November Self Care: 16 Comforting Activities When It's Chilly

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Last Updated on September 11, 2022

We are getting SO close to the wrap-up of the year. If you’re like most people, things are seriously picking up between holiday gift shopping, family gatherings, and getting things together before next year! Needless to say, self care is kinda a non-negotiable right now.

And if the cold weather has you feeling extra uncomfy, now’s your opportunity to self-soothe with these November self care activities! Having a few go-to self care activities in the fall/winter that really make you feel good and help you through the season is essential.

What Is Self Care?

Self care is taking the time to do things that help you improve your mental and physical health to, overall, live well! It’s fairly simple, but the possibilities are so open-ended to fit your specific needs.

Self care can be so different from person to person and even month to month. For example, if you’re going through a low-energy season, you might need more gentle self care that lets you prioritize rest (this is likely the case for November self care!). Self care is meant to be intentional and beneficial to your overall state of wellbeing.

What Are Self Care Activities?

Self care activities are the specific acts you do to benefit your health and wellbeing. They can help you in a variety of different ways.

For example, self care activities can be productive, like catching up on tasks that will prevent overwhelm later on. Or they can be soothing, like taking a nap or listening to relaxing music. Tailoring your self care activities to what you need the most at any given moment will make them most effective!

Self Care Ideas

The November self care ideas in this post range from chill and comforting to active and energizing. Consider your needs during this month and choose the self care ideas that will support you best!

If your weeks are busy, choose simple activities for weekdays. If you have more time on the weekends, that may be an opportunity to really work on yourself through more effortful tasks, like journaling or going to therapy.

Here’s 16 Cozy and Comforting Self Care Plans for November!

1. Make a hot cup of your favorite cozy drink

A simple act of self care to kick off these November self care ideas is to make a hot cup of your favorite drink! Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, whatever your heart desires. Warming your body up is a surefire way to feel a little better during these chilly days of November!

2. Take a hot bath

Take the warming up a step further by prepping a hot bath for yourself! And make it extra comfy with bubbles, a face mask, relaxing music, or a good book. As you take your bath, close your eyes and imagine all of your stresses melting away. Little visualization practices like these really do help!

3. Meditate

If meditation feels awkward or even impossible to you, I suggest finding a really good guided meditation that you can actually focus on and connect with. Personally, Headspace is my go-to for finding guided meditations I actually like! They are perfect for beginners and have meditations for aaaanything under the sun: focus, sleep, stress, and tons more. Get 14 days of Headspace free with my link here!

And remember: it is TOTALLY normal for your mind to wander during meditation. But the trick is not to get frustrated or judge yourself for it. Just gently nudge your brain back where it needs to be!

4. Dance it out

Getting in movement that actually feels good to you is an ideal way to exercise and let off steam or jitters. Turn up your favorite song, don’t care about how crazy you look, and dance it out!

I might be biased because I train in dance and just love it so much haha, but you do not have to be a classically trained artist to reap the benefits of having a little dance party!

5. Go for a bundled-up walk

I know, I know, getting up and into the great outdoors in sub-optimal temperatures takes a push. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go for it. Dress in plenty of layers, don’t forget your gloves and earmuffs, and get that hot girl walk in anyway! You will feel 100 times better when you get back to the warm indoors.

6. Journal for your mental health

Journaling is extremely effective for addressing your thoughts and feelings, and in turn promoting better mental health. Studies show that journaling reduces stress, helps you manage anxiety, and even cope with depression. Working through your thoughts visually can help you organize them and make sense of them.

If you don’t know where to start with journaling, I put together a printable mental health journal that’s perfect for this! It’s jam-packed with 33 pages of writing prompts and exercises for understanding your emotions, reframing negative thoughts, and overcoming unhelpful behaviors. Grab it below!

GET THE MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL

7. Try a new craft

There is ENDLESS craft inspiration on Pinterest. Knitting, embroidery, jewelry making, and pottery just to name a few. Sometimes, igniting your creative spark can bring a little joy into your life when things start to feel mundane. (And learning to knit cozy fall sweaters ain’t a bad idea for November self care!)

8. Go on a date by yourself

“Dating” yourself and learning how to get comfortable spending time alone is a valuable skill. Spending time alone usually makes room for growth and soul-searching, so getting in that me-time is pretty important. It’s also simply enjoyable to go on a solo coffee or brunch date!

