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Each month I share a real-life self-care reflection — not as a perfect example, but as a way of showing how the body responds to the life we’re actually living.

If you’ve ever felt like your body doesn’t follow the plan, these monthly updates will help you start noticing the patterns that are easy to miss in real time.

February 2026 Self-Care Update

When it looks like nothing is changing – but you body is quietly improving

February self-care could have been hastily written off as a ‘nothing changed’ month, which so easily leads to giving up, doubt or moving on to the next shiny idea.

Instead, I listened a little more closely to my body, and a different pattern emerged

At first glance, many of my daily tracking patterns looked surprisingly similar to last month.

But when I placed these three pieces of information side by side — weekly life snapshot, symptom shifts, and daily self-care tracking — a much more encouraging picture quietly emerged..

And it reminded me again of something I keep seeing:

The body responds intelligently to the life we are living.


Cycle 2 — Big Picture “Weather”

I’ve become increasingly aware that our wellbeing is influenced not only by our personal circumstances, but also by the wider emotional and environmental climate we’re living in.

February carried a subtle background hum of unrest for me. Ongoing world news — including the continued fallout from the Epstein files — conversations about the future of work and AI, and a general sense of uncertainty all seemed to add an underlying feeling of building tension that my body subtly braced for.

Nothing dramatic day to day — but very clear once I zoomed out.

As someone who followed astrology closely for many years, I also noticed the rare Neptune–Saturn conjunction at 0° Aries in the background of this period. Not something I base self-care decisions on — but fascinating to observe alongside the collective mood.

Seasonally, this cycle sat right on the edge between late winter and the earliest hints of spring. The lengthening daylight always feels uplifting, although the persistent grey, cold, wet days felt never-ending.

On the brighter days — those crisp blue winter skies — I could feel my energy and mood lift almost immediately.

Which, again, is useful feedback.


The Life Behind This Month

This cycle began under pressure.

There was an unsettling late-night incident that shook both myself and my daughter, followed by growing stress in my day job. I knew this meant that my overly sensitive body would be even more fragile over the coming weeks so tried to carefully monitor where my energy went and any early signs of tension.

Life looked quiet and no drama to report on the outside

But events in my daily life combined with the general climate created a high load month.

And those are often the months that reveal the most.

One thing became very clear:

I had to spend most of my available energy on recovery and minimising additional stress.

Bad timing — but useful information.


What the Numbers Showed

Image of February self-care tracking
My daily self-care tracker for February

When I reviewed my symptom assessments, something interesting appeared.

Despite experiencing at least as much stress — and possibly more — my overall symptom scores had improved across all body systems.

Not dramatically.

But noticeably.

This is exactly the kind of quiet shift that is easy to miss if you only look at how you feel day to day.

Because day to day, February still felt demanding.

But the body was, quietly, coping better.


Where Self-Care Was Supporting Me

This month confirmed something important for me:

Micro nervous system support was making a difference.

I also returned to several previous routines that, in hindsight, had been quietly supporting my system all along.

Nothing extreme.

Just small, consistent moments of support.

And my body responded well to it.

In fact, one of the biggest shifts this month was internal:

I rested more.

I stopped pushing.

And instead began allowing both my self-care and my work to move at a slower, more sustainable pace.

That alone reduced a surprising amount of ‘inner’ pressure.


The Subtle Wins I Could Easily Have Missed

If I had only looked at surface progress, I might have missed the real story of February.

Because alongside the stress, I noticed something I haven’t felt for quite some time:

Small glimmers of genuine anticipation for the new life I’m slowly building

Moments of vitality.

These were brief moments that bubbled up from inside me — definitely new and very welcome.

For me, these are early signals that my body now has the early reserves in place to start rebuilding.

And those signals matter.


What Fatigue Taught Me This Month

One very practical pattern also became clearer.

Fatigue tended to hit later in the day — and that directly affected my ability to follow through with evening self-care.

I also noticed something socially important:

After a full day of phone-based work, long catch-up calls with friends — although emotionally supportive — sometimes drained my remaining energy.

Interestingly, on genuinely better days, I naturally wanted more connection.

Which again told me:

My body is very clear about what it has capacity for — when I pay attention.


What Supported My Body Most

There were a few moments this month that stood out very clearly.

On several evenings I turned to my very simple sound bath practice and could feel — almost immediately — how much my body softened.

That was useful confirmation.

Alongside this, a few practical supports continue to help:

  • reducing sugar (histamine trigger)
  • smaller evening meals
  • mini nervous system practices
  • and increasingly… flexible pacing with my energy

Nothing complicated.

But each step I made was increasingly in response to listening first.


How This Is Shaping Cycle 3 (March 2026)

Looking ahead, I already know the next cycle contains:

  • longer work hours
  • increased responsibility
  • and some added home pressures

So rather than adding more, I’m adjusting early.

My focus for the coming cycle is:

  • continuing regular sound baths
  • exploring gentle wildlife gardening to support my nervous system
  • being more intentional about after-work social energy
  • maintaining the nutrition patterns that clearly help

In other words:

matching support to reality — not to ideal plans.


The Quiet Truth February Reinforced

This month didn’t deliver dramatic change.

But it did reinforce something deeply encouraging.

Even under continued stress…

Even in a high-load season…

The body can still stabilise and begin to improve when it is finally heard.

And sometimes the most meaningful progress is easy to overlook because it arrives quietly.


A Reminder

If you take anything from this month’s reflection, let it be this:

You don’t always need to do more.

Sometimes the most supportive shift is simply learning to read what your body is already telling you — and adjusting accordingly.

That is the work I am continuing to practise myself.

And I’ll keep sharing what I learn as I go.

Next Read...

When Self-Care Doesn’t Seem to Work

Last Month’s Update (January)

Create Your Personal Self-Care Menu

January 2026 Self-Care Update

What my body showed me this month

January gave me a lot of information about my body — despite what could have looked like a setback.

If you are new, this is where I share the ups and downs of my own self-care journey to give you a picture of how the make self-care simple approach works in real life.

Making tracking easier for 2026

I decided to track my self-care using 4-week cycles starting on a Monday and always ending on a Sunday. In theory this will be much easier to use than the normal calendar months, that start and finish on different days of the week and have different number of days each month. But let’s see how I get on.

This meant that my January self-care update for 2026 only had 3 weeks of tracking so that I could start this new system on cycle 2.

Turns out that 3 weeks gave me plenty of tracking data to reflect on!

What the numbers showed about my self-care

For this stage of my journey living with MCAS, at first glance, the numbers looked like a setback. Fatigue and brain fog showed up on 60% of days. Immune reactions on nearly half. Stress over a third.

I also noticed another number that stood out in my tracking.

I had chosen nervous system support as my new self-care challenge for January, the area of self-care that in theory was where my focus should have been. But according to the numbers I only completed this challenge 31% of the time. What did this mean?

Tracking provides information — but it’s never the whole picture.

Numbers tell you what is happening. Reflection tells you why.

What was happening around me – Environment

So, what was my body trying to tell me this month?

(I explain how to get started with my process in the free toolkit)

What I noticed was that my immune response (MCAS) had been triggered despite maintaining my diet and supplements.

Reflecting on the past 3 weeks I realised that I had been in contact with various cold and flu bugs. As is common with MCAS, I had not experienced the ‘normal’ symptoms, but I had an increase in the number of days I experienced Histamine reactions.

Winter viral colds almost definitely contributed to my higher reactions and fatigue this month. And this observation fit the picture my tracking provided, as my usual support had not changed.

Life behind the numbers

Well-being and self-care include responding to daily life.

For January the highlights included:

  • Family/Parenting – sudden unexpected situations that required more processing than usual. While externally I appeared to take it in my stride, my body was still processing (and responding) beneath the surface (Life issue/stress 36%)
  • Home repairs finished – completing last month’s marathon of continual home repairs brought relief but again my body was probably still processing and recovering
  • Friendships – were a wonderful source of support this month.
  • Meaningful creativity – through my writing and insights is a constant source of joy

The ups and downs of normal daily life impact our body and well-being as much as remedies, diet and self-care practices.

Your body is designed to respond to everything.

January had felt long because of a series of low-level stressors, never-ending home repairs from last month, followed by a month dealing with family and viral stress.

The Quiet Insight I Almost Missed

It was time to make self-care decisions for next month, February (or cycle 2), what did my body need?

And again, I returned to nervous system support and relaxation.

I had assumed my body would welcome this much needed support

Yet as I reflected over the month, I realised that I had felt resistance from my body each time I thought about the nervous system challenge I had carefully put together.

And then it clicked.

I was over-facing my body, asking too much too soon.

If you’ve ever felt resistance to a new routine you wanted to do, this might sound familiar.

Support still asks the body to respond or change. And that is additional load.

Even a very supportive new self-care practice, requires effort, focus and time to learn, and when added on top of recovery and ongoing stress, it can be too much.

