Hello there, lovely! I hope you’re having a beautiful weekend. The weather in Halifax has been gorgeous! On Saturday morning, I went to my first yoga class that I’ve been to (as a student) in weeks, and it felt so rejuvenating and refreshing for my mind, body, and spirit. It’s been a bit of a stressful time in my life throughout the past few weeks. Stress, fear, and tension seemed to quickly replace what was a sense of ease, peace, and joy. You’d think that a yoga class would have been just what I needed at a time like this. Well, as we know, our self-care is usually the first thing we let go of when our overall well-being takes a decline. Ironic, no? It’s not always possible to take the time out of our lives to head to a yoga class, sit for a 45-minute meditation, or make healthy meals each day of the week, especially when you’re dealing with insane schedules, personal stressors, and more. However, it’s important that amidst all of the stress (and a few too many coffee + takeout orders), you take a moment. You take a moment to breathe. You take a moment to write down one thing you can do for yourself that day that may give you some respite, extra energy, or sense of calm.
Here’s a few of my top self-care habits that don’t require a huge time commitment:

♥ Ask for Help. Reach out to friends or family members who are likely happy to lend a helping hand in times of need. I’ve gotten much better at saying ‘ok!’ when my loved ones offer to pick up a coffee, make supper, or simply lend an ear.

♥ Take a Time Out. If you’re able to, retreat to someplace quiet & secluded. Once there, simply sit and breathe. Feel whatever may be coming up, and breathe.

♥ Exercise.You won’t feel like doing this one, but moving your body is so good for you in times of stress and difficulty. If you’ve only got 10 minutes, then simply take 10 minutes and make it count.

♥ Drink Up! No, not wine 😉 Try to carry a 1-litre waterbottle with you at all times, and make an effort to fill this up about 2-3 times each day.

♥ Take a Self-Compassion Break. Kristin Neff proposes a 3-step process that I love to use in times of distress. It sounds simple, but can be quite soothing. Say to yourself, 1) ‘This is a moment of suffering.’ (Or: ‘ouch’, ‘this hurts’); 2) Suffering is a part of life (or ‘I’m not alone’, ‘Other people feel this way’); Now place your hands over your heart, and say 3) ‘May I be Kind to Myself’ (or ‘May I be strong’, ‘May I be patient’, May I accept myself the way I am, etc’).

♥ Do Something You Enjoy. This may sound vague, but of course it differs for all of us. Again, you may not have much time during this period in your life, so that will come in to play as a factor. This could be as simple as watching an episode of your favourite tv show, browsing through a magazine (particularly if a book requires too much focus that you may not have), chat with a good friend, bake cookies, or pet your dog/cat. Make sure to do these mindfully, not mindlessly 🙂

♥ Take a Bath. Pour some epsom salts in there, along with a few drops of lavender essential oil or the doTERRA Serenity blend (one of my favourites!)