5 Ways to Elevate Your Self-Care Routine
Self-care is vitally important, especially right now, in this time of crisis and social distancing…
Stress and anxiety are at an all-time high right now. Now more than ever, it is essential to do things for yourself that will help reduce the stress and anxiety you are feeling. Self-care is an excellent way for you to do that.
How do you do that? You ask… I want to give you some ideas on how you can take care of yourselves and relieve stress and anxiety.
1. CBD - is an excellent choice to help your body function at it's best ability. CBD works with your endocannabinoid system and supports your body to help maintain homeostasis (balance). The endocannabinoid system has two receptors.
CB1 can help with issues like:
● Motor activity
● Thinking
● Motor coordination
● Appetite
● Short-term memory
● Pain perception
Immune cell response
CB2 can help with issues like:
● Gut
● Kidneys
● Pancreas
● Skeletal muscle
● Bone
● Eye
● Reproductive system
● Immune system
● Respiratory system
● Skin
● Cardiovascular system
● Liver function
● And more
As you can see, CBD has a whole host of benefits and will help your body cope with the issues that you are bombarded with daily. CBD supports you and helps you to keep going by providing your body with an extra level of support for overall health maintenance.
2. Exercise - Move your body, change your mind!
There is an overwhelming amount of research that states that if you move your body, it changes your mindset, increase brain function, memory, learning skills, increase happiness, and so much more.
By moving your body daily through exercise (of your choice), you can shift your mindset and release the crazy amount of stress and anxiety that we are all feeling due to the external circumstance that we are experiencing right now.
You don't have to do a hardcore workout unless that is what you want to do. Simple stretching, dancing to your favorite songs, going for a walk, or anything that can get you to move and use that precious body of yours will work.
Exercising provides you with immediate relief and is one of the best ways to increase your immune system and keep your body healthy and functioning at its best.
3. Meditation - I know that when we see the word meditation, most people's first response is to say things like, "I am not good at that" or" I don't know how to meditate." It is ok; I didn't either. That is why it is a practice. It takes time, patience, and a willingness to do something good for yourself.
The purpose of meditation is to slow down, do intentional breathing, and quiet the mind. When you start, you will notice all kinds of thoughts pop up, from the grocery list to do and everything in between. That is normal! Allow the thoughts to come into your mind, acknowledge them, and then return to your mind to your breath and feelings of love and gratitude.
Meditation is a great way to quiet your "Monkey Mind." Monkey Mind is the voice inside your head that can get lost down the rabbit hole of negative thoughts, fear, worry, and panic.
Just by sitting in silence, doing intentional breathing, and thinking of things you love and are grateful for, you shift your energy to the positive. Which then positively affects everyone around you. Don't we all need that right now?
Another great benefit of meditation that we don't always think about is that you are breathing and pumping oxygen into the lungs; therefore, your whole body. We typically don't use the bottom half of our lungs, due to shallow breathing and holding our breath. Something most of us don't even realize that we do.
Benefits of deep breathing include:
● Increases oxygen and nutrients to your body cells.
● It helps to increase blood supply and nutrients to your muscles, blood, and bones.
● Relaxes muscle spasm and relieves tension.
● Releases and reduces muscular tension that can eventually cause structural problems.
● It supports muscle growth and provides energy.
● Boosts immune function
4. Journaling - To say life is stressful right now, might be the understatement of the century. We are bombarded by so much ever-changing information, which can leave us feeling helpless, and like life is out of control.
Whatever the feelings are that you are having, they are not right or wrong, they just are.
So... Sitting down and getting all of those feelings out onto paper, will allow you to release the uncontrollable emotions and feelings that are continually being stirred up inside of us daily.
Journalling will enable you to free your mind so you can focus on what is important and release the rest. That way, you are not carrying it around with you.
Benefits include:
● Stress Relief
● Allows self-reflection
● Boost memory
● Inspires creativity
● Can help reduce anxiety, stress, and depression
● Strengthens the immune cells, called T-Lymphocytes
5. Healthy Eating - This is something that I think most people don't think of as self-care. Yet, what we put in our body is one of the most critical forms of self-care. If your body doesn't get the beneficial vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that it needs, it will not be able to fight off and kill viruses and bacteria that make us sick. Much less be able to function and thrive. Food is medicine, and everything that you put into your body either strengthens or weakens your body.
Now more than ever, it is so important to fill your body with foods that will enhance your immune system and fuel your body with all the good stuff it needs.
Other small forms of self-care:
● Epsom Salt baths (with essential oils)
● Skin Brushing
● Face and Hair Mask
● Skin Hydration (lotion or oil for your skin)
● Quiet time, with an eye mask and white noise
● Self-massage
● Self-acupressure
● Tapping
Given half a chance, our bodies know how to heal themselves. It is your job to provide your body with the tools it needs to have a fighting chance.