Medicine I Prescribe Myself

 Medicine I Prescribe Myself

By Aggie Tweedie

Often, when I read or view media that is promoting self-help and wellness, I have this huge feeling of wanting to reject or deny whatever they are promoting. Call me suspicious or stubborn, but I hate being told what to do, especially by a tabloid promoting it or a condescending influencer who is probably getting hundred pound facials and a personal trainer on the side. However, I do agree with self-care, and the importance of being mindful - it’s just nowadays it feels so consumer-driven and biased in black and white. 

I sometimes think we forget the smaller things that bring us joy and harmless excitement.  

So, in hugely hypocritical fashion, I’ve come up with a list of things that I prescribe to myself, that I think are fun and maybe aren’t a regular thing, but when I do it, it really is a great time. This is, as I say, extremely hypocritical, but I hope it will open your eyes to the smaller habits that you enjoy and the guilty pleasures that are really guilt-free!

A nice coffee recipe/syrup 

I love coffee, inject it into my veins please, and most of the time I have it in a cafetiere with a splash of milk. But sometimes, whether it’s because I’m early for work, or feeling a bit down, or just want something fun to do – i’ll make myself an extravagant coffee. I pack it with caramel syrup, chocolate powder, even frothy milk and a dust of cinnamon, and by the end, it barely resembles coffee, but something about it feels so exciting, like I’m a child adding whip cream and sprinkles to my plain scoop of vanilla ice-cream, it feels rebellious and it is so much fun! I highly recommend it and it’s so easy! Also, by making your bougie and extra sexy coffees at home, you might actually be saving money from buying it at your local café (although I am a sucker for a iced chai latte to go!)

Chocolate cake in the bath

Now, this one is a bit more specific, but also can be completely personalised!

 I came up with this life-changing idea because recently we had some leftover chocolate cake in the house (I know, rare!) and I had discovered this while my bath was running upstairs.  I realised in that moment, that I could have a slice of cake in the bath! Because as crazy and rebellious as it may seem, it’s actually totally okay to do it, and I was doing nothing wrong! So, I packed my bath full of bubbles and lavender spray, brewed a green tea, grabbed a plate, and popped on a Harry Potter while I lay reclined in my bath with chocolate cake accompanying me. Dare I say, the epitome of luxury? 

A fun outfit to do chores in

This is a controversial one as it may clash with comfort over style. However, I truly believe that if you dress up in an outfit that you feel extra confident in, or something that you’ve always wanted to wear but never been able to, you will get your chores done! I know that’s a very definitive statement, but I can’t tell you how many sheets I’ve changed, or how many essays I’ve completed while in a mini skirt, coloured tights and boots. You truly become another person, an alter-ego you might say and it’s also a great form of self-love, as you are putting in the effort for your own benefit and no one else’s!

A walk in the rain

A quick small one that I just think needs an honourable mention. A walk in the rain. Fantastic! Beautiful! Life-changing! 

Hungover or not, walking in the rain will genuinely bring you to one on one contact with mother nature, and even better if you have accepted the fact you’re going to get soaked. Similar to a lot of these tips, it’s the ‘feeling like you’re breaking a rule’ that makes this so fun, because why not, why shouldn’t you put the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack on while you get pummelled by rain, why not?

Fun fonts, borders and colours

This is aimed specifically towards my academic readers – but adding a border, changing the page colour and using a fun font is genuinely a game-changer. You never have to hand in the piece with all these extras, but having your personality visually on the page as you write is such a motivation and can remind you why you are doing what you are doing! I often add the star border with a pink background, and it keeps me entertained for longer than just a white document and black font does!

I reiterate as I read this back editing, that these are totally personalised to me and my habits, but I hope that by sharing my obscure self-care bits, that you will be reminded of the little things that you like that just make life that little bit sweeter. Bye!