Keeping in mind the ABCs, and considering what you already know about yourself, it is recommended that you develop and maintain your own written self-care plan. This can include large interventions like holidays away or regular meditation or small, like finding one thing to appreciate each day, or playing your guitar more regularly, or just doing something fun for the sake of it. If this is to be more than a token exercise, the following guidelines are strongly suggested:

• Make sure it is written down, and kept somewhere accessible, so that it can be readily reviewed, and things added.
• Have it witnessed by a 'buddy' for whom you become a witness, and use each other to check in on progress and to encourage each other through obstacles. We are much more likely to put things into practice if we feel accountable to another.
• Keep it realistic and manageable - don't set yourself up to fail!
• Keep it as positive as possible - instead of focusing on giving up things that are bad for you, concentrate on doing more that is good for you.
• Celebrate your self-care achievements.