9. Cook your favorite meal

Maybe you aren’t the biggest chef, but cooking a good meal for yourself is a great self care act regardless of your culinary level. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but most recipes you follow will turn out pretty darn good! I love finding copycat recipes for my favorite restaurant meals so I can recreate them at home.

10. Set a soothing mood with lights, music, etc.

I love using my colored LED lights to set a certain mood while listening to chill vibe music. There are Spotify and YouTube playlists for everything these days, so pick whatever mood you’re trying to create and go for it!

11. Write a gratitude list

The fastest, easiest way to cheer yourself up and get into a good mood is to write down all the things you’re grateful for! You can look at my list of little things that make you happy instantly for inspiration. I also have a printable gratitude journal with thought provoking gratitude prompts and activities bundled just for you!

12. Take a scenic drive

Getting a change of scenery helps your mind feel fresh and get you out of your usual surroundings. Find a new little town you never visit or choose your favorite spot to drive to! This is a great way to explore, and a good drive paired with good music can’t be beat.

13. Schedule a therapy appointment

I’ll be honest with you: therapy is the single-most effective self care activity I’ve added to my weekly routine. In the last year since starting therapy, I’ve seen tremendous improvement in managing my anxiety symptoms and other negative emotions I face. And heck, just having a professional to talk to every week to help me make sense of what’s going on in my life is invaluable.

I always recommend Online Therapy because it’s a comprehensive, effective online therapy toolkit at an affordable monthly cost. You can get 20% off your first month with my link below. Don’t be afraid to make the leap and schedule your appointment, you won’t regret it!

FIND AN ONLINE THERAPIST

14. Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness is actually a fairly simple practice. It’s just being fully immersed in the present, being aware of where you are and what you’re doing. Tune into your five senses and find 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.

This can help take your mind off anxious thoughts and help you be more present in your everyday life!

15. Prepare one thing for next month

Your future self will thank you for this November self care activity! Thinking ahead to next month, identify just one thing you can take care of now to lighten your load for December. Buying one Christmas gift for someone on your list is something that comes to mind. Or getting ahead on something in your professional life can be a big help too.

16. Let things go

Ah, sometimes the hardest task of all: learning to let go. If you frequently ruminate over the past or feel the need to control many things, this lesson can be a tough one. While it can be overwhelming to practice letting go in all areas of your life across the board, think of just one area in which you can work on letting go.

You might be tempted to give 110% in every area of your life, but sometimes it’s not realistic to give 110% to everything all of the time. See where you can take a step back and give yourself a little leniency.

Go-to Self Care Products You’ll Love

To make the most of your November self care, I highly suggest checking out these products that I love for my own self care practice! While there are many valuable free tools and activities out there, investing in products that help you even further is always worthwhile.

1. Mental Health Journal

You can always go the classic pen + notebook + free journal prompts route, but having a detailed, already-put-together journal bundled with all the right activities and prompts makes things more effective and convenient.

That’s why I created the printable mental health journal! I wanted to make a resource that targets three crucial parts of mental health: your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. This journal helps you make sense of each of these elements so that you can overcome anything you’re currently struggling with. Go check it out!

GET THE MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL

2. TheraBox

If you appreciate variety in your self care routine, you will love what you get in the TheraBox Self Care subscription box! This is a monthly or one-time gift box filled with a variety of self care products to help you take care of you. Each box comes with a research-based therapeutic activity and 6-8 self care goodies designed to decrease stress and help you feel your best.

GRAB THE THERABOX

3. Glossier – The Skincare Edit

Skincare can get SO complicated. Cleansers, toners, serums, moisturizers…there are just so many different product options, it feels impossible to keep up with what to buy! But Glossier makes it simple. The Skincare Edit by Glossier is a full daily skincare routine that has everything you need, no matter your skin type.

It comes with a cleanser, serum, moisturizer, soothing balm, oil-serum, and a pink headband to keep your hair back while you do it all.

SNAG IT ON GLOSSIER

Final Thoughts on November Self Care

November is when things start to get real cold and the need for a cozy self care routine intensifies! Grab at least a few ideas from this November self care list to add to your weekly self care routine and make sure you stay on top of your mental health maintenance this fall/winter.

Let me know in the comments: Which November self care idea are you most excited to try?!