How to Use Water as a Powerful Tool for Self-Care

Water is one of the most effective self-care tools I use.

It’s free.

And healing.

And SO effective.

Whenever I feel overwhelmed, anxious, exhausted, or unmotivated, I try and remember to start with water. In the middle of really intense moments, I often forget about its importance. But once I remember, I do my best to use water as a tool for self-care.

The next time you’re feeling a little, well, over it, PLEASE consider the following 4 steps:

How to use water as a powerful tool for self-care

Step #1

Drink it

Pour yourself a glass of water.

We all know that we should be drinking plenty of water, but man is it easy to forget in the midst of our busy lives! So we bypass the water and the next thing we know, we’re dehydrated. We end up reaching for food, mistaking our dehydration for hunger. Or we load up on caffeine to combat our exhaustion. It becomes a vicious cycle.  And if we’d just started by drinking some water, it might have provided us with enough energy to get over the hump of fatigue.

Now, the last thing I want to do is get into how many ounces we should be consuming each day, especially since the recommendations seem to vary from expert to expert.

I don’t want this to feel like another “to-do” on your list, which is no doubt, long enough!

What I want to do instead, is encourage you to…

Stop and pour yourself a glass of water.

The next time your mind is spinning, or you find yourself reaching for the chips, or you’re feeling depleted, I want you to simply pour yourself a glass of water.

If a tall glass of cool water isn’t providing enough excitement, throw in a little fruit to enhance some of your favorite flavors. Add a couple of slices of cucumber, strawberries, cherries, peaches, or raspberries. This is especially easy if you have some frozen fruit on hand.

Or maybe you prefer sparkling water. Wonderful! Grab some and pour yourself a glass. Add some ice and a straw to get a little fancy or drink it straight out of the bottle or can.

Is the weather chilly? Then heat yourself a mug of water. Squeeze some lemon in it if you want to add a little splash of citrus.

If you have the wherewithal to fill up a water bottle and bring it along with you, fantastic! But the point is to keep this simple and doable.

It really doesn’t matter what form the water takes, but PLEASE, drink some water.

Step #2

Look at it

If you are fortunate enough to live close to a body of water, then GET YOURSELF TO IT! Do you have the ability to drive to the beach? Is there a lake or river nearby? How about a local city park with a pond or stream? If you have access to a real-life body of water, then get yourself there!

Take some time to sit down on the sand, your towel, blanket, park bench, or picnic table. Stare at the water. Take some deep breaths. Allow yourself to be as present as possible.

If you are unable to get to a place where there is a significant amount of water to look at, find a photo, picture in a magazine, or an image elsewhere, and look at it. Use your imagination to picture yourself there in person, experiencing the water firsthand.

Step #3

Listen to it

If you are in an actual place with water, close your eyes and listen to it. Perhaps it’s the crashing of ocean waves. Or the sound of a river or stream as the water rushes or trickles past you. Maybe it’s raining outside and you’ve opened the front door or window so you can listen to the raindrops pitter-pattering on the rooftop and pavement.

But if you aren’t in a location with water, find some recordings of water to listen to. Audio clips of crashing waves, babbling brooks, gentle rain, or a tranquil fountain. Again, allow yourself to focus on what you can hear. Let the sounds of the water transport you to a peaceful place.

Step #4

Get in it

Dip your toes in the ocean. Swim a lap in the pool. Get in the hot tub. Soak in a bubble bath. Hop in the shower and let the water wash over you. Really FEEL the water surrounding your body and bringing calm and restoration to your body and mind.

Alright, so the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, exhausted, or unmotivated, I want you to focus on WATER before you do anything else.

Remember these 4 steps. Incorporate as many as you can.

Drink – Look – Listen – Get in

Experience the benefits of water as a powerful tool for self-care.

Have you already benefited from any of these steps? Is water an important self-care tool for you?