My body did not have the capacity to respond to more – even if it was supportive.

This is often the missing piece for women with fragile energy — we assume support should feel easy, but the body still has to respond.

But what I could offer my body was a practice made up of micro almost too easy to-do nervous system exercises. I knew that being a ‘practical’ body-led practice, the best results would come from repeating over time – even if it was only a few minutes a day.

My self-care plan for February (cycle 2)

So February isn’t about doing more. It’s about adjusting to my body and life at this time. This is my self-care focus for the next 4 weeks (cycle 2) based on what my body needs and my life requires.

  • Maintain my ‘clean’ MCAS/SIBO dietary plan – some months I explore and test if certain foods still trigger my immune system but this coming month I would keep it clean.
  • Maintain my current supplements and remedies
  • Maintain my existing self-care practices such as water, digestive support and movement
  • Introduce micro nervous system practices – and see how my body responds

January self-care Takeaway

Even the most perfect self-care practice will fail, if the body doesn’t have enough capacity to take on anymore.

You can’t add support to an overloaded system.

If your body has been resisting new routines lately, it may not be laziness — it may be overload.

This is especially common when energy is unpredictable or recovery is incomplete.

What did your self-care reveal in January?

If you’re new here, I share a Self-Care Update every month — not a polished highlight reel, but a real look at what’s happening in my body and my healing journey. Here’s November.

1. My Month in a Few Words

I thought this month was going to be “Maintenance,” but it turned out to be a Recovery month between rounds of treatment (antibiotics for SIBO).
It reminded me how unpredictable healing can be.


2. What I Noticed in My Body

The first round of treatment was more intense than expected, and my body spent most of the month trying to find its footing again. I had almost constant histamine reactions, and my system seemed to divert all its energy into calming itself down. (I share my personal SIBO/Histamine journey here)

That meant everything non-essential had to shut down.
If I tried to concentrate for too long, the brain fog arrived.
If I pushed even a little, it felt like I’d run a marathon — exhausted and aching from head to toe.


3. The Self-Care Practices I Returned To

The practice I always return to is supporting my body through what I eat, it’s one of the core practices on my Self-Care Menu (my living list of what actually helps my body).
While my diet often feels restricted, the truth is that what I do (and don’t) eat has the biggest impact on how quickly I feel better or worse.

It’s a constant “give and take” between what my body needs and what I enjoy — and that’s really what personalised self-care is: adjusting, experimenting, and finding the middle ground.


4. What Helped the Most

Listening to my body, then adjusting my practices and daily life, helped the most this month.

I had hoped to add more movement — I’d enjoyed it so much last month — but this wasn’t the time. Instead, I learned to ease off, and to trust that a little bit was better than pushing… and better than doing nothing.

Even on the hardest days, I at least started — even if two minutes later, I needed to stop.


5. What I Adjusted

I had planned to explore some new challenges, but I had to postpone this plan.
There was nothing left in the battery, and pushing myself would have backfired.

I promised these updates would be real — and sometimes real life simply doesn’t go to plan.


6. What I Learned About My Body

My body takes longer to recover than it used to.
To be fair, I had no idea how intense the treatment would be, and it’s easy to forget that medicines that “fix you” also demand a lot from your system.

I kept reminding myself of this whenever frustration crept in.


7. My Gentle Win

I didn’t fight my body.
I didn’t give up.
I didn’t get frustrated (too much).
And I kept resting.

That’s a win.


8. Life Context

You can’t avoid stress.
Life happens, and sometimes it’s scary and you feel powerless to find an answer.
This month had several of those moments.

On weeks like that, self-care becomes less about progress and more about survival — and that still counts.


9. Intention for Next Month

I’m about to start another (longer) round of treatment.
So my intention is simple: nurture my body the best I can.


10. Final Reflection

If you have a month like this, it’s easy to feel like no progress has been made.
My tracking sheet looks a bit grim.

But me and my body are a team.

Some months, I ask my body to step up and do more — and we enjoy the results.
Other months, my body says, “I can’t right now — I need your support.”

And every time I listen, we get a little closer.
That, to me, is a whole new level of progress.

Catch up on Last month or Next month.


If you’re reading this and thinking,
“I want to take better care of myself… but I don’t know where to start,”
you’re not alone.

My Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit is a gentle way to begin. Inside, you’ll find tools to help you:

  • tune into what your body needs right now
  • choose one simple self-care practice
  • notice small, meaningful shifts — without pressure

It’s a soft starting point, especially after months like this one.

👉 Download Your Free Toolkit

Free Self-Care Challenge Toolkit

When your energy is low, even a small mess can feel impossible to face. That’s why I love helping people declutter with the Moon — a gentle, monthly routine that guides you to release clutter one small step at a time, without feeling overwhelmed. Over the year, these little steps add up, turning even the most cluttered corners into calm, manageable spaces.


My Sparkly Sandal Moment

All I needed was my sparkly sandals from last summer.
I was already running late, so I grabbed at the bottom of my wardrobe—only to end up surrounded by shoes, bags, and impulse buys. One sandal in my hand, five minutes late, and a familiar wave of frustration rising.

This wasn’t the first time clutter had tripped me up.
Sound familiar?

Jump to Recipe

Why Decluttering Feels So Hard

When you experience a ‘bad’ day, energy, health or mood is low, the thought of decluttering can feel impossible. You know the clutter is there — the messy corner, the overstuffed drawer, the wardrobe you avoid opening — but even thinking about sorting it feels overwhelming.

You tell yourself you’ll tackle it “one day,” but life, health, and mood get in the way. And the longer it waits, the heavier it feels.

 Here’s the truth: you don’t need to fix everything at once. Small steps, taken regularly, make the difference.

That’s why I love using the Last Quarter Moon as a monthly reminder. This lunar phase is all about release and letting go — the perfect energy to clear just one small space at a time. Over a year, those little steps add up to a calmer home and a lighter mind.

This isn’t about perfection. Which is the last thing you need when you are in the middle of a low health, energy or mood phase.

It’s about reclaiming peace, little by little, with the moon as your guide.

What is Clutter, Really?

At its simplest, clutter is:

  • Stuff that hasn’t been put away.
  • Items you haven’t decided about yet.

But clutter is personal:

  • Some see a messy desk, others see a creative workspace.
  • Hidden clutter (drawers, wardrobes) weighs heavily too.
  • Impulse buys, retail therapy, and “just in case” purchases quickly pile up.

Why Clutter Builds Up

Turns out that there are reasons why we have clutter!

It’s not laziness. Clutter often happens because of:

  • Low energy or time.
  • Decision fatigue.
  • Emotional ties or guilt.
  • Not knowing where to store things.
  • Buying too much without clearing space first.

Something I found helpful is to ask yourself:

  • Do I use it, need it, or love it?
  • Am I keeping it for the past, future, or guilt?
  • Does it actually have a place in my home?

The Emotional Side of Clutter

Human emotion mind map, positive and negative emotions, flowchart concept for presentations and reports

Clutter isn’t just untidy—it impacts how you feel.

  • It sparks guilt, stress, or shame.
  • Negative self-talk (“I should have done this already”) makes it worse.
  • Decluttering, even a small win, brings calm and control.

As my (tidy) mum says: “When my space is tidy, it feels like everything in my world is alright.”

Benefits of Decluttering

If you still need some convincing or want to have some handy areas to assess your ‘before’ and ‘after’ results with your declutter challenge, I’ve listed some common benefits you can score for yourself.

Physical

  • Find what you need quickly.
  • Feel at ease with surprise visitors.
  • Boost energy and sleep better.

Emotional

  • Reduce guilt and overwhelm.
  • Increase confidence and self-worth.
  • Enjoy the satisfaction of completion.

Deeper

  • Release the past and make space for new.
  • Break cycles of procrastination.

Feel lighter, clearer energy in your space.

Short on Time?

You can jump straight to the ‘Recipe’ below.

These quick mood boosters come from the Align & Uplift Challenges, a collection of 5-minute self-care practices you can use anytime to raise your vibration, release stress, and reconnect with your best self.

Jump to Recipe

Why Declutter with the Moon?

Decluttering works best as a rhythm, not a one-off.

The Last Quarter Moon (half-moon with the right side dark) is linked to:

  • Releasing and letting go.
  • Emotional cleansing.
  • Reflection and reassessment.

 It’s the perfect time to declutter.
Each month, this moon phase gives you:

  • A natural reminder.
  • Supportive “letting go” energy.
  • A chance to focus on just one small step.

Last Quarter Moon Dates (UK, 2025–2026)

How to Join the Monthly Declutter Challenge

Step 1: Prepare

  • Note the dates in your diary.
  • Pick one small area (drawer, shelf, bag).
  • Choose a realistic time (30–60 minutes is enough).
  • Gather bags/boxes: Keep / Donate / Bin.
  • Set up with a drink, timer, and music.

