Fill a box or bag of items that are meaningful to you and give you hope. It can also be a good idea to put in things that soothe your senses and help you to care for yourself. Self-care is not just necessary, it is essential.
It is a good idea to include things that help to keep you distracted if you are experiencing distressing thoughts. Decorate your box as you wish – get creative! If you can’t put the item in the bag or box, then use a reminder of the item in the form of a picture.
We’ve put together some example of things you could include but feel free to add anything that helps you.
- Pictures of friends and family
- Magazines
- Puzzle books
- Positive coping statements
- A prompt to go into nature
- DVDs
- Prompts for your favourite YouTube videos
- A soft blanket
- A grounding object
- A fidget toy
- Nail varnish
- Bubble bath
- Hand cream
- Fluffy socks
- Helpful numbers to call
- A guided meditation
- Some music to play or a picture of an instrument
- Prompts to listen to a playlist that fills you with hope
- An audio book
- A cake mix
- Popping candy
- Camomile tea
- Your favourite snack
- Cuppa soup
- Hot chocolate sachet
- A spray of perfume on something from someone you love
- Scented candle
- Lavender spray