount in a shot glass) to cover your body at the pool or beach. A regular size bottle of sunscreen has about 4 oz. of product. You could put a plastic shot glass in your beach bag or pool bag!
28 I rejuvenated my kitchen on a budget and you can, too! After decluttering, I explored YouTube videos for trendy kitchen makeover ideas. My inexpensive upgrades included swapping my dish sponge for a neutral, beige color one, buying eco-friendly, colorless dishwashing liquid, “papering” my backsplash with removable paper ($12, Lowe’s), swapping my old cooking and measuring utensils for new ones in spring colors ($15, Walmart), adding a throw rug ($5, Five Below) and a drapey faux plant in a macrame holder ($15, Michael’s). I added a little lamp I already had to the kitchen counter, and voila! A kitchen that feels “new” to me.
29 Take a stroll outside, going at a leisurely to moderate pace.
30 Happy National Creativity Day! Hopefully, you have the day off for Memorial Day. Do something creative that lifts your spirits. Here is a craft that helps you get in touch with your dreams from Soul & Spirit Magazine.
31 The first of May was National Laughter Day, but funnily enough, we are celebrating it on the last day of May! Laughter is so good for you. Find something that makes you laugh today.
*If you prefer, complete last year’s May Self-Care Challenge, which focused on family relationships and self-care.
#BESTLife Workshop 