I was planning to write up a timeline of all my trauma and stuff because I have never done such a thing before, but I was reading my autobiography coursework for last year's counselling course and found some more bad events that I had forgotten again. And that coursework was pretty comprehensive, so despite it not being an actual "point-form" list, but a piece of essay written chronologically, I might postpone this idea for later lol.
Regarding this self-care box, it was an idea originated from 1st November, 2023. I made a little self-care website that works as a virtual self-care box, but it was essentially an empty box with a bunch of cute stickers which didn't really serve its function. Now that I've moved to this new house, I think I have the space for a physical one. So here I'll draft about things to be put inside, with references from this nice little blog.
Self Care Box!
(created on 10 Aug 2025, updated on 10 Feb 2026)
- box: my password protected (but useless) storage bag + white metal box (with postcards inside)
- things for crisis
- list of grounding exercises (to be added)
- a mandatory body scan to pause myself
- breathing technique cards (to be added) (!= mindfulness exercises)
- a list of people + methods to contact them if i need to
- letters from people I care about/ reminders that I was being cared about (e.g. Arthur's emails, my list of Pikmin bloom friends)
- photos of people I like/ happy things that I did
- a copy of my crisis plan (to be made)
- tissues, wet wipes, bottled water
- self-care check list (refer to ADHD self care)
- a list of my favourite things (e.g. riolu, Skye the dragon)
- nurturing items
- snacks
- sweet: koala biscuits with different words/ doodles
- savoury: animal biscuits
- bath bombs (to motivate myself to shower)
- stickers
- stuffed toys
- cute fuzzy socks
- lip balm (esp winter)
- distraction items
- list of to-watch anime
- books
- blank papers for drawing? + safe non-sharp non-edible pens
- colouring book (e.g. printables from this website )
- puzzle/ brain games to play (rummikub, Drop the Cat, sudoku, Sumikko farm)
- rereading my diary entries (physical diary/ schedule book more focused on happy stuff)
- fill in some Q&A lists (e.g. taylorlmw's QOTD)
- a list of links you can browse
- grounding items
- physical sensations/ touch:
- tangle
- stress balls and squishies
- bubble wrap
- suction cup silicone mat
- stickers made from different materials
- taste:
- super sour candy
- wasabi packs
- spicy snack packs
- some stimming toys to chew on?
- sight:
- analog clock
- timer/ hourglass? (I suggest not to watch the sober timer from the Iamsober app bc it worked in the opposite way)
- mirror
- glasses wipe !
- scroll through the calendar (to see all the challenging classes I have already been through)
- scent:
- fragrance
- candles
- soap
- sound:
- CDs
- playlists (but seems most songs are ruined/ tainted by my depressive episodes)
- white noise (iPad accessibility function)
- analog clock ticking
- body/ somatic:
- try breathing exercises out of spite to Arthur's recommendation
- body scan again
woah such a big box?
Editing this half a day later just to add this: I think the best gift I got from last year is my opportunity to join a mindfulness group for research purposes. If I had to name one thing I gained from my enrichment year it would be this. And the research team was so generous to be providing us with audio guides and worksheets that were specifically designed for us to take away and work on it in the future as well. But of course it only works when I am not in crisis. Though I thought it would be helpful to build mindfulness as a habit, just as I learnt- like planting a seed, so perhaps the future waves would not crash that hard onto me and I get to surf it better. So it kinda is a kind of preparatory work too, other than an imminent self-care plan.
But I just need to start.
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