This worksheet helps you build a Self-Care Toolkit: a list of activities and objects that help you turn your attention toward comfort and balance when pain or difficult feelings are strong. Turning attention away from pain is not the same as suppression or denial. It is a way to cope when feelings become overwhelming, and it can be explored both ahead of hard times and in reflection afterward.
Build your toolkit
The checklist includes deep breathing, stretching, time in nature, journaling, talking to a friend, listening to music, yoga or mindful movement, a bath, a puzzle, laughter, and seeking professional support, with room to add your own. You can also note grounding objects, such as a favorite book, poem, or blanket.
Reflect after you try it
- The next time you feel pain, note which activity, practice, or object you turned to. How would you rate the pain when it first arose, and again five minutes into the practice?
- What other practices might help you refocus during difficult times? Are there barriers to trying them, and how might you work with those barriers?
Shifting attention may ease some discomfort for some people. It does not replace medical or mental health care, and for persistent or severe pain it is worth talking with your doctor.