Step 2: On the Day

  • Set an intention: “I release what no longer serves me.”
  • Declutter your chosen area.
  • Put items straight into their new home, donation bag, or bin.
  • Stop when your time is up.

Step 3: Celebrate

  • Notice how the space feels.
  • Breathe and enjoy the calm.
  • Remember: one drawer today = more peace tomorrow.

Quick Decluttering Tips

Struggling to get started? These tips can help!

  • Start small — one drawer, shelf, or type of item.
  • Ask: Do I use it, need it, or love it?
  • Hesitating? Decide: Keep, Donate, Bin.

Be kind to yourself — you’ve already had value from items, even if you let them go now.

What to Declutter (Ideas List)

I try to focus on the areas that cause me the most frustration, or stress. Here are some areas to consider.

  • Cupboards or drawers
  • Desk or table
  • Wardrobe, shoes, bags, makeup
  • Toys, books, coats
  • Paperwork or digital clutter (emails, photos)
  • Car

Final Thoughts

Decluttering doesn’t have to mean tackling your whole house in one exhausting go. Using the moon as your guide, you can release a little at a time — without the overwhelm.

Each Last Quarter Moon is a fresh chance.
Small steps really do add up.

Well done image in Make Self Care Simple brand colours – completion of 28-day self-care challenge
Well-done! You have completed another step towards making selfcare simple

You Felt a Small Shift Today… Let’s Help You Keep It

That small shift — whether it was a moment of calm, a little more energy, a sense of relief, or simply feeling more like yourself —
that is where meaningful change begins.

But on low-sparkle days, it’s easy to lose that feeling.
Motivation dips first.
Overwhelm creeps in.
And even the gentlest intentions fade.

Your body doesn’t need pressure or perfection.
It needs one easy mini practice you can return to — especially on days that feel heavy, uncertain, or tense.

The Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit helps you turn “I want to feel better” into one easy, real-life step — by helping you choose and begin a challenge you can actually use when your mood dips.
Most people like to complete it over a relaxed weekend, and it includes short step-by-step videos and simple printables to help you begin gently.


Download the Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit

A calm, supportive starting point for your first Align & Uplift practice.

Inside, you’ll gently discover how to:
🌿 understand where you might need emotional or energetic support
🌿 choose one tiny Align & Uplift practice that fits your real life
🌿 begin without pressure or relying on willpower
🌿 notice subtle shifts that help you feel lighter and more grounded

You’ll also receive:
✉️ weekly reminders to support your consistency
💬 access to our private community (coming soon)

👉 Send Me My Free Toolkit


Only takes a few minutes to get started.

Make Self Care Simple shares general self-care education for inspiration only. I’m not providing medical advice — always check what’s right for you with a qualified health professional.

©2025 Make Self Care Simple.

Save or Print your Declutter with the Moon Recipe!

Declutter with the Moon: Release Clutter, Reclaim Calm

Notes

Moon Declutter Checklist

(Print this out or save it to use each month)
Step 1 – Prepare
  • Note the Last Quarter Moon date in your diary. 
  • Choose one small area (drawer, shelf, bag). 
  • Gather bags/boxes for: Keep / Donate / Bin. 
  • Set up your space with timer, music, drink.
Step 2 – On the Day
  • Set an intention: “I release what no longer serves me.” 
  • Declutter your chosen area. 
  • Put items straight into their home, donation bag, or bin. 
  • Stop when your time is up.
Step 3 – Celebrate
  • Notice how the space feels. 
  • Enjoy the calm. 
  • Remind yourself: One drawer today = more peace tomorrow.

Curious to find out what a 28-day Non-Exercise movement challenge is all about?

If you live with mobility issues, chronic pain, fatigue, or other health conditions, exercise can feel like a loaded word — or even impossible.
But movement — in all its gentle, creative forms — is a foundation for energy, healing, and happiness.

So how do you get the benefits of exercise when traditional workouts aren’t an option?

That’s the question I had to ask myself — and it led me to discover something called NEAT movement: all the small, everyday ways we move that quietly support our circulation, mood, and metabolism.

It turns out, the magic isn’t in the gym — it’s in the little things you already do (and the ones you forgot count).
Like pottering in the garden, dancing in the kitchen, stretching during the kettle boil, or chasing the cat off the sofa for the fifth time.

Whether you use a wheelchair, live with fatigue, or just haven’t found your rhythm yet, NEAT is about meeting your body where it is — and helping it move a little more freely, one small step (or stretch) at a time.

If you have a serious health condition, always read and discuss any self-care challenge with your health provider.

Save for later? ‘Jump to Recipe’ to save/print a summary of this challenge!

Jump to Recipe

What is NEAT Movement?

NEAT stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, or simply “non-exercise movement.”
It’s all the activity you do that isn’t formal exercise — walking to make tea, stretching, tidying, or fidgeting.

Our bodies were designed for small bursts of movement all day long.
But modern life keeps us sitting — working, driving, scrolling, watching — and even those who exercise a few times a week may still spend hours sedentary.

Researchers now say that sitting is the new smoking, with serious health effects over time.

The good news? You can reverse that trend — gently and simply — with small, regular movement.


The Benefits of Gentle Daily Movement

Even a little extra movement throughout your day can make a big difference.
Here are some of the key benefits of increasing your non-exercise movement:

  • Supports muscle recovery
  • Reduces stress and tension
  • Improves cardiovascular health
  • Helps control blood sugar levels
  • Reduces inflammation
  • Boosts mood and mental clarity
  • Burns calories naturally
  • Is gentle on joints and fatigue-friendly

Because it’s low-impact and energy-efficient, non-exercise movement is especially helpful for those managing chronic illness or fatigue.

Fun fact: around 70% of your energy fuels daily body functions, 10% goes to intense exercise, and the remaining 20% is available for NEAT movement. This challenge helps you make the most of that 20%!


Non-Exercise Movement Challenge

Before you Begin.

Take a moment to notice how active you are each day.
Maybe you move plenty on “good” days, but sit for long stretches on “bad” days.
Or perhaps you work out occasionally but spend most of the day sitting.

Wherever you’re starting from is perfectly fine — this challenge meets you there.

Tip!In this POST I share 65 Fun Non-Exercise Movement Ideas to Try For inspiration before you begin.

How to do the 28-day Non-Exercise Movement Challenge

Like any workout plan, this challenge gives you structure — but the focus is on small, realistic actions.

You can track time (minutes per day) or repetitions (reps).

Here’s how:

  1. Choose your movement(s) for the week or full 28 days.
  2. Plan how many minutes or reps you’ll do each day.
  3. Spread them throughout your day (5-minute bursts are great!).
  4. Track your progress daily.
  5. Increase gently each week.
  6. Celebrate at the end of 28 days!

Just like with regular exercise you need to set yourself a simple workout plan to follow.

See my example below.

Non-Exercise Movement Challenge

The real challenge here is being consistent – for 28-days. Don’t forget I have included FREE support such as a daily tracker for movement HERE.

Five Mini Challenges to Try

You can try one challenge each week or mix them depending on your energy.
They’re flexible — designed for “good days” and “bad days” alike.
By the end of 28 days, you’ll have built a powerful new movement habit!

Prefer a quick overview of this challenge? I’ve got you – ‘Jump to recipe’!

Jump to Recipe

Challenge 1 – Fidget more this week

Fidget More- boost wellbeing with 28 day non-exercise movement challenge

Fidgeting is a surprising hero of Non-exercise and is a perfect challenge for ‘bad’ days. Positive fidgeting can help stop or relieve bad habits and worry. Research Link.

Perfect for low-energy days. Even small fidgets (toe-tapping, shoulder rolls, finger tapping) count!
Try 5-minute “fidget breaks” during TV ads or while waiting for your tea to brew.

Challenge 2 – Stand more this week

stand more - boost wellbeing with 28-day non-Exercise Movement challenge

Standing burns nearly twice as many calories as sitting and boosts circulation.
Try to stand for one extra hour each day — perhaps during calls, reading, or watching videos.

Where can you stand more in daily life?

Challenge 3 – Active sitting challenge

Active sitting - boost ellbeing with 28-day non-Exercise Movement challenge

What if you can’t stand or walk and need to sit for hours at a time?

If standing or walking is tough, active sitting is ideal.
Set a timer for every hour you’re seated and do gentle seated movements for 5 minutes — shoulder rolls, leg lifts, side bends.

Start by aiming for 5 minutes at a time. If you know you sit for many hours each day, you might like to challenge yourself to 5 minutes of active sitting every hour.

Challenge 4 – Calf raises this week

Calf raises - boost wellbeing with 28-day non-exercise movement challenge

Your Calf is described as the ‘2nd heart’, it is that important to circulation in the lower part of your body! Calf raises are simple, effective, and can be done anywhere — seated, standing, or supported.

How to:

  1. Sit or stand with feet flat.
  2. Lift heels off the floor, pause, then lower back down.
  3. Repeat 10–15 times a few times a day.

