Self-Care Ideas for Every Love Language

Self-care is obviously a hot topic within the world of wellness but without intentionality, it can feel like nothing more than a feel good buzzword. At it’s very root, self-care is simply about making time to prioritize your physical, financial, or emotional wellbeing.

True self-care can often be unglamorous. It’s the ten minutes you spend washing your dishes before going to bed so you can wake up to a clean kitchen. It’s creating monthly budgets and having the discipline to stick to them. It’s setting boundaries with colleagues, friends and family to protect your mental health.

This being said, self-care can also be about showing yourself compassion and doing something indulgent, fun and solely for you.

There are so many ways to prioritize your wellbeing and if you’d like to tailor it specifically to how you give and receive love, I’m sharing 50 self-care ideas for every love language. And if you don’t know your love language yet, I highly recommend taking THIS quiz before diving in.

Words of Affirmation

If you feel extra warm and fuzzy when you read a sweet card from a friend or your partner tells you they love you, then words of affirmation might be your love language. For you, it’s all about expressing love and affection through verbal and written words. When it comes to self-care, you could focus on speaking kindly to yourself and giving yourself encouragement and praise.

Practice positive affirmations
Write a letter to yourself as if you were writing to your best friend
Read old cards and messages from loved ones that make you feel good
Remember to speak kindly to yourself throughout the day, especially when you make a mistake
Leave encouraging messages on post its and place them around your home
Look at yourself in the mirror and give yourself three genuine compliments
Schedule an encouraging email to yourself to be sent on a day when you know you’ll need it
At the end of the day, write out the following prompt: “I’m proud of you for…”
Make a playlist of songs that make you feel super confident
Try a guided self love meditation

Physical Touch

You love nothing better than big bear hugs and cuddling on the couch with your loved ones, and the act of touch helps you feel connected and cared for. If this sounds like you, here are some of the acts of self-care that might make you feel extra pampered:

Take a cozy, evening “everything shower” and spend extra time massaging your scalp
Give a loved one a really long hug
Treat yourself to a day at the spa
Spend a little extra time on your daily skincare routine
Do some gentle, intentional movement like yoga or pilates
Cuddle with a pet
Book a massage
Give yourself a manicure or pedicure (or book an appointment!)
Put on your softest, coziest outfit or wrap yourself in a big blanket
Give yourself a hand or foot massage

Gifts

This love language can often be misunderstood, but it’s not about the gift itself. To you, gifts show you that someone was thinking about you or they made the effort to think of something that you need or just something that would make you smile. Here are some ways you could treat yourself if gifts are what make you feel most appreciated:

Get yourself a literal treat from your favorite bakery
When you reach a goal or milestone, celebrate yourself with a special gift
Buy yourself a bouquet of fresh flowers
Do a DIY project to make something cute for your home
Start setting aside money for your dream vacation
Go to a cozy bookstore and buy yourself a new book (or go to the library!)
Get yourself a ticket to a concert or show to give yourself something extra fun to look forward to
Book a workout class at your favorite studio
Take yourself out to a cute coffee shop
Invest in yourself and your goals (i.e. set up a website for your business, sign up for a course, get the supplies you need, etc.)

Quality Time

To you, it’s all about spending time together and being completely present with each other. When it comes to self-care, this looks like prioritizing alone time and taking breaks from outside distractions so you can truly reconnect with yourself.

Get up a little earlier to give yourself more alone time in the morning
Make time for your hobbies
Get dressed up and take yourself on a really fun date
Go on a long solo walk or hike
Set aside a day each month that’s just for you to do things that you really enjoy
Sign up for a fun class you’ve been wanting to take
Take time each day to check in with yourself and notice how you’re feeling
Have a solo pajama party at home with your favorite movies and snacks
Unplug from social media and your devices to give yourself space to connect with yourself without the outside noise
Get to know yourself better through journaling

Acts of Service

Doesn’t it feel amazing when someone does something that makes your life easier or takes some of the weight off your shoulders? You don’t need to wait for someone else to do this for you! Here are a few ways you can perform acts of service that your future self will thank you for:

Spend ten minutes tidying up an area of your home.
Cook a really nourishing meal for yourself.
Find one thing on your to-do list that you actually don’t need to do or that you could outsource to make your day easier
Do that thing that you’ve been putting off forever so you can finally let it go
Take fifteen minutes at the end of the day to lay out your outfit and pack your bag for the next day to make the morning easier for your future self
Make your bed in the morning
Find a recurring task on your to-do list that you can automate so you don’t have to think about it anymore
Ask for help. Order pizza and invite a friend over to help you build your new dresser. Make a chore chart with your roommates or family members
Prep some delicious meals and snacks for yourself at the beginning of the week
Schedule a monthly life admin day when you can run errands and get through some of the things on your list that have accumulated over the month