Do mood swings leave you physically and emotionally exhausted?
Want to feel more in control of how you feel throughout the day?
It all comes down to self-care… which is why in today’s video I’m sharing how you can stay on track using Self Care Bingo for Teens.
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When people talk about self-care, they typically talk about luxurious self-care,
like getting massages or mani-pedis.
As a teen, I know you’re not always flush with cash- and you might not even be into strangers touching your feet- even in the name of good self-care!
While it’s cool to treat yo’ self every once in a while, only talking about this type of self-care misses the point. And it’s probably because it’s not as glamorous.
I’m talking about the everyday, maintenance type of self-care.
Usually when we talk about maintenance, it’s about taking care of a piece of equipment, like a car. But you, yourself- yes, YOU- are an extraordinary being that needs daily maintenance to optimize your top performance.
By doing simple, everyday things like brushing and flossing your teeth, moving your body for 20-30minutes, and drinking half your body weight in water are all really important things that help you make sure you’re physical, mental and emotional health is working well.
In DBT, or Dialectical Behavior Therapy, we talk about emotional vulnerabilities (or EVs for short). EVs are the things that leave us more likely, or vulnerable, to experiencing an undesired emotional experience.
Think about babies, they typically cry when they’re hungry, tired, or bored. As we get older, our self-care needs aren’t that different. There’s a reason why those Snickers commercials are so darn relatable- I fully admit that I become an obnoxious monster of a diva when I’m hungry, too.
I love using the acronym STRONG to remember the 6 main areas of self-care that help us regulate our emotions. STRONG stands for Sleep, Take your medicine as prescribed, Relaxation, One thing at a time, Nutrition, and Get moving. You may have caught my Facebook live video series on STRONG a few years ago where I go into more detail on what each of these means.
Most of these self-care emotion regulation skills aren’t really that exciting, and the changes they make are slow to realize. So how can you stay on track and make this fun?
Let me introduce to you, Self-Care Bingo for Teens.
And yes, you CAN get a free download of Self-Care Bingo for Teens by clicking this link here: selfcarebingoforteens.
Self-Care Bingo for Teens works just like regular bingo. When you accomplish a task, mark it as complete - I like to use stickers, but you can use a highlighter, an X, whatever floats your boat. Then whenever you get BINGO, completing a line across, up and down, or diagonally, treat yo self with one of those luxury self-care treats.
I like making a list of rewards first, so I know what I’m working towards. Also, make your rewards tangible and realistic, meaning something you can actually afford and make happen. I’d love to reward myself with a dinner out with Her Majesty, Queen Beyonce Knowles-Carter, but I know that’s not so simple to arrange.
I’ve included some ideas for creating your treat yo’ self reward, along with both a blank and filled-in template versions of Self-Care Bingo for Teens when you sign up for my email messages by clicking the button below:
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