Benefits: improved circulation, better balance, and stronger lower legs.

Challenge 5 – Move more in daily life

Daily movement - boost wellbeing with 28-day non-exercise movement challenge

This is the final challenge and is probably the most well-known way to increase your NEAT Movement.

How many ways can you find to walk, pace, bend, and stretch in daily life?

The aim for this challenge is to add up all the minutes you are already active through normal daily life and increase the time.

This can transform your motivation to doing chores around the home!

65 Fun Non-Exercise Movement Ideas to Try

There are so many fun ways you can increase your Non-Exercise Movement (and boost your well-being) so I have listed them all together HERE

After 28-days

Notice your progress — energy, mood, flexibility, and confidence.
Even small improvements mean success!

You can repeat the challenge each month, setting a new personal best — more minutes, new movements, or better consistency.

Remember: this is about progress, not perfection.

Remember Non-exercise movement is something we should include every day for life.

Need inspiration and Ideas of what exercises to include in this challenge?

65-Fun-non-exercise-movement-Ideas

Conclusion — Keep Your Body in Motion, Gently

You’ve completed your 28-Day Non-Exercise Movement Challenge — and that’s worth celebrating!
Whether you stretched a little more, stood up a little more often, or simply noticed how your body feels when it moves, you’ve made real progress.

Remember, movement isn’t about mileage or minutes — it’s about momentum.
Every reach, roll, twist, or shuffle counts (yes, even the one where you danced to the kettle).

Even small improvements in energy, mood, flexibility, or confidence mean success.
You can repeat the challenge each month, set a new personal best, or just keep your favourite micro-moves woven into everyday life.

Because Non-Exercise Movement isn’t something to tick off and forget — it’s something to live.
It’s your gentle reminder that movement still belongs to you, whatever your starting point.

“Progress, not perfection — one small, joyful move at a time.”

Well done image in Make Self Care Simple brand colours – completion of 28-day self-care challenge
Well-done! You have completed another step towards making selfcare simple

Take the First Step…

We’ve all done it — promised ourselves we’d start that new healthy habit “tomorrow,” and felt oddly proud of the plan… until tomorrow never comes.

The truth is, self-care doesn’t need a perfect day — just a small, curious step today.

Your body learns from action, not intention. The Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit helps you turn what you’ve learned into action — so your self-care finally becomes real, simple, and yours.

🌿Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit

Self-care doesn’t need a perfect day — just a small, curious step today.

The Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit helps you turn what you’ve been reading into simple, real-world action, so your self-care becomes personal, doable, and yours.

If you’ve been thinking, “I’d love to try this myself one day…” — you don’t need to wait or wonder where to start.

The toolkit gives you gentle structure to complete your first self-care challenge in a way that fits your body and your life.

Inside the toolkit, you’ll find:
🌿 short video walkthroughs to help you choose and complete your first challenge

🌿 Printable planners, reflections, and trackers to help you stay consistent
🌿 A calm, step-by-step approach you can follow at your own pace

👉 Send Me My Free Toolkit

Prefer to explore alongside others? (optional)

Some people like to follow the challenges quietly on their own.
Others find it supportive to explore self-care alongside others.

If that feels helpful, there’s also a free, private community that sits alongside the blog and toolkit — a calm space for reflection, shared noticing, or simply staying connected while you explore.

👉 Explore the free community

Ongoing support (very light)

You’ll also receive gentle self-care reminders, new challenges, and reflections via the Make Self-Care Simple newsletter.

(Part of the Practical Self-Care Pathway — build habits that support your body’s natural balance.)

Real self-care is about listening to yourself.
Because being healthy isn’t always easy — but it can be made simple.

“Instant access—start your challenge today.”

Make Self Care Simple shares general self-care education for inspiration only. I’m not providing medical advice — always check what’s right for you with a qualified health professional.

©2025 Make Self Care Simple.


Want to Save or Print a summary of this challenge? Click on this handy ‘Challenge Recipe’!

28-Day Non-Exercise Movement Challenge

Reap the benefits of Movement even when your health doesn't allow you to exercise

Instructions

  • Assess & score your well-being (Symptoms) before you begin
  • Add more Non-Exercise Movement each day for 28-days
  • After 28 days Assess & score your wellbeing (Symptoms)
  • Decide if you wish to add this to your Self-care Menu

Notes

So, first read the whole challenge.
I have split non-exercise Movement into 5 sections for you to explore.
  1. Fidget more
  2. Stand more
  3. Active Sitting
  4. Calf Raises
  5. Non Exercise Movement in Daily Life
 
  • Choose your non-exercise movement/s for the week ahead or full 28-days.
  • Plan how many minutes or reps of each movement you will do each day – try to spread them through the day. 
  • Track your progress each day.
  • Increase the challenge gently each week. I.e. increase the minutes or reps.
  • Celebrate at the end of 28 days with a healthy reward!
  • Decide if you will keep Non-Exercise Movement as part of your Self-Care menu
You may like to spread this challenge over several months.
Don’t forget you can also grab your free Selfcare Toolkit HERE

Join this simple 28-day chewing challenge and unlock better digestion, enjoy food more, and even experience effortless weight loss!

This powerful self-care practice is surprisingly simple: just chew your food more.

Do you remember someone — a parent, teacher, or grandparent — reminding you to chew your food properly? Turns out, they were absolutely right.

(It’s funny how childhood advice catches up with us at the dinner table.)

It’s amazing that such a small habit can bring such big results. I hope you’ll join me in this fun, gentle but truly effective self-care challenge.

Do you need this chewing challenge?

Wondering if something as simple as chewing could make a real difference to your wellbeing?
Here are some signs it might be worth a try:

  • You struggle to control your food portions.
  • You’d like to release some weight without completely overhauling your diet.
  • You eat quickly and rarely taste your food.
  • You often feel too full after eating.
  • You experience heartburn, acid reflux, bloating, burping, or gas.
  • You have dental or gum issues, or jaw tension.
  • You’ve noticed signs of nutritional deficiencies (low iron, B vitamins, magnesium).
  • You experience low stomach acid symptoms such as fatigue, indigestion, or undigested food in your stool.

If any of those sound familiar, this challenge might surprise you with how much better you can feel.

(And if your family catches you chewing extra slowly, just tell them you’re conducting very important digestive research.)

Tip: Before you begin, describe and score these areas of your health — then compare again after 28 days to track your progress.

Jump to Recipe

A Bit of History: Being Young at 60 by Horace Fletcher

I have a soft spot for the Old Time Healers — the original self-care pioneers who practiced long before the internet. One of them was Horace Fletcher, who published Fletcherism: What It Is and How I Became Young at 60 back in 1913.

His discovery? That easy weight loss and renewed vitality came simply from chewing your food thoroughly.

Fletcher’s ideas were so popular that even American Presidents, British Prime Ministers, J.H. Kellogg, and King Edward VII reportedly took up “Fletcherism.”

And before you wonder — yes, there’s some modern research to back up this 100-year-old wisdom here, here and here

Why Chewing Matters

Chewing: The First Step in Digestion

When you chew, you signal your stomach, gallbladder, and pancreas that food is coming — “get ready!” This allows your stomach to produce the right amount of hydrochloric acid for digestion.

Chewing Produces More Saliva

Saliva is amazing. It contains enzymes that help break down carbs and fats, binds food together for easier swallowing, and even helps clean your mouth by washing away harmful bacteria.

The Problem With Not Chewing Enough

When food isn’t properly chewed, large particles reach the stomach undigested. This causes bacteria to ferment the food, leading to bloating, gas, and indigestion.

On top of that, the stomach doesn’t get the full “digest now” signal, meaning less acid is produced — and that means less nutrient absorption.

Whew! Your body truly is incredible when you let it do its job.

Eating Less (and Enjoying More)

Chewing slows you down.
When you eat more slowly, your body has time to send signals to your brain saying, I’m full!

Many of us eat while scrolling, working, or watching TV (guilty as charged), and before we know it — we’re uncomfortably full.

Mindless eating also robs us of enjoyment. Chewing more brings you back into the moment. You taste your food, you feel satisfied, and your portions naturally shrink.

And when you slow down and truly taste what you’re eating, that second biscuit might not seem so tempting.

What do you think? Worth exploring?

How to Do the 28-Day Chewing Challenge

In my clinic, I found that chewing every single mouthful until liquid was too much for most people. It’s ideal — but not always realistic.

So instead, here’s a gentler, more doable approach that still delivers real results.


The 28-Day Chewing Challenge Plan

  1. Assess your health and digestion before you begin.
  2. Chew the first mouthful of every meal until liquid.
  3. Pause and focus: What does it taste like? How does it feel?
  4. Track your progress daily (it really helps!).
  5. Invite friends to join you — self-care is better together.

Then, each week, build on your habit:

  • Week 1: Chew the first mouthful of every meal.
  • Week 2: Chew the first two mouthfuls.
  • Week 3: Chew the first three mouthfuls.
  • Week 4: Chew the first four mouthfuls.

