How a Comfort Box Can Enhance Your Mental Well-being

Lately, I’ve been thinking about creating a comfort box. I picture it as my own kind of emergency safety kit. Instead of band-aids and batteries, it will hold things that bring me warmth, coziness, and reassurance when life feels overwhelming. Some days are just harder than others, and in those moments, I know I need extra love and care to get me through.

For me, anxiety and stress are constant companions, so I need things to carry me through a difficult day. Creating a comfort box feels like a promise to myself—a promise that no matter how heavy things get, I’ll have something handy to remind me that I can get through it.

Here’s my ultimate comfort box:

• A book – Reading has always been my necessary escape from reality. When I’m lost in a story, I can step away from my worries and relax a little bit.
• A journal – My emotional outlet. Writing gives me a space to release my emotions and put them somewhere safe.
• Photo albums (yes, the old-school kind!) – Photos help reignite fond memories and remind me of moments that brought me joy. Looking through them instantly makes me feel emotionally connected.
• A spiky fidget tool – Because sometimes I feel too much, and I need something tactile to help me release that extra energy and regulate my senses.
• A Voluspa candle – Hands down, the best scented brand. It’s nostalgic, calming, and always puts me at ease when I’m overwhelmed and just need a scent that eases my mind.
• A calming coloring book – For moments when I need to settle down, coloring books help to quiet my mind. It’s something simple and soothing to focus on.
• My Dodgers World Series rally towel – I couldn’t make a comfort box without something Dodgers-related. It connects me to a part of myself that’s full of joy, passion, and community.
• A small jar of happy thoughts – Inspired by a friend who once created a jar of wishes for someone ill, which brought so much joy. I love the idea of filling it with affirmations and reminders for encouragement on dark days.
• Snacks – Of course, I couldn’t do without peanut butter cups or M&Ms. Add in some salted popcorn and a few other munchies, and I’m set. Sometimes comfort really does come in the form of a favorite snack.

All of these things, small as they may seem, remind me that I’m cared for, safe, and a little less alone. So yes, I’m going to make one of these comfort boxes for myself—and I encourage you to do the same. Life gets hard, and having something tangible to hold onto is self-care at its finest.

What would you put in your own comfort box?

“Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.”

Katie Reed