My Self Care Golden Ticket
So the world is once again starting to open up and it feels good doesn’t it? Pubs, shops, hairdressers - yes to all those! Sending love and enormous luck to all those businesses now re-emerging.
I’m feeling joy and excitement, combined with a cautious approach to re-entry. I’m moving forward with intention and continuing with the simple, consistent practices that have been my golden ticket to emotional, mental and physical wellbeing.
Here’s what I do daily to nourish myself so I have the energy and resources for those times when I need some inner back-up:
Breathing: before I even leave my bed I do 40 deep belly breaths, holding my breath at the end of the final exhalation and then at the top of the final inhalation for as long as comfortable. Repeat x 3. I’ll write more another time why this is such a great practice, but for now you’ll simply have to trust me.
Meditation: a 5-15 minute meditation helps me clear my mind for the day ahead. I’ll either sit in silence or pick a guided meditation from Insight Timer.
Going to bed early - OK I know I’m sounding like an old person, but I LOVE going to bed early. To me it feels like such a treat to snuggle down in silence with my book or journal. And I get to wake up early enough to have time for my morning rituals...double bonus!
Getting outside and walking everywhere I can. A dog helps. Borrow mine if you don’t have one.
Reading inspiring books (fiction and non-fiction) rather than looking at my phone. Evenings are my biggest challenge, I’ll find my phone in my hand and Instagram on my screen without even knowing how it happened. Lately, I’ve had to leave my phone in another room to reduce temptation.
Which leads me to, unfollowing unhelpful stuff on social media. By which I mean anything that makes you feel less than, lacking, stressed…Follow only what makes you feel inspired, motivated, uplifted. Cull now.
No news is good news. I’ve had a news blackout for as long as I can remember. I rarely watch it, read it or listen to it. The important stuff will find its way to you and you don’t need the rest.
Writing in my journal. The act of writing things down is magical. It makes them happen, it engraves memories on your heart, it clears your head. I can’t recommend it highly enough. More of this also another time.
And you know, just to bring a bit of balance into the equation, there’s all kinds of other stuff I wish I did to make life easier and better, but don’t.
I leave meal prep to the last minute on pretty much a daily basis. Around 7.30pm you’ll find me and the rest of my family starving and staring in the fridge, willing something delicious and nutritious to appear.
I constantly multi task, even though I know it’s not effective or necessary.
I’m easily distracted and while I’ve been writing this blog have also:
googled who said “What fresh hell is this?” (Dorothy Parker)
and then went off to find the Dorothy Parker paperback that I had in university and starting reading it (“You Might As Well Live” - highly recommended but out of print, this will do just as well)
phoned a friend to tell her about the dream I had about her last night where she was eating chicken kebabs and chain smoking (she’s vegan and the cleanest living person I know…)
tried on a few pairs of shoes and a couple of dresses (shopping in my wardrobe…)
Hey ho, just like everyone else, I’m a work in progress. What will you be doing to stay grounded and well as we move out of lockdown?