In no particular order, these are 10 self-care things that has a positive impact on my mental health:
1. HGL Journal
I’m using Samurai Matcha’s HGL Journal…Highlight, Grateful, and Let go of. What's your highlight of the day, what are you grateful for today, and what do you want to let go of. It’s a quick, 3-sentence journal that can be done everyday.
2. My warm, fuzzy gloves
I don’t love winter. But my new gloves with fuzzy fur interior makes winter a lot more bearable.
3. Magic Bullet
I got my Magic Bullet for $50 back in 2019. Since then, I’ve used it over 900 times, if not more. It’s effective at what it does, and it’s super easy to clean. I did have to replace one of the parts. But like, damn, it has come out to $0.06 per use, and decreasing even more as I continue to make more smoothies!
4. Canadian Highlander:
I’m a nerd who plays Magic: The Gathering. And I recently got into the format called Canadian Highlander. The Commander format has gotten a bit stale for me, and I’m really glad to try out something new!
5. Dishwasher:
I never grew up with a dishwasher. And in my current rental unit, I have a dishwasher. And I’ve resisted using it, probably due to fears of change, and maybe immigrant hang ups around “wasting water,” “wasting money,” and "being lazy." But let me tell you…after using it once, I knew I was never going back!
6. WealthSimple:
I’ve had some not-so-good experience working with financial advisors with questionable ethics. I’ve spent the last six years contemplating investing on my own. But I was always gripped with fear. This year, I finally made it my priority to learn how to invest on my own. I did my research, and decided that WealthSimple was the right platform for me. It feels so, so, soooo good to finally have all my finances under my own control.
Disclaimer: This is not an endorsement for WealthSimple. Please do your due diligence before you use the platform, and before you make decisions for your finances!
7. Dental and Oral Care
I’m consistently flossing, and got Invisalign to fix my teeth. The flossing has really helped with my dental and gum health. And the Invisalign has really helped with my recurring jaw problems. Taking care of business to maintain bodily health!
8. Lockbox for My Phone
I have a problem with my phone usage; specifically, when I wake up at night, I would grab for it. It screws up my sleep, and it's starting to hurt my wrist. So I got a lockbox, and put the keys as far from my room as possible. I can still use the phone as my morning alarm in my bedroom, without having access to it throughout the night.
9. Humidifier
Winter can be horrible in multiple ways. My home heating system really dries out my nose and eyes. I got a humidifier to manage the humidity in my space, and to make sure my body is taken care of!
10. Digital photo album
I recently got a new laptop. So I decided to use my old laptop as a digital photo album. It was really nice to go through all my old photos to pick out the ones I want displayed, and remembering all the great memories and people of the past. And having it display these photos really ups my daily mood!
Hey there, my name is Harry, and I’m an Asian therapist here to support your search for health and authenticity. If you are open to weekly FUN-ctivities to improve your mental health, subscribe to my “Happy Chemicals Club” by clicking here. If you enjoy podcasts, you can check these out.
Harry Au
Therapy for Asians
MSW, RSW | he/him
I help Asians go from feeling trapped to becoming self-liberated.
