ou know an idea has hit the mainstream
when you see it printed on everything
from shirts and pillows to wine glasses.
Self-care is the latest such trend, and why
shouldn’t it be? Mental health is some-
thing we desperately need to celebrate,
research, and honor. Although benefi ts of
self-care include improved mood, reduced anxiety, and better
overall health, it’s preached by many but followed through on
by few. Honestly, when my day gets hectic, it’s usually one of
the fi rst things I sacrifi ce.
“SELF-CARE IS ABOUT
MAKING THE CONSCIOUS
CHOICE TO BUILD A LIFE
YOU DON’T NEED TO
REGULARLY ESCAPE.”
True self-care doesn’t always look like the popular “treat yo’
self” mentality we see plastered all over the internet, exempli-
fi ed by cliché things like shopping sprees, decadent desserts,
or a hot bath. Now, I’m not saying those options don’t give me
a boost from time to time, because they defi nitely do. But I’ve
come to realize that self-care is about making the conscious
choice to build a life you don’t need to regularly escape. It’s
about making choices for yourself that no one else can, not
about occasional indulgences. Here are some of the best
apps I’ve found that promote true self-care.
Talkspace Online Therapy
(Starting at $65/week)
If you’ve been on the fence about seeing
a therapist, Talkspace is a fantastic option. The
thought of therapy can be intimidating or over-
whelming, and there’s something truly comforting and conve-
nient about being able to talk through your iPhone. Compared
to in-person therapy that typically runs around $150 a session,
Talkspace is an affordable alternative. Just take a question-
naire, and they’ll match you with a licensed therapist within
the same day. Along with scheduled counseling sessions, you
can also send your therapist unlimited texts or video mes-
sages. They also offer different plans, such as scheduled live
video sessions, teen therapy, and couples’ therapy. Talkspace
offers a great way to invest in yourself.
Moment - Screen Time Control
(Free, $3.99/month for Premium)
A challenging part of stress management is
setting and maintaining boundaries in your life.
One habit that used to have a negative effect on
me was excessive use of my phone. I’ve wasted far too much
time idly scrolling away, lost comparing myself to others. I
could’ve put that wasted time toward my self-care goals. If this
is sounding like you, then you might want to consider checking
out Moment. Moment helps you manage device usage and
set phone-free times for everyone in your family. It also offers
different coaching features to help you redirect your focus and
balance your life. If you need some added motivation to truly
force you off your phone, try using Moment and make your
screen time visible to everyone in your family.Sanity & Self: Self-Care Guide
(Free, $99.99/year)
This app is really fun! It offers over 800 guid-
ed audio sessions covering a wide range of
topics such as anxiety, relationships, empow-
erment, self-love, orgasms, living with trauma, fi tness, and
breakups, to name a few. With such a plethora of categories
available, there are tools for basically every journey of life.
Sanity & Self also offers the option to set reminders for your-
self with your various self-care goals and in-app journaling.
One of my favorite features is the community of people that
uses the app. It’s a safe place to build confi dence, share your
struggles, ask questions, or just to feel like you belong.Happy Not Perfect: Meditation
(Free, $11.99/month for Premium)
At times, I catch myself living in a near-constant
state of overwhelm. I have to regularly remind
myself to lower my shoulders from my ears and
unclench my jaw. Little suggestions like that help me keep my
head clear and battle the unconscious ways I’m holding onto
stress. When I use the app Happy Not Perfect, I have a great
toolkit of suggestions and reminders for my mind. The app offers
much more than your typical guided meditations, including inter-
active “mind workouts” that are tailored to your mood. You also
learn calming techniques like how to improve your breathing.
And it helps you set an optimistic mindset for your day. You can
obviously use the app anytime or anywhere, but I really enjoy
taking a few minutes every morning before things get hectic
to practice some quiet mindfulness. It sincerely seems to help
me combat the numerous stressors I encounter every day. This
practice doesn’t solve any of my issues or make them disappear;
instead, I feel better equipped with the mental tools to be able to
handle them appropriately. After all, happiness is not the absence
of opposition; it is the transcendence of it.Reach – Internet Best Friends
(Free)
Having friends can be a huge boost to your
mental health but making new friends as an
adult can be awkward and challenging. Reach
is a great app for fi nding friends. You start by choosing from
various interests, experiences, and cultures, and Reach will
match you with potential friends who share common interests
with the hopes of helping you make an IBF (internet best
friend). A bonus to using Reach is that there aren’t any in-app
purchases, it’s always free, so there’s zero commitment to
download, try it out, and see if it’s for you. Besides using the
app to make friends where you live, you can also use it as a
fantastic tool for making connections while traveling. With
Reach, you now have the opportunity to make a friend from
any city around the world. Making friends online may seem
unconventional, but think about how many people are in rela-
tionships today that started from online dating. This could very
well be the future of friendships for our society!