We know these are stressful times. So far, 2020 has been a rough year, and climate change and COVID-19 feel like apocalyptic challenges. On top of just going through the basics of staying alive during a pandemic, you’re also still dealing with the regular pressures of life. (Unfortunately, you can’t always take a break from those, even during a global crisis.) Taking care of yourself is essential to being able to assist others—including the animals who need your help now more than ever. That’s why we’ve put together this handy pandemic self-care guide to help you wind down while staying animal-friendly.
Go Vegan
You may have guessed it already, but this is our number one tip for self-care in the time of COVID-19. Why? Because if the world goes vegan, that’s a surefire way to avoid pandemics in the future. By going vegan, you will also personally spare the lives of nearly 200 animals per year. It’s such a self-confidence boost when you know you’re doing something good for animals every time you eat a meal! It’s also so much better for your personal health and the environment. Seriously, being vegan is like being a superhero.
Bake Something Sweet
Take some time to learn how to bake your favorite treat or treats from scratch. Here are some ideas: cinnamon rolls, carrot cake, brownies, cookies, croissants, and banana bread. Or try one of these vegan food trends people are creating in isolation.
Catch Up With Friends and Family
Host a Zoom party with your friends or catch up with your family, and don’t forget to use our filters to spread the word that going vegan is the thing to do—especially in a post-pandemic world.
Yoga and Meditation
Yoga and meditation are both major stress relievers, and getting any form of physical exercise when you’re inside all day can make you feel so much better. Since you have more time to focus on yourself, explore how the teachings of yoga can coincide with animal rights and being vegan by reading Yoga and Veganism: The Diet of Enlightenment by Sharon Gannon, with a foreword by PETA President Ingrid Newkirk.
Aromatherapy
Using essential oils for aromatherapy can help you relax and unwind. The brand “ECO. Modern Essentials” makes some of our favorites. Check out the Deep Sleep Aroma Trio and the Immune Support Blend for some help with feeling calm, centered, and healthy. You can use them in a diffuser, in the shower or bath, or even on your pillow at night. Just double-check to make sure they’re safe to use around your animal companions.
Pamper Yourself
With so little physical contact these days, it’s important to find ways to relieve stress and release endorphins, and relaxing facials can make you feel beautiful and pampered. PETA Business Friend 7th Heaven has a face mask to suit whatever mood you’re in, and they’re affordable, too—after all, saving money is a form a self-care.
Do Something Good for Animals
Animals need your support now more than ever, so order a free “Help End Speciesism While in Quarantine” kit to help you practice activism safely while you’re in isolation. If you have the means to do so, consider fostering an animal companion. It will help improve the life of a dog or cat in need, and you’ll also gain a great friend along the way.
Learn Something New
Reading is a relaxing activity, and it helps open your mind to new ideas. Check out our recent favorite books, Animalkind and Voices for Animal Liberation, for inspirational stories about animals and the humans who work to help them.
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James Cromwell thinks that animal-abusing tourist sites belong “Six Feet Under.” Find out what he said in a letter to the Egyptian government, and watch PETA’s latest mini documentary.
