When you're living with an illness or disability, small acts of self-care like grocery shopping and washing your clothes can be challenging. But they can also leave you feeling more healthy and at peace, which is why it's so important to celebrate the little victories. That's the aim of occupational therapist Hannah Daisy's "#BoringSelfCare" illustration series.
Daisy's Instagram @makedaisychains features drawings of laundry, medications, and other day-to-day items people use to look after themselves. As a survivor of mental illness and endometriosis herself, she wanted to make it clear to her followers that you don't need to use rose-scented exfoliant or massage oil candles to engage in self-care.
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"I hope people [realize] that doing boring tasks are just as valid forms of self-care as any other activity," she told Mashable. "But also I wanted to shine a light on how when you're unwell, the tasks most people take for granted are actually some of the hardest things to do."
Last week, a woman named Katelyn Marie Todd, who suffers from depression, wrote a Facebook post celebrating the first time in a month that she'd brushed her hair. Another recent viral Facebook post tells the story of a stylist who helped a woman with depression by fixing her hair after she'd neglected it. Tasks like hair-brushing that might seem simple to others really can be ordeals when you're in constant psychological distress or physical pain.
These actions may not seem as Instagram-worthy as using lavish bath supplies, but by showcasing them on Instagram, Daisy's hoping to change that. "I started noticing that online, it was often only about nice, lovely things you can do for yourself — like a bubble bath, a massage, or buying nice crystals," she told Mashable. "In my profession, we talk about self-care involving a much wider range of occupations, or things you have to do every day — doing the dishes, washing, dressing, housework, laundry."
Whether or not we struggle with any illness or disability, we could all stand to celebrate the little things we do to make ourselves happier and healthier. You can honor your own little acts of self-care by posting photos with the hashtag #boringselfcare.