That’s it — simple, mindful, and easy to remember.

You might want to set a reminder so you don’t forget, especially in the early days.


Chewing Challenge Tips

  • Start small — focus on just the first mouthful if that’s all you can manage.
  • Take smaller bites to make chewing easier.
  • Don’t take another bite or sip until you’ve swallowed.
  • Sit in a calm environment.
  • Avoid eating when stressed, angry, or sad.

After 28 days

Time to compare your before-and-after scores.

  • Did you eat less?
  • Bloat less?
  • Slow down and actually enjoy your meals more?

Reflect on what changed — and what made the challenge difficult.

If you didn’t notice much difference, that’s okay! You can always repeat the challenge or move on to another self-care focus.


Conclusion

Congratulations on completing your 28-Day Chewing Challenge!
You’ve taken one of the simplest — and most surprisingly powerful — steps toward better digestion, more mindful eating, and improved overall wellbeing.

At first, it might have felt strange to slow down and actually notice each bite (especially if you had an audience at the dinner table), but those moments of awareness are where real change begins.

Keep going — because the longer you practice, the more natural it feels, and the greater your results will be.
Many people also find that as they chew more mindfully, their portion sizes naturally adjust, appetite feels calmer, and weight begins to rebalance — all without effort or restriction.

Over time, chewing well becomes less of a challenge and more of a quiet ritual — one that helps you savour food, support your body, and enjoy every meal just a little more.

“It turns out your grandmother was right — good things really do come to those who chew.”


Well done image in Make Self Care Simple brand colours – completion of  self-care challenge

Take the First Step

We’ve all done it — promised ourselves we’d start that new healthy habit “tomorrow,” and felt oddly proud of the plan… until tomorrow never comes.

The truth is, self-care doesn’t need a perfect day — just a small, curious step today.
Your body learns from action, not intention.

The Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit helps you turn what you’ve learned into action — so your self-care finally becomes real, simple, and yours.

Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit


Turn inspiration into action — with a simple system that helps self-care finally work with your body, not against it.

If you’ve been reading along and thinking, “I’d love to try this myself one day…” — you don’t have to wait, or wonder where to start.

The Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit gives you the gentle structure to make your first challenge easy, personal, and effective.
It’s the same step-by-step approach I use when following the challenges alongside you — so you’ll feel supported every step of the way.

Inside, you’ll find:
🌿 A gentle Before Assessment to pinpoint what your body truly needs — so you can stop guessing and start seeing real results
🌿 Step-by-step guidance (plus short video walkthroughs) to choose the right self-care challenge for your needs — and actually complete it.
🌿 Printable planners, reflections, and trackers to help you stay consistent
🌿 Access to our private community (coming soon!) — for gentle accountability and encouragement

You’ll also receive:
💌 Weekly self-care reminders, new challenges, and encouragement in the Make Self-Care Simple newsletter
🪴 Access to our free private community — where women share progress, celebrate wins, and remind each other we’re not alone

👉 Send Me My Free Toolkit
(Part of the Practical Self-Care Pathway — build habits that support your body’s natural balance.)

Real self-care is about listening to yourself.
Because being healthy isn’t always easy — but it can be made simple.

Free Self-Care Challenge Toolkit

Make Self Care Simple shares general self-care education for inspiration only. I’m not providing medical advice — always check what’s right for you with a qualified health professional.

©2025 Make Self Care Simple.

Save or Print a handy ‘summary’ of this challenge in the ‘Recipe’ below.

28-Day Chewing Challenge; Reduce Bloat, Taste More and Eat Less

Join this simple 28-day chewing challenge and unlock better digestion, enjoy food more, and experience easy weight loss!

Notes

Instructions

1. Assess before you start:
Take note of how your digestion, energy, and appetite feel. Write down any symptoms (bloating, heartburn, cravings, fatigue).
2. Week-by-week plan:
  • Week 1: Chew the first mouthful of every meal until liquid.
  • Week 2: Chew the first two mouthfuls.
  • Week 3: Chew the first three mouthfuls.
  • Week 4: Chew the first four mouthfuls.
3. Focus:
As you chew, notice the flavour, texture, and how the food changes in your mouth.
4. Swallow fully before taking your next bite or sip.
5. Track your progress daily.
Make notes about digestion, fullness, energy, or cravings.
6. Invite a friend to join you — shared challenges build accountability and fun!

Discover what a personalised Menu of Self-Care really is – and why it becomes the foundation of simple, meaningful progress with your health and wellbeing

My Story

When midlife changes – combined with long-Covid – left my immune system reacting to almost everything, I realised something surprising:

The remedies and routines that had worked beautifully for years suddenly… didn’t.

My body was facing a new challenge – and I needed a new way to support it.

What I didn’t realise at the time was that the idea of a “Menu of Self-Care” had already been with me for years.

During my time as a therapist, I often gave clients simple “homework” between appointments — small things to try, notice, and report back on.

But now I was the one needing to listen more closely.

So I began exploring again.
Not dramatic changes.
Just small, simple practices I could actually manage.

Some helped.
Some didn’t.
But all of them taught me something.

Slowly, a pattern emerged — and the list of practices that genuinely supported me became my Menu of Self-Care.

It changed everything about how I approach my wellbeing.


What this becomes over time

Your Menu of Self-Care becomes the hub of your wellbeing – shaping how you support your energy, your independence, your opportunities, and your confidence in what works for you.

You’re no longer guessing or starting over.
You begin to recognise what your body needs – and just as importantly, what it doesn’t.

Your Menu becomes something you return to –
a place where everything connects.

And because it isn’t fixed, it continues to develop –
becoming more accurate and more supportive the longer you use it.

This becomes a skill you carry with you – not something you have to keep searching for.


A Different Kind of Self-Care

Most self-care advice focuses on what you should do:

  • drink more water
  • meditate
  • move more
  • journal
  • stretch
  • eat better

Good ideas… but not necessarily your ideas.

Your Menu of Self-Care is different.

It’s a living list of practices your own body has “approved” – because you’ve tried them, felt the difference, and know they support you.

It grows with you.
And becomes clearer the more you notice what’s working.

And best of all?

It shifts you out of trying to fit yourself into a one-size-fits-all approach –

and into understanding what actually works for you.

This is also where the idea of self-care challenges comes in.

In my clinic work, I didn’t ask people to overhaul everything at once.
I asked them to try one simple thing, notice what happened, and come back with real feedback.

That’s exactly what these challenges are.

Not something to get right —
but something to test and learn from.



How the Menu Fits into the MSS Approach

Your wellbeing is shaped by many layers — your body, your emotions, your energy, your habits, your beliefs.

That’s why Make Self Care Simple works with four pathways:

  • Practical – grounding daily care that supports your physical systems
  • Nourish – food and rhythms that replenish you
  • Align & Uplift – short practices that lift mood & energy
  • Mindcraft – mindset shifts that support consistency

You don’t need all four at once.
And you don’t need to figure them out alone.

Each gentle challenge helps you explore one pathway at a time – so instead of “trying everything,” you begin to see what actually works for you.

Over time, these small insights naturally become your Menu of Self-Care.


Personalised Menu of Self-Care Practices
This is what I know works for my body

Your Menu Doesn’t Need to Be Perfect

You don’t need the perfect template.
Or the perfect plan.
Or the perfect routine.

All you need is a place to start noticing:

  • what feels supportive
  • what feels draining
  • what feels neutral

This is where everything begins to shift.


Why Your Menu Matters

When self-care becomes something you choose (not something you “should” do), everything shifts.

You begin to see what genuinely helps you.
You stop copying routines that don’t fit.
You trust your own signals.
You spend less time guessing — and more time responding.

Your Menu of Self-Care becomes:

  • a reference
  • a guide
  • a source of confidence
  • and a quiet reminder of what works

It’s not a to-do list.
It’s a relationship.


🌿 Ready to begin your own Menu?

Creating a Menu isn’t about getting it perfect.

It begins much more simply —
by noticing what happens when you try something,
and learning how to interpret the signals your body gives you.

From there, your Menu builds naturally.


🌿 If you’d like a simple place to start

The community is where this really begins to come together.

Inside the community, you’ll find:

– a short Body Feedback Journal to help you make sense of something you’ve already tried
– a way to recognise your own response patterns
– and a space to explore this at your own pace

👉 Explore the community


🌿 If you’d prefer to take your time

You can simply follow along with the monthly updates —
and see how this approach looks in real life.

👉 Read the latest updates

If you’d like a little more clarity on why these small, focused challenges create steady results:

Why Self-Care Challenges Work

A Personal Note

As far back as I can remember, the moment I stepped inside a wood, forest, or even a small spinney, I immediately noticed a shift — both in my surroundings and within myself. The tall, cathedral-like acoustics, the soft feel underfoot, and that earthy, grounding scent all seem to whisper, slow down, you’re safe here.

