When you hear the words self care, you might picture a bubble bath, a face mask, or maybe a weekend yoga retreat. And while those are valid and often much-needed ways to recharge, self-care doesn’t have to be expensive, time-consuming, or involve perfect lighting and essential oils.
Sometimes, the most powerful form of self care is right outside your door.
Whether it’s part of your Saturday self care routine or an after work activity during the week, exploring your own neighborhood can be an unexpectedly restorative experience. It’s a chance to slow down, notice your surroundings, and reconnect with your inner calm. Check out a few other non-traditional forms of self care and how to add novelty to your weekdays.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you click and buy, I may make a commission at no additional cost to you.
Rethinking Self Care: Beyond the Usual Practices
When I hear “self-care,” I instantly picture cozy Saturdays filled with long baths, skincare rituals, and lounging in my favorite pair of sweats. Those classic examples of self-care are valuable, but how do you participate in self-care outside of your favorite beauty products?
True self care is about intentionally nurturing your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Lately, I’ve been expanding my self care days to include more than just beauty routines. I realized I was overlooking one of the simplest ways to support my mind: getting outside and exploring.
One of my favorite self-care Saturday rituals now includes a short walk or mini-adventure in my own neighborhood. I’ve been taking new routes and rediscovering areas I’ve passed by before but have never fully taken in.
There’s research that supports this too: a study published by Nature Neuroscience found that introducing new and diverse experiences into your daily routine, like visiting new places nearby, can significantly boost happiness.
If you’re building your own self care planner, try adding a weekly walk or local exploration, whether it’s part of your self-care Saturdays or something you reserve for self-care Sundays. Think of it as a mini self care retreat, right outside your door.
How diverse daily experiences are linked to happiness
This article from NYU does a great job of summarizing a study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience. This study found that new and diverse daily experiences are linked to increased happiness, and this emotional boost is associated with greater coordination between brain regions involved in processing novelty (the hippocampus) and reward (the striatum).
By tracking participants via GPS over several months in New York and Miami and surveying their emotional states, researchers discovered that people felt more positive on days they visited a greater variety of locations. MRI scans further supported this by showing a neural connection between these exploratory behaviors and elevated mood. Even small shifts in routine, like taking a different route, may offer similar mental health benefits. This research suggests a strong, reciprocal link between environmental variety and subjective well-being.
Photo by Dezaldy Irfan on Unsplash
How to Decide Where to Go
Check in with yourself, what do you need most today?
Here are a few easy ideas to try:
- Take a new route to a familiar place.
- Visit a neighborhood you’ve heard about but never explored.
- Try a different entrance to a park or trail system.
- Let a dice roll or coin flip decide which turn to take.
- Use Google Maps or AllTrails to discover nearby green spaces or walking loops.
The goal is not to go far or see something spectacular. It’s about being open to what’s right around you.
My Recent Mini Adventure
Living in Chicago, we’re lucky to have access to amazing public transportation, which makes spontaneous adventures surprisingly easy. Just last weekend, I tried something new for my Saturday self care: I flipped a coin to decide whether to head north or south on the train, then rolled a die to determine how many stops to ride. I had a general idea of the area I was heading to, but no specific destinations in mind.
After I got off the train, I walked around the neighborhood, found a coffee shop to read in, and before I went home, I stopped at the store for some flowers. It was a lovely day without a set plan.
This experience made me realize that my self-care Saturdays don’t always need to be structured. That said, I’m usually someone who prefers a well-thought-out itinerary. I’m the “arrive at the airport two hours early with everyone’s tickets” kind of person. I like to know where I’ll go, what I’ll see, and how to make the most of it.
But stepping out without a plan and treating the day like a mini self care retreat helped me understand the magic that often happens when we release control. It’s a small, low-stakes way to embrace spontaneity and just go with the flow.
If you’re trying out new self care challenges, I highly recommend adding local exploration to your list. Whether it’s part of your weekend routine or a once-in-a-while treat, a mini-adventure like this is a fun, simple way to reconnect with yourself and your city.
What to Bring on Your Mini Self Care Adventure
You truly do not have to bring anything on your mini adventure, outside of the basics like your phone and wallet, but trying something new can always be a little intimidating. Bringing a few items, like a book or headphones, can help you feel less awkward and enhance your experience.
Items I always bring:
- Good Walking Shoes
- My Favorite Water Bottle
- Tote Bag
- Phone & Wallet (of course)
- Sunglasses
Bonus Items:
- A Book I’m Reading
- My Kindle
- Headphones
- Digital Camera
- Notebook or Journal & Pens
How Long Does It Need to Be?
One of the best things about a walk or local mini-adventure is that there’s no “right” length. Whether you have 20 minutes between errands or two free hours on a quiet afternoon, it counts.
Even a short walk around the block can act as a reset button for your mind. Try going a new route this time to mix it up. It’s not about how far you go or how long you’re out; it’s about the intention behind it. Taking a break from your screen, changing your scenery, and being present in your environment can do wonders for your mood and clarity.
If you’re someone who tends to over-schedule or feel pressed for time, try setting a timer or choosing a loose endpoint. That way, you permit yourself to relax without worrying about what’s next.
Better yet, make it a ritual. Add it to your calendar as a weekly standing date with yourself. A 30-minute wander on a self-care Saturday, or a peaceful hour on a self care Sunday, can become a cherished routine that feels like a mini self care retreat. Check out a few other forms of self care and how to add novelty to your weekdays.
If you’re experimenting with new self care challenges, make this one of your go-to practices. It’s easy to do, totally customizable, and has a lasting impact!
So next time you think about self care, don’t limit yourself to candles and skincare routines, though those can be lovely, too. It can be as simple as lacing up your shoes and stepping out of your front door. Whether it’s part of your self-care Saturday or a spontaneous midweek stroll, exploring your own neighborhood invites presence, curiosity, and calm. It’s not about how far you go or how long you’re out, it’s about making space to care for yourself in real, tangible ways. With every step, you’re not just discovering new corners of your city, you’re also rediscovering yourself.
