A guide to self-care from The Mix & community

Image 1:
There is a drawing of a young person hugging themselves with four clouds drawn onto the background of the image. There are also two heart illustrations drawn on the background of the image. The heading of the image reads 'A guide to self-care', and there is a text box to the right of the young person with text inside that reads 'What is self-care, why is it important and how can we do it?'

Image 2:
The heading of the image reads 'What is self-care?' and is in the top centre of the image. There is text below that reads 'Self-care is about actively taking care of ourselves and our mental health. Sometimes we can worry that self-care is selfish, but it is essential to know that it is not selfish at all. We are important and we all deserve to take time to look after ourselves.'

Image 3:
The heading of the image reads 'WHY DO I NEED TO DO IT?' and is in the top centre of the image. The text below reads 'Being a young person can be tough.
We live in a society full of pressures whether they be from school, family, friends, work or the media. Sometimes we end up prioritising them over our own physical and mental health. Taking time to care for ourselves, listen to how we're feeling and what we need can greatly help with our mental health.'

Image 4:
The heading of the image reads 'HOW CAN WE DO THE SELF-CARE THING?' There is text below that reads 'Self-care is totally individual and can be anything that helps us care for ourselves. It can be a 5-minute activity, setting a boundary with someone, trying something new, being kind to ourselves or taking a break to do nothing at all. Take time to discover what self-care looks like and remember that it's okay if our self-care thing is different to others.'

Image 5:
The heading of the image reads 'WHAT CAN SELF-CARE LOOK LIKE?'. There is text below that reads 'It can be hard to know how to look after ourselves. What is most important is what it does for us and how it makes us feel. We spoke to members of our online community to find out how they look after their wellbeing.'

Image 6:
There is an illustration of a head with a heart inside and the text below reads '"To look after my wellbeing, firstly it helps to acknowledge when I'm struggling. Knowing and accepting you aren't feeling your best can make it a whole lot easier to take the next step." Below this is an illustration of a TV and the text below reads '"I like to just be by myself and have a break from doing anything other than watching my favourite TV shows and making some good food."'

Image 7:
There is an illustration of a music symbol with text below that reads "Making sure I get enough sleep, going outside, listening to music, having a nice shower, watching something fun to cheer myself up, speaking to my best friend, and looking at positive quotes.". Below this is a drawing of a flower and text below that reads "Just spending a bit of time away from distractions and stressors to focus on something simple works wonders."

Image 8:
There is an illustration of a thread of wool with text below that reads "I also crochet and knit which I find helps to ground me in the present as I move from each stitch feeling the textures.". Below this is an illustration of a pencil that reads "Journalling and writing poems about how I'm feeling". Below this is an illustration of a coffee mug with text below that reads "Drink tea and watch Disney".

Image 9:
There is an illustration of a mobile phone with text below that reads "Having phone-free time every so often really helps me switch off and properly get into my other hobbies!". Below this is an illustration of a music symbol with text below that reads "For me music is my escape. Putting on my headphones and just zoning to some tunes helps me to relax."