The past year or so has, it’s fair to say, been more than a little difficult for the vast majority of us – not just in the UK, but across the globe. Confined to our homes, not being able to visit or hug loved ones, coping with anxiety related to the pandemic, the lack of much-needed socialising to blow off steam… we’ve all struggled in one way or another at some point.
Many of us have found it difficult to offload our worries in such a trying time, not wanting to dump on others and instead choosing to lock it all inside; others have been gripped by a sense of inertia, lounging on the settee for hours watching television and snacking – well, what else could we do when the entire country was on lockdown and outdoor excursions were limited? The implications of this have led to many experiencing mental health issues or putting on a few extra pounds. The latter may sound trivial, but with social media flooded with thousands of influencers and celebs flaunting their perfect, often digitally-altered bodies, the overall feeling amongst many is a sense of personal failure at having put on weight during the pandemic, which has led to fragile self-esteem and further impacted mental health – particularly if you have also lost your job during this period.
As well as investing some time in therapy to talk through your feelings, or sharing your worries with a close friend or loved one, there are lots of small self-care activities and treatments you can indulge in to boost your mental wellbeing and self-esteem.
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Salon-Inspired
When you break up with someone, the first piece of advice is usually to go and get yourself a new ‘do, with many people peddling the benefits to your self-esteem and mental health. As lockdowns and restrictions are easing, we’re almost collectively ‘breaking’ up with the past year and looking forward – much as you do when a relationship comes to an. So, with hair and beauty salons opening up again in the UK, now would be the perfect time to treat yourself to a fresh new hairstyle!
Not only will it give you the opportunity to return to a vague sense of normality once more, but it will also do the world of good for your mental health and self-esteem. You’ll get to spend some time relaxing and being pampered in a place that’s not your own front room – it’s a win-win kind of situation, really.
Lap of Luxury
With holidays abroad off the table for now, we should make the most of what we currently have available to us here in the UK. A really fab way of relieving some of the stress on your mental health and building up your self-esteem is to treat yourself and a friend or partner to a weekend away at a spa. You’ll get the opportunity to sit back and relax with a soothing weekend of pampering, including hot stone massages, reiki treatment, body wraps, and various skin treatments, as well as being able to choose between saunas, swimming pools, hot tubs, and steam rooms with essential oils.
There are tons of options around the country, from luxurious manors and castles to more modern and sleek hotels, and so you’re bound to find an option that is both to your taste and affordable. There are also apps available to download that offer some really great deals on these sorts of trips that you can take advantage of! Some even include breakfast and dinner options in their deals from their world-class kitchens, stunning gardens and local walks nearby, and beautiful bedrooms that you can rest up in.
Whilst this option might be a tad expensive, the benefits it can offer to your mental wellbeing are priceless – a spa break might be exactly what you need to feel confident and happy in your body again and relieve you of the tension and stresses that have built up over the past year.
Mimicking the Pros
If a spa break is a bit out of your budget, why not plan your own mini spa night at home with your friends? The best bit here is that you get to be with your friends drinking wine, eating chocolate, and watching something light-hearted on the telly, all whilst pampering yourselves and one other!
Get out your box of nail varnishes and nail files, stick on a face mask, and stick your feet in a mini bubbling foot spa (you’re bound to know someone who has one you can borrow if not!). You and your friends can, if you so wish, give each other head and shoulder massages (which is great if you’re someone who doesn’t like the idea of a stranger putting their hands all over you), whilst laughing and enjoying one another’s company. Goodness knows we could all do with some quality time with our friends after so much time apart!
That Little Bit Extra
Although we don’t necessarily advocate changing yourself in order to feel happier or boost your self-esteem, there are some treatments and services that could make a difference to how you feel about yourself without you needing to do anything dramatic (and no, we don’t mean all those fad diets or harmful weight-loss supplements peddled across the internet regularly).
If you’ve always had a bit of a wonky smile, it’s likely that you feel a bit self-conscious of your teeth – particularly if it’s something that other people have noticed or mentioned. When looking into the brace cost UK or researching the question, ‘how much do braces cost UK?’, it’s easy to find yourself feeling a little disheartened, however, as the costs can be quite high and usually have to be paid in one go with your regular orthodontist.
Straightmyteeth.com is a brilliant alternative, in that it offers a range of teeth straightening options to suit every lifestyle and every budget! With invisible braces, retainers, and the option to choose from a day or night version of the products, you get a complete set that you can use to make your dental impression and send off to receive your personalised braces and retainers. If you’re struggling a little financially, they also have a monthly payment offer available for you to take advantage of!
Whilst this won’t necessarily fix all your problems and concerns relating to your self-esteem and mental wellbeing, it will help you to gain some confidence in your smile without you having to make extensive changes or undergoing any form of surgery.
There are no perfect, ‘one-size-fits-all’ remedies to resolve your issues with self-esteem and improve your mental health after what has been an incredibly tough year, and some of these may not be for you – but they might hopefully give you some inspiration and encourage you to start thinking about yourself and nurturing both your body and mind.
Consistently pushing yourself and carrying on when you’re not feeling your best can cause you to reach a point where you almost break or hit rock-bottom, leaving you vulnerable and feeling alone. None of the above options are being put forward as an alternative to slowing down and engaging in therapy, journaling, or sharing your woes with loved ones, but they are activities that you can do in addition to finding ways to offload your worries, helping you to take some time for yourself, relax, and reset once again – you’ll be back to your old self in no time!