My breathing naturally becomes deeper, and for me, there’s always a feeling of profound inner peace. (Proper footwear helps too — this is the UK, after all, and muddy serenity is still serenity.)

This challenge is about mindfully harnessing that experience — learning how to use your local wood or forest as a natural way to recharge, refresh, and reset.

There are so many different self-care practices that help with stress, and I’ve tried many of them. But forest bathing remains a favourite because it’s simple, deeply restorative, and reconnects you with something far bigger than stress. And if you can’t travel or have mobility challenges, don’t worry — I’ll share ways to create your own garden bathing experience too.

Join me in the woods for a few moments!

What Is Forest Bathing?

Forest Bathing, or Shinrin-yoku, began in Japan in the 1980s as a response to rising stress, anxiety, and fatigue among workers. It’s a mindful sensory practice that helps you slow down and reconnect with nature. You walk or sit quietly among trees, noticing the sounds, sights, scents, and textures that surround you.

In essence, it’s not about doing, but about being — allowing the forest to hold you while you let go of daily noise and demands.

The Science Behind Forest Bathing

Trees release natural compounds called phytoncides — aromatic chemicals that protect them from insects and disease. When we breathe them in, studies show they help lower cortisol levels, reduce inflammation, and support the immune system.

Forest bathing also activates your parasympathetic nervous system — the part that signals rest, repair, and recovery. Just 30 minutes among trees can calm the mind and body, even when life feels chaotic.

When to Try Forest Bathing

You might choose forest bathing when you feel drained, overwhelmed, restless, anxious, or low in mood. It’s equally beautiful when life feels steady — as a way to maintain your inner balance and refresh your energy.

Whether it’s the crisp quiet of winter, the soft greens of spring, the shade of summer, or the glow of autumn, each season brings its own kind of healing.

Prepare for Your Forest Bathing Experience

Choose Your Location.

You don’t need a vast forest — a local wood, park, or even a group of trees can work beautifully.

Helpful Resources:

Woodland Trust – UK

National Trust – UK

Forest bathing in Europe

Find a Forest – USA

Plan Ahead: Check the weather and dress for comfort. Let someone know where you’re going if you’ll be alone. Bring water, a small snack, and something dry to sit on. Switch your phone to silent once you arrive — this is your time to disconnect.

The Forest Code

Here is a reminder of The Forest Code

Forest code

When you Arrive

Pause for a moment at the entrance. Notice the shift in light, sound, and energy as you step into the trees. If you’re with a friend, agree on a time to meet again, then give each other space to explore quietly.

You might begin with a simple intention, such as: Today I give myself permission to rest or I open myself to peace and renewal.

Set an intention forest bathing plan

Your Forest Bathing Plan

Forest bathing usually includes two gentle parts: Slow Walking and a Sit Spot.

Slow Walking

Move slowly — far more slowly than usual. Let yourself pause often and use your senses as guides.

  • Sight: Notice colours, patterns, and movement.
  • Sound: Listen for birdsong, rustling leaves, wind through branches.
  • Smell: Breathe in the earthy scent of soil, bark, or moss.
  • Touch: Feel textures — the ground under your feet, the bark of a tree, the air on your face.

Mindful Walking: Bring your awareness into your body. Notice how your shoulders, arms, and legs move. When your mind wanders, gently bring it back to what you feel underfoot or the rhythm of your steps.

Tree Connection: You can gently lean against or embrace a tree and simply breathe. It’s a lovely way to connect, release tension, and absorb the grounded calm that trees naturally offer.

Find your Sit Spot

Find a quiet place to sit for 10–30 minutes — a fallen log, a bench, or a picnic mat. Observe everything around you: light, texture, patterns, movement, and sound.

You might choose to journal or sketch what you notice, meditate or pray, enjoy a mindful snack, or simply sit and breathe. There’s no right way to do this — your only goal is to be fully present.

Gratitude Walk Back

As you slowly walk back, take a few moments to reflect. How do you feel now? What did you notice or appreciate? Which tree, plant, or sound stood out to you? End with a small inner thank you — for the forest, for yourself, and for the moment you took to rest.

Forest bathing plan makeselfcaresimple

Garden Bathing (Home Practice)

If you can’t get to a forest, you can still enjoy a mini version of this practice at home. Sit near a tree in your garden or balcony, or near a window with a view of greenery. You can even connect with a houseplant or recently planted tree — research shows that proximity to plants still helps calm the nervous system.

Use the same approach: slow down, breathe, notice, and appreciate.

Final Thoughts

Forest bathing is a beautiful, accessible way to reset your mind and energy — no special skills or travel needed. Try it once a week or even once a month, and notice how you feel before and after. Keep a small journal or voice note to record your reflections.

For me, forest bathing is both restorative and preventative. It helps me reconnect with peace — whether I’m walking under summer leaves or through the quiet, rain-soaked woods of winter. Will you try forest bathing? I’d love to hear what you discover.

Remember, muddy boots and messy hair still count — what matters is that you showed up.

Will you try forest bathing? I’d love to hear what you discover.

Well done image in Make Self Care Simple brand colours – completion of 28-day self-care challenge
Well-done! You have completed another step towards making selfcare simple

You Felt a Small Shift Today… Let’s Help You Keep It

That small shift — whether it was a moment of calm, a little more energy, a sense of relief, or simply feeling more like yourself —
that is where meaningful change begins.

But on low-sparkle days, it’s easy to lose that feeling.
Motivation dips first.
Overwhelm creeps in.
And even the gentlest intentions fade.

Your body doesn’t need pressure or perfection.
It needs one easy mini practice you can return to — especially on days that feel heavy, uncertain, or tense.

The Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit helps you turn “I want to feel better” into one easy, real-life step — by helping you choose and begin a challenge you can actually use when your mood dips.
Most people like to complete it over a relaxed weekend, and it includes short step-by-step videos and simple printables to help you begin gently.


Download the Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit

A calm, supportive starting point for your first Align & Uplift practice.

Inside, you’ll gently discover how to:
🌿 understand where you might need emotional or energetic support
🌿 choose one tiny Align & Uplift practice that fits your real life
🌿 begin without pressure or relying on willpower
🌿 notice subtle shifts that help you feel lighter and more grounded

You’ll also receive:
✉️ weekly reminders to support your consistency
💬 access to our private community (coming soon)


👉 Send Me My Free Toolkit

(Part of the Align & Uplift Pathway — reconnect with calm, joy, and emotional balance)

Real self-care is about listening to yourself.
Because being healthy isn’t always easy — but it can be made simple.

Free Self-Care Challenge Toolkit

Make Self Care Simple shares general self-care education for inspiration only. I’m not providing medical advice — always check what’s right for you with a qualified health professional.

©2025 Make Self Care Simple.

Download or print your Reminder Here

How to Plan your First Forest Bathing Experience – Ready to Recharge & Feel Refreshed.

Print or Save as PDF

Notes

Printable Summary – Forest Bathing “Recipe”

Goal: Recharge, relax, and refresh your energy through mindful time in nature.
Duration: 30–60 minutes (or longer if you wish)
You’ll need: Comfortable shoes, water, mat or chair, journal, weather-appropriate clothing
  1. Choose a forest, wood, or tree-filled area
  2. Set a simple intention
  3. Walk slowly and use your senses
  4. Find a sit spot to pause and reflect
  5. End with gratitude and appreciation
 
Feeling inspired? Join the Make Self-Care Simple newsletter for gentle self-care ideas, new challenges, and community support.

Learn how dry brushing can support lymphatic health, reduce bloat, and refine skin texture in this simple 28-day routine for beginners. Your glow starts here.

The Skin You Forgot You Had

As the weather warms and the winter layers come off, there’s always that moment — you catch a glimpse of your arms or legs and realise you haven’t really seen them in months.

It’s not about vanity; it’s about rediscovery.
For most of us, the skin on our face gets all the attention, while the rest quietly hides under jumpers and jeans, waiting its turn.

That’s why this month’s challenge is all about remembering the rest of you — your arms, legs, shoulders, and back — all the skin that’s been patiently waiting for a little care.

For me, this started as a spring ritual — part reset, part reunion — a way to literally brush off winter and wake my body up again.
(And yes, dry skin brushing really does make you glow — even before the holiday tan.)

This simple 28-day practice takes just a few minutes a day, yet it leaves you feeling more alive, energised, and at home in your own skin.

Jump to Recipe

The very first question to ask is…

Will this Dry Skin Brushing challenge support my well-being?

Is Dry Skin Brushing something that could support your wellbeing needs?

Here are some signs that dry skin brushing could benefit you. 

