We make time for many things, such as chores, work, family, and friends. But while we can seem to stretch time as long as we need, we often neglect to do this for ourselves. We put ourselves on the back burner too many times. Dedicating time to your self-care is often seen as an indulgence more than a necessity.
But just like a good diet and regular exercise, prioritizing our holistic wellness is a healthy move. It's a good habit to practice self-care as much as possible.
Understanding that self-care is not necessarily always a big splurge opens the door to more options.
1. Get Your Body Relaxed
Nowadays, it isn't hard to find a good massage therapist and other places across the country. Massage schools rigorously train therapists before connecting them with spas or other care centers.
Getting a full-body massage can help remove aches and pains while promoting lymphatic draining. This helps your body flush toxins while improving blood circulation. If you don't have time for a full-body deep tissue massage, even a foot rub or scalp massage will stimulate your mind to release endorphins.
Sometimes even when we are not in action, the body retains the tension of the day. Connect your body and mind by allowing your muscles to relax.
2. Meditate with Quiet Time
The powers of meditation have long been praised. But for many people, even just getting to the headspace to induce meditation is tricky.
But many say that you don't necessarily need to think of anything to meditate. It's more about not thinking of anything at all. You don't have to force yourself to think calm and serene thoughts.
Instead, an easy trick is to focus on your breathing as you slowly inhale and exhale. You can play ambient noise or guided meditation if you need to shut out any distractions. Aromatherapy can also help set the mood.
You can also forget the pressure of having to meditate for a full set of minutes. Alternatively, you can meditate for as short or as long as you like. If you can or want to only meditate for 30 seconds that will do.
3. Mimic a Spa at Home
Spas are inherently relaxing thanks to all the elements they present. You can bring these same features at home, too.
The scent of a spa (think herbal and warm) can be achieved with a diffuser or candle. The aroma alone will set the tone and automatically set your brain on chill mode.
You can also stock your fridge with infused water. Not only is it healthy, but it's also tasty and inexpensive. Try adding things like citrus, cucumber, or mint to your water. You don't have to add too much, either. You can even use most of the ingredients for your meal and just pop the clean excess in the water. If you want a warm drink, try tea. Chai is a great choice. As more people begin to see the impact of practicing self-care, we also begin to understand what we need. The list of self-care options is limitless. You can even include getting therapy or reading a book. What touches you and helps put you at ease is what self-care is truly all about.
