Keeping a self-care routine is critical right now. During this pandemic, it is so easy to get in a slump. Regardless of your quarantine environment; self-isolating by yourself or with others. Self-care is still critical to maintaining positive energy and staying mentally healthy. Many of us are working from home and having to still tend to a significant other, children, pets, plants, etc. The television is screaming the local and national news at us.
Technology is in heavy rotation constantly stealing our attention. Our cellphones are on a constant busy because someone on the other line needs an escape from their immediate reality. With all the chaos around us, society has still managed to overwhelm us, stress us, and increase anxiety while being at home. Like, how is this possible? I am now stressed out in my happy place, the one place I wanted to be when I am not at work. We have allowed the outside world to enter our domain and who knows how long this new normal will last.
Stop the madness and regain control of your self-care now. Additionally, if you have always struggled with sketching out some time to create self-care this is a perfect time to draw a line in the sand, or at least in your living room and take a stand for yourself. Start a routine that makes you happy and do it daily. My go-to is morning yoga. I start each day with a 35-45 minute routine. I do this first thing, before I check emails, send a text, open my Instagram, or even eat breakfast. I open my yoga app, throw down my mat, and get lost in stimulating my mind, rejuvenating my muscles, and finding stillness in the morning air. I challenge myself to keep my mind clear and focus on my breathing and relaxing my muscles. The calmness and stillness that thrives through my mind, body, and soul help me reduce the stress of starting the day. I notice how grounded I am once I finish my routine. I end my routine in savasana and allow myself to meditate, give thanks to my creator, and empower myself to do the best I can on this day.
Find the routine that works for you and start it now, do not hesitate, or wait. If you do, you will never start. Trust me, I am guilty of this as well. So how do you pick the right routine? By listening to your body. Your body knows what it needs and will help you pick the right routine. Yoga and daily meditation are my go-to routines. When I miss a day, watch out world, I am nothing nice. My thinking is off, I am not as efficient as I know I can be, and I feel crabby all day long. So, listen to what your body needs, it will tell you. If you feel heavy and lethargic, find an exercise routine you can do.
Your hands can not stay still, think about gardening or home improvement projects. Your mind will not stay focused, start journaling, drawing, or get yourself an adult coloring book with dynamic color markers. This will help you mind rest. The secret is your body is telling you what it needs; you need to do a better job of listening. You will know you found the right routine when you find yourself looking forward to engaging in the act daily. Once your routine starts, keep it and repeat daily to fully reap the benefits of self-soothing your mind, body, and soul. It will quickly become a necessity in your daily life, allowing you to support your self-care needs. So don’t hesitate, find a quiet space, take a deep breath in, hold it, and then exhale. Repeat until you are calm and start mentally searching your body for your new self-care
routine. I believe in your efforts.
SNH