** Dry skin brushing is not performed on the face

  • Your skin looks dull – has lost its glow
  • Your skin is dry and flaky
  • Skin is more oily
  • Poor skin texture (feel & appearance i.e. skin bumps) and tone (colour)
  • Visible pores and clogged pores
  • Ingrowing hair
  • Skin breakouts
  • Fatigue and tiredness
  • Bloating, puffiness & water retention
  • Frequent headaches
  • Recurring infections such as UTI or colds
  • Constipation

**These are good areas (symptoms) to assess and score before you start the challenge

When to avoid skin brushing

Speak to a health professional first if you are currently undergoing immune-system  treatments, have ongoing skin infections, psoriasis, eczema, open wounds, burns,skin growths or take topical steroid creams.

What is Dry Skin Brushing?

Full disclosure: There are no scientific studies to back this self care practice.

Claims about reducing cellulite have not been proven…

Now that is out of the way – what do we know about dry skin brushing?

Dry Skin Brushing has been practiced for thousands of years – all around the world

  • In Ayurvedic medicine it is called Garshana and traditionally uses a rawsilk or linen sock.
  • In Japan it is called Kanpumasatsu and uses a dry towel
  • In Chinese Medicine it uses dried fruit fibres such as a Loofah
  • The Greek & Romans used copper Strigils
  • In Native American medicine it used corn cobs
  • In Polynesian cultures they used crushed seashells 
  • And the Turks and Russians used the popular body brushing method.

Dry Skin Brushing is performed before a shower when the skin is dry. Use a dry towel, brush or loofah and brush over your skin causing a pleasant friction. You only need to do this for a couple of minutes and use a firm but not hard pressure. Then follow with your regular shower routine.

The general rule is to brush towards your heart.

** If your goal is to reduce lymph congestion (Puffy skin) see links below.

Because Dry Skin Brushing can be stimulating it is recommended to do it earlier in the day. Especially if you have sleep issues.

Honestly it is very simple to do (full instructions below) and feels great.

How Does Dry Skin Brushing Work?

When you brush your dry skin, you loosen dead skin cells, so that they can be washed off and reveal new, smooth and brighter skin cells. 

Dry skin brushing is a form of exfoliation speeding up the process of shedding old skin cells. It is thought that regular exfoliation improves skin texture and tone i.e. pink bumpy skin and enhances body lotion/product absorption.

Another aspect of detoxification is your Lymphatic system. This is like a slow moving canal carrying waste out of the body – that relies on body movement to squeeze it along the body . Old time healers believed dry skin brushing encouraged movement of the Lymph. 

Dry Skin brushing can be helpful as a regular practice if you are unable to be active most of the day. This might result in relief of puffiness and water retention much like massage.

Dry Skin Brushing also activates nerve endings in the skin which is what creates that pleasant tingling and invigorating sensation.

Preparing for your Challenge

Luckily this self care practice is simple to prepare.

You can use any of the following;

  • An existing body towel (not too soft!) long enough to do your back
  • A Dry Skin Brush with natural bristles (detachable handles are handy!)
  • A Loofah

Optionally you can dive deeper in which type of Dry Skin Brush to use HERE

dry skin brushes

You will also need to capture details about your before and after assessments and tracking sheets to help you stay consistent.

If you haven’t already, grab my FREE Self Care Starter Pack which includes printables and walks you through the whole process.

How to do the Challenge

For the challenge you only have to do the basic routine at least 3 times a week for 4 weeks (28 days). * You can choose to skin brush every day

Assess and score your overall well-being – especially those areas mentioned at the start of this article – before you begin and again when you complete the dry skin brushing challenge. 

Remember you can use either a dry towel, special dry skin brush or loofah

Basic Routine

  • Start from your feet and brush upwards in long sweeps along the front, back and sides of your legs. Include your buttocks. Medium pressure.
  • Then go from your hands to your shoulder in the same manner. Don’t forget the back of your neck!
  • Use a circular (anticlockwise to mimic the colon and aid the process) movement across your abdomen and then for your armpits.
  • When it comes to your back, I always go upwards in short strokes from the base of my back and downward strokes from my shoulders. Don’t forget your sides under your arms which I do in short strokes.
  • I go very gently if at all, over my chest area and avoid my face

It should take less than 5-minutes.

I have never followed a set number of times to brush each area or complete the routine – my routine is more intuitive. 

Once is fine but if you intuitively feel that you want to do more – do! Remember the benefit comes from repeating the routine 3 times a week for 4 weeks.

Start with a mild pressure – this should not make the skin red and irritated.

Notice how you feel when you have completed your dry skin brush. It should feel good!

Then have your shower as normal.

Tweak the Dry Skin Brushing Challenge to Your Needs

Following the basic routine 3 times a week is enough to see results.

You can also choose to dry skin brush every day. I would not do it more than once a day.

You can also tweak the routine to your needs. If dry skin brushing makes your skin very irritated try a softer pressure or material.

There are detailed routines that work more closely with your lymphatic system which a naturopath might advise to support specific health conditions.

 And of course you can leave out certain areas of your body if you need to.

Advanced Skin Brushing

What if you want to focus mainly on your lymphatic system with dry skin brushing?

I like to combine dry skin brushing with a manual lymphatic drainage routine to open up my lymph nodes first ** Simple challenge coming soon.

You might find it interesting to check out this dry skin brushing technique for lymph movement HERE

Drinking enough water and daily movement will work really well with dry skin brushing.

Assessing your Dry Skin Brushing Challenge Results

At the end of the 28-days you complete another assessment.

What differences did you notice? Write them down. 

I just like how good dry skin brushing feels and how soft my skin feels afterwards and I also know I am helping my body detox better.

How about you? Is this self care practice something you will include in your regular self care menu?

Conclusion

Congratulations on completing your 5 Minutes to Feel Good in Your Skin: A 28-Day Dry Brushing Challenge!

I hope you’ve found this practice helpful, energising, and maybe even a little bit joyful.
After all, it’s not just about smoother skin — it’s about remembering the rest of you that’s been hiding under those winter layers.

And remember, one month is only the beginning.
Self-care — like glowing skin — builds with consistency. So keep brushing, keep noticing, and keep showing up for your body in these small, simple ways.

Because feeling good in your skin isn’t a quick fix — it’s a relationship that gets better the more time you spend together.

Well done image in Make Self Care Simple brand colours – completion of 28-day self-care challenge
Well-done! You have completed another step towards making selfcare simple

Take the First Step

We’ve all done it — promised ourselves we’d start that new healthy habit “tomorrow,” and felt oddly proud of the plan… until tomorrow never comes.

The truth is, self-care doesn’t need a perfect day — just a small, curious step today.
Your body learns from action, not intention.

The Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit helps you turn what you’ve learned into action — so your self-care finally becomes real, simple, and yours.

🌿Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit

Turn inspiration into action — with a simple system that helps self-care finally work with your body, not against it.

If you’ve been reading along and thinking, “I’d love to try this myself one day…” — you don’t have to wait, or wonder where to start.

The Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit gives you the gentle structure to make your first challenge easy, personal, and effective.
It’s the same step-by-step approach I use when following the challenges alongside you — so you’ll feel supported every step of the way.

Inside, you’ll find:
🌿 A gentle Before Assessment to pinpoint what your body truly needs — so you can stop guessing and start seeing real results
🌿 Step-by-step guidance (plus short video walkthroughs) to choose the right self-care.
🌿 Printable planners, reflections, and trackers to help you stay consistent
🌿 Access to our private community (coming soon!) — for gentle accountability and encouragement

You’ll also receive:
💌 Weekly self-care reminders, new challenges, and encouragement in the Make Self-Care Simple newsletter
🪴 Access to our free private community — where women share progress, celebrate wins, and remind each other we’re not alone

👉 Send Me My Free Toolkit

(Part of the Practical Self-Care Pathway — build habits that support your body’s natural balance.)

Real self-care is about listening to yourself.
Because being healthy isn’t always easy — but it can be made simple.

“Instant access—start your challenge today.”


Make Self Care Simple shares general self-care education for inspiration only. I’m not providing medical advice — always check what’s right for you with a qualified health professional.

©2025 Make Self Care Simple.

Print or save a summary of this challenge in the handy Challenge ‘Recipe’.

5 Minutes to Feel Good in Your Skin

28-day Dry Skin brushing Challenge

Equipment

  • 1 Towel
  • 1 Dry skin brush Optional
  • 1 Loofah Optional

Notes

How to do the Dry Skin Brushing Challenge

For the challenge you only have to do the basic dry skin brushing routine at least 3 times a week for 4 weeks (28 days).
Assess and score your overall well-being – especially those areas mentioned at the start of this article – before you begin and again when you complete the dry skin brushing challenge. 
You can use a dry towel, dry skin brush or loofah.
Basic Dry Skin Brushing Routine
  1. Start from your feet and brush upwards in long sweeps along the front, back and sides of your legs. Include your buttocks. Medium pressure.
  2. Then go from your hands to your shoulder in the same manner. Don’t forget the back of your neck!
  3. Use a circular (anticlockwise to mimic the colon and aid the process) movement across your abdomen and then for your armpits.
  4. When it comes to your back, I always go upwards in short strokes from the base of my back and downward strokes from my shoulders. Don’t forget your sides under your arms which I do in short strokes.
  5. I go very gently if at all, over my chest area and avoid my face 
 
Assess and score at the end of 28 days.
How did you get on?

