We’ve all had those weeks. The kind where everything feels heavier than usual. Where you’re not even sure why you’re sad—you just are. Or maybe you do know. Maybe it’s burnout, heartbreak, bad news, PMS, or just…life. Whatever it is, I want you to know: you are not alone. And if you’re reading this while feeling like a shell of your usual self, this post is for you.
This is what I would tell myself on weeks like this. Because yeah, I wrote this for you—but I also wrote it for me. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves how to feel like that girl again.
And not in the Instagram-aesthetic, “I woke up at 5am to make a matcha before pilates” kind of way. I mean the version of that girl who feels grounded. Soft. Safe in her body. At peace. Like she belongs to herself again.
Let’s get back to her, one small act of love at a time. These are the self care activities that always bring me home to myself—my own personal emotional reset routine.
1. Be gentle with yourself. Seriously.
I mean it. Be so gentle with yourself.
We forget that life is hard. Not in a defeatist way, but in a real, honest way. This is everyone’s first time living. There’s no guidebook. No checklist. No one way to grieve or be tired or feel like you’re crumbling under it all. It’s okay to not have it together.
You are not weak for having a hard week. And you are not lazy for needing rest. You are not broken just because you feel broken.
You are still you. Still worthy. Still enough.
Take a breath. Cry if you need to. Take a nap. Let yourself be soft. Let this be one of your most important self care activities: choosing compassion when your inner voice wants to be critical.
This is what self care after a tough week really looks like. It’s not glamorous—it’s honest.
2. Do something cozy. Pour into your hobbies. Romanticize your ‘me’ time.
When I’m trying to crawl out of a funk, I don’t start by “fixing” anything. I start by cozying up to myself. I pour a glass of wine (or hot chocolate if I’m feeling tender), light a candle, dim the lights, and curl up with a book.
Sometimes I even throw on my romantasy playlist or the Bridgerton soundtrack and pretend I live in a storybook. I set the vibe and give myself permission to disappear into a fictional world for a while.
Books have saved me more times than I can count. And when real life feels too loud, reading is how I turn the volume down.
So whatever your hobby is—painting, gaming, baking, organizing your space—make it intentional. Self care activities don’t always look like bubble baths. Sometimes they look like curling up with a book and letting your nervous system breathe.
3. Let it out.
I am a big journaler. Like, “full page letters to God” journaler.
It’s such a stress relief to just get my thoughts there. No filter. No judgment. Just whatever is in my heart, exactly as it is.
It helps. It really helps.
Sometimes you need to read your own thoughts, and other times you ball up the paper and keep it pushing. Either way, you need to acknowledge what you’re feeling instead of suppressing it. I will always advocate for therapy if you have access, but when you don’t, this is one of the best free self-care activities you can try. It’s accessible, immediate, and surprisingly healing.
It’s a beautiful way to recharge mentally when you feel scattered, numb, or emotionally all over the place.
4. Treat yourself to a spa day—DIY or Groupon style.
Let’s talk about spa days. Yes, girl!
You don’t need a fancy $200 appointment to feel like that girl again. My DIY spa day usually starts with a hot shower or bath, a bath bomb from Lush (or Marshalls—no gatekeeping here), a candle, and maybe even a glass of wine or sparkling water.
Sometimes I oil my scalp, wrap my hair, and let the steam really soak in while I sit with a face mask on and listen to music that makes me feel like the main character.
And if you want to go all out? Groupon is your best friend. I’ve found affordable Korean day spas where you pay one fee and stay all day—reading, relaxing, going from hot room to cold plunge, steaming, and doing absolutely nothing. That’s one of my favorite self care activities, especially when I need deep, physical relaxation and space to reset.
5. Watch your favorite comfort show. (Yes, even if it’s for the 100th time.)
Sometimes you just need your brain to go blank. Comfort shows are a soft reset for the soul.
Personally, I’ll throw on something I’ve seen a hundred times just to feel safe again. My nervous system knows exactly what’s coming, and that predictability feels like a hug. If you need recs, I have a blog post with 16 comfort movies and shows to check out—I’ll link it here for when you’re ready.
Let yourself laugh. Let yourself feel held by the softness of something familiar. Sometimes the simplest self care activities are the ones that calm your nervous system best.
6. Keep a promise to yourself, even a small one.
I know it sounds counterintuitive when you’re tired, but keeping one tiny promise to yourself can shift everything. Not out of punishment. Not out of hustle culture. But because it reminds you who you are.
You are capable. And you are resilient. You can do hard things.
Maybe that promise is going to the gym, even if you don’t go hard. And maybe it’s tidying up your space or meal prepping for the week. Maybe it’s finishing the laundry or finally sending that email you’ve been avoiding.
Whatever it is, doing one thing you told yourself you’d do helps rebuild that trust with yourself. And that feeling? That “I’ve got me” energy? That’s the magic.
And yes—it counts as a self care activity. Especially when it reminds you that you’re still capable and still in control of your healing.
And if you’re in a season where you’re not just healing, but also evolving, you’ll love my post on How to Soft Rebrand Yourself This Summer (Without Starting Over). It’s about redefining your vibe and vision in a way that still feels true to you—no full makeover required.
Final Thoughts: You are that girl, even when you don’t feel like it.
The version of you that’s crying in bed with Cheeto dust on your hoodie and zero motivation? Still that girl.
The version of you that’s barely holding it together but still shows up for work, your friends, or yourself? Still that girl.
Being that girl isn’t about having your life together all the time. It’s about coming home to yourself, over and over again. Choosing softness. And choosing care. And choosing you.
So if you’ve had a hard week, I hope this post feels like a warm blanket. I hope you try one or two of these self-care activities, not because they’ll “fix” you, but because they’ll help you remember who you are. That girl has always been there.
This is your sign to slow down and give yourself an emotional reset routine. This is how you begin to recharge mentally and gently return to joy.
And if this post spoke to you, I’ve also got a blog all about creating small, daily routines that help you romanticize your life and bring softness into your everyday.
✨ Don’t Miss a Thing! ✨
Let’s keep the nerdy vibes going! 📚🎉 Follow me on TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram for bookish fun, anime recs, and self-love magic.
Want more? Everything I mentioned — plus links to my favorite tools, routines, and Amazon faves — lives here on my Shop Page!
📥 Free Soft Life Reset Kit
7 aesthetic digital downloads to help you glow up with structure, softness, and style.
Sign up below to unlock planners, trackers, and cozy routine tools — free inside The Nerdy Babe Vault.
More on Summer Post