8 Of Our Favorite Self-Care Indulgences
Is it just us or has January 2018 hit you hard, too? The new year has brought some extremely exciting, but also extremely stressful stuff our way, and through dealing with that, we've learned that we've still got quite a bit to learn about self-care.
It's easy to neglect yourself when you're busy tending to other relationships, making sure the chores are done, trying to get where you want to be career-wise — the list goes on and on. But, it's important to make some time for yourself, too. Because if you're not in tip top shape, how on Earth are those other portions of your life going to fall into place?
It sounds simple. Take some time to treat yourself. Even if it's just by reading a book every once in a while. But, it's definitely easier said than done. And don't worry — we're right there with you.
One of the things that's been helping us gear up to take better care of ourselves is the new Self Service Podcast from Girlboss Media. It's a great way to learn more about why self-care is important and the best, truly rewarding little ways you can take better care of you. If you haven't heard it yet — it's definitely worth a listen.
Self-care is a never-ending journey, one that changes to suit your current needs. So, give these tips a try, if you think they could work for you. We'll be trying them out right along with you until we've found a method that really works. Because 2018's only just begun — but it hasn't gotten the best of us yet. Oh no — far from it, in fact!
1. Yoga
We cannont rave about the Yoga With Adriene YouTube channel enough. We stumbled upon her channel this summer, and we've been hooked ever since. She's manages to foster an environment that helps you to push your limits, while also appreciating where you're at. It's all about the journey, after all. We've been working our way through her 30 day yoga series this month, and it really helps us to feel less stress and put things into perspective, even if only for a few minutes.
2. Face Mask & Chill
Our face mask of choice is of course, one from Glossier. We love to take the 20 mins that this mask requires to really work wonders on our skin to just chill out. Whatever that means for you is fine. Does that mean cuddling up with a cup of tea? Watching Netflix? Take 20 mins to do something for yourself. We all deserve at least that much, after all.
3. Nighttime Skincare Routine
We really take time to pamper ourselves at night. After a long day, it's relaxing to just take 10-15 minutes to wash our face, moisturize and really — do what we can to combat the toll that stress takes on our faces! It's a great way to unwind and a good excuse to take just a few minutes for ourselves at the end of a long day.
4. Make Time For Quality Content
This podcast is just the kind of thing we've been needing. It's nice to know that we're not alone in our struggles with taking the proper time for ourselves. It's also great to hear from experts — psychologists, astrologers and more. It's a time for us to learn how to better ourselves, and that kind of time is important. So, make a space in your schedule for a podcast or book that's going to help you push your boundaries.
5. Let It All Out
Whether you're having a glass of wine with a friend or writing in your journal, it's important to talk about your feelings to a non-judgmental audience. It can be easy to internalize the feelings that wind up weighing heavy on us later, but that's nothing some honest, open communication can't fix, right? So, pour a glass of wine and get really real with yourself! It's totally worth it.
6. Take A Bath
Taking a nice, long bath or shower is sometimes all you need. Taking care of yourself doesn't have to take a whole lot of time or cost anything. A little rest and relaxation goes a long way towards rejuvenation.
7. Treat Yo' Self
Perhaps one of the most important steps in this self-care process is to treat yourself and celebrate the little accomplishments. Whether you treat yourself to a sweet treat or a manicure, do something to show yourself how much you really matter!
8. Unplug
Now, we'll be the first to admit that this is often the hardest part. But, if you can take some time out of your day to just be present — not on Instagram, not checking your email and not taking phone calls — then you'll be on your way to taking much better care of yourself, and that's what we're all striving for here, right?
Who's ready to get in some quality "me time." We're right there with you! It's high time we started self-caring as shamelessly and fearlessly as we take on everything else in our lives. So, here's to us!
Want to learn more about how we're striving to better ourselves in 2018? Read all about what gets us motivated!
--Labels and Lacquer girls