Looking for easy ways to move more — even when exercise feels impossible?
These 65 fun Non-Exercise Movement ideas help you sit less, boost energy, and improve well-being through simple daily actions. Perfect if you live with pain, fatigue, or mobility challenges, or just want to break up long sitting hours.
Gentle movement really adds up — and pairs perfectly with the 28-Day Gentle Movement Challenge.

Do you sit for long periods of time?
Wish you could move more, even when exercise isn’t possible?

You’re in the right place! 💛

This post is packed with 65 fun, easy Non-Exercise Movement ideas to help you sit less, feel better, and even burn extra calories — all without doing a formal workout.

If you live with chronic pain, fatigue, mobility limits, or simply spend many hours sitting (think office work, driving, or studying), these small movements can make a big difference to your well-being.

I created this list to go alongside the 28-Day Gentle Movement Challenge — a self-care reset designed around the benefits of gentle, everyday movement (known as NEAT, or Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis).


🌿 Why Non-Exercise Movement Matters

You’ve probably noticed that some people just can’t sit still — they’re always fidgeting, stretching, or getting up to do something.
It turns out, all those little movements add up!

One study found up to a 2,000-calorie difference per day between two similar people — simply based on how active their daily movements were.

Now, weight loss isn’t the main goal of non-exercise movement (this is about wellness first), but knowing that small actions can gently support your metabolism is a great bonus — especially if intense workouts aren’t realistic right now.

We all know someone who just can’t sit still for very long, turns out all that fidgeting and jumping up to do something that could wait, makes a big difference to your NEAT movement.


The Goal

The aim here is to:

  • Sit less — try short 2–3 minute activity bursts every 30 minutes.
  • Stay active — even on days when you have to sit for long periods.
  • Move gently and consistently — to boost circulation, energy, and mood.

You’ll find 65 practical, enjoyable ideas below — grouped into five easy sections that match the 28-Day Non-Exercise Movement Challenge.

These ideas are simple enough to start today and might even inspire you to add more structured exercise later on (if and when you feel ready).


💛 Reminder

You can revisit the Gentle Movement Reset: 28-Day Non-Exercise Movement Challenge anytime to plan your own self-care movement routine and track your progress.

Challenge 1 – Ideas to Fidget More this week

65 non-exercise-movement-ideas

Not only will you burn calories, but fidgeting can relieve anxiety, boredom and help with changing bad habits.

Here are some ideas to get you started.

  1. Tapping each finger 5 x
  2. Fist-pump in the air each side 10 x
  3. Tapping toes each foot 10 x (sitting or standing)
  4. Tapping toes both feet 10 x (sitting or standing)
  5. Bouncing heels each foot 10 x
  6. Bouncing heels both feet 10 x
  7. Hand circles – rotate wrists and fingers 10 x both directions
  8. Knitting or crochet
  9. Sketching or colouring
  10. Adult fidget toy – Shashibo
  11. Adult fidget Spinner 

Challenge 2 – Ideas of how to Stand more this week

The benefits of standing more include improved posture, back-pain, circulation and cardiovascular (heart) health, insulin levels (sugar) and boosts focus and concentration

Calories burned between standing-still and sitting were not significant although when you stand for periods of time you are more likely to keep adjusting your posture (fidget). 

Here are some ideas of how you can stand more this week

  1. Stand while on the phone.
  2. Stand at the kitchen counter when using electrical devices.
  3. Stand while ‘crafting’.
  4. Stand in front of the TV or Youtube
  5. Stand doing chores around the home – sprinkle them throughout the day
  6. Stand and take a ‘power pose’ or mountain pose
  7. Stand for 5-minute meditate or listen to short guided visualisation
  8. Stand and perform breathing exercises 
  9. Standing desk – if you work from home this is a great investment.

Challenge 3 – Active sitting Ideas 

Active or dynamic sitting is where you include frequent micro movements while sitting for long periods of time. 

The benefits include improved posture (back, neck, shoulder pain), core-strength and circulation (cardiovascular/heart health).

Seated workouts are a very popular solution for those with restricted mobility or who need to sit for long periods for work. Full Seated-Workouts are classed as formal exercise (which you can also include) YouTube examples Here, here & here.

You can use these workouts for ideas to create micro 2-minute active sitting movements.

Active sitting (fidgeting while seated) burns extra calories (energy expenditure) and if you can move your legs while seated this increases by 20-30%

65-non-exercise-movement-Ideas

Here are 20 ideas to include for micro-active-sitting 

  1. Seated arm rows
  2. Overhead arm raises
  3. Knee lifts
  4. Knee extensions
  5. Seated chair march
  6. Arm swings
  7. Arm reaches
  8. Toe taps
  9. Seated cat cow stretch
  10. Chair forward bend
  11. Chair spinal twist
  12. Neck stretches
  13. Seated Eagle arms Seated bent over rows
  14. Seated shoulder press
  15. Seated bicep curls
  16. Seated triceps extensions 
  17. Rocking Foot stool such as HERE
  18. Under-desk-pedal-bike – Try This.
  19. Office ball chair example Here
  20. Saddle chair

“It’s 100% free—no strings attached.”

Challenge 4 – Ideas to Include More Calf Raises

Calf raises not only burn calories but also strengthen calf muscles which improve lower body function, improve stability and reduce risk to sprains and strains.

Calf-raises also support the ankle and knees.

These can be done seated or standing, on a step and with dumb-bells. 

Remember the Non-Exercise goal is micro 2-minute sessions throughout the day.

Read or watch BELOW how to perform calf raises

How to do simple calf raises

  • Sit or stand with both feet on a flat surface with your toes pointed straight ahead.
  • Lift one or both heels off the floor to flex your calf muscle.
  • Pause for moment, then slowly return to the floor. That’s one rep.

Here are Calf-Raise Variations and Ideas

  1. Lifting both heels together
  2. Lifting one calf at a time (alternate)
  3. Turn feet inward slightly
  4. Turn feet outward slightly 
  5. Add light weights while you perform calf raises
  6. Use a low step to create more of a stretch.

Challenge 5 – Increase daily walking, bending, stretching, twisting.

These are the well-known examples of NEAT movement. The little every day activities and tweaks you can make to gently increase your movement without formal exercise to burn more calories and boost your well-being.

65-NON-EXERCISE-MOVEMENT-IDEAS

How many of the following ideas can you include today?

  1. Pace when you take a phone call.
  2. Park further away so you walk more steps.
  3. Identify where you could stand more in your normal day.
  4.  Housework counts as NEAT – can you increase your daily cleaning activity? How many 5-minute chores can you complete in a day?
  5.  Walk with friends and family
  6. Walk the dog
  7. Clean the car
  8. Gardening counts as NEAT – how many 5-minute jobs can you complete today?
  9. Cooking and clearing up counts as NEAT
  10. Walk whenever you have the choice
  11. Having a shower counts as NEAT
  12. Dancing 
  13. Spending time with kids
  14. Getting up and making a drink
  15.  Warm-up movements from a workout
  16. Squats
  17. Arm swings
  18. Stretch while watching tv
  19. Take the stairs whenever you can

Summary

Whew well done you made it to the end! So that wraps up my 65 Fun Non-Exercise Movements Ideas to inspire you to take the Challenge HERE

Well done image in Make Self Care Simple brand colours – completion of 28-day self-care challenge
Well-done! You have completed another step towards making selfcare simple

You’ve already started thinking about how to care for your body’s everyday needs — why not make it easier to stay consistent? The toolkit shows you exactly where to start

Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit

Turn inspiration into action — with a simple system that helps self-care finally work with your body, not against it.

If you’ve been reading along and thinking, “I’d love to try this myself one day…” — you don’t have to wait, or wonder where to start.

The Free Self-Care Start-Up Toolkit gives you the gentle structure to make your first challenge easy, personal, and effective.
It’s the same step-by-step approach I use when following the challenges alongside you — so you’ll feel supported every step of the way.

Inside, you’ll find:
🌿 A gentle Before Assessment to pinpoint what your body truly needs — so you can stop guessing and start seeing real results
🌿 Step-by-step guidance (plus short video walkthroughs) to choose the right self-care challenge for your needs — and actually complete it.
🌿 Printable planners, reflections, and trackers to help you stay consistent
🌿 Access to our private community (coming soon!) — for gentle accountability and encouragement

You’ll also receive:
💌 Weekly self-care reminders, new challenges, and encouragement in the Make Self-Care Simple newsletter
🪴 Access to our free private community — where women share progress, celebrate wins, and remind each other we’re not alone

👉 Send Me My Free Toolkit

(Part of the Practical Self-Care Pathway — build habits that support your body’s natural balance.)

“Instant access—start your challenge today.”