#6 SELF CARE: Fun Ways to Care for Yourself When You Have FASD

Living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) can sometimes feel challenging, but taking care of yourself doesn’t have to be boring or difficult.

Here are creative and fun ways to practice self-care that are perfect for people with FASD:

1. Create a Sensory Box
   Fill a box with items that feel good to touch, smell nice, or are visually calming. This could include soft fabrics, scented candles, or colorful fidget toys. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, spend some time exploring your sensory box. Create a box filled with various textures, scents, and small objects. This can help with sensory regulation and provide a calming activity when feeling overwhelmed.
2. Dance Party for One
   Put on your favorite upbeat music and have a dance party in your room. Dancing is great exercise and can boost your mood. Don’t worry about looking silly – just have fun!
3. Color Coding Fun
   Use colored markers or stickers to organize your belongings or schedule. This can make daily tasks more manageable and add a splash of fun to your routine.
4. Color-Coded Relaxation Routine: Develop a visual chart using different colors to represent calming activities. For example, blue could mean deep breathing, green for stretching, and yellow for listening to soothing music. You can even purchase stress balls in these colors and put them in a basket, then close your eyes and pick one. What did you get? GREEN, then start stretching!
5. Nature Scavenger Hunt
   Go outside and try to find items of different colors or textures. This can be a fun way to get some fresh air and practice focusing on the present moment.
6. Create a Comfort Corner
   Set up a cozy space in your home with soft pillows, blankets, and calming lights. This can be your go-to spot when you need to relax or feel overwhelmed.
7. Mindful Snack Time
   Turn snack time into a mindful activity. Choose a favorite healthy snack and focus on its taste, texture, and smell as you eat slowly.
8. Laughter Yoga or PraiseMoves LIFT classes
   Look up some laughter yoga videos online and join in. It might feel silly at first, but laughing (even if it’s forced at the beginning) can help reduce stress.
9. Create a Vision Board
   Cut out pictures from magazines that represent things you like or goals you have. Arrange them on a poster board to create a visual reminder of what makes you happy.
10. Emotion Check-In Board: Design a visual board with different emotions represented by colors or images. Use this for regular check-ins to promote emotional awareness.
11. Bubble Blowing Breathing
    Blowing bubbles can be a fun way to practice deep breathing. Focus on taking deep breaths as you blow bubbles and watch them float away.
12. Gratitude Jar
    Decorate a jar and each day, write down one thing you’re grateful for on a small piece of paper. When you’re feeling down, read through your gratitude notes.
13. Nature Walks: Take short walks outdoors, focusing on noticing different colors, textures, or sounds in nature. This combines physical activity with your special calming practice.
14. Imagination Pictures: Use simple picture cards or a tablet to guide through calming visualizations, helping to focus attention and reduce anxiety.
15. Rhythmic Movement Activities: Engage in activities like drumming, dancing to a steady beat, or using a rocking chair. These can help with self-regulation and provide a soothing sensory experience.
16. Simplified Breathing Exercises: Practice easy-to-follow breathing techniques, such as “balloon breathing” (imagining inflating and deflating a balloon in the belly) or using a pinwheel to visualize breath.
17. Coloring: Use adult coloring books or simple mandala patterns as a way to practice focus and relaxation.
18. Tactile Stress Balls: Create custom stress balls using balloons filled with various materials (rice, flour, beads) to provide a calming sensory experience.
19. Mindful Snack Time: Practice mindful eating by slowly enjoying a favorite snack, focusing on its taste, texture, and smell. This can help develop present-moment awareness.

Self-care looks different for everyone.

Try out these ideas and see which ones work best for you. The most important thing is to find activities that make you feel good and help you manage the challenges that come with FASD.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help from friends, family, or caregivers if you need support in trying out these activities. Taking care of yourself is important, and it can be fun too!

TODAY’S NOTE: “Self care and fun looks different to everyone. Find some things that work for you. As my world got smaller so has fun!” – In Solidarity, Liz“