2020… What a year! Now more than ever it’s become so prevalent to focus on both our physical and mental health. Sounds like an easy concept to incorporate right? Well, easier said than done! Oftentimes we find ourselves saying things like; “I’ll take my vitamins, I WILL get that work-out in or book that much needed laser treatment to help with my skin insecurities.” But we don’t always follow through. Practicing Self-Care as we ride the pandemic wave and transition into a new way of living is my personal, on-going resolution to myself. I call this “The Art of Self-Care.”
Prioritizing Yourself
Lets just say putting myself first has most definitely been a challenge and I know we can all relate! Life is busy, unpredictable, and well yes, stressful at times. Why now, more than ever, do I keep going back to this idea of Self-Care? What can I do to make each day that much more enjoyable and amazing?! That’s when it hit me, rather than thinking of Self-Care as a high-maintenance and time consuming idea, think of it as “Man, I deserve to prioritize my well-being in every way.” After all, we can’t show up for others if we can’t show up for ourselves first.
The Art of Balance
It’s important that taking care of yourself doesn’t feel like a chore, but a daily choice that you enjoy. Everyone’s selfcare practices are going to be different, we’re all unique and therefore certain things work better than others and your attention may be needed in one aspect of your life more than another. There’s a lot of little things that add up when it comes to Self-Care and making sure you do a little bit of everything is the key to feeling balanced and happy.
I’m a busy-bee and starting the morning off right is so important for me. I have always suffered from fatigue, digestive problems and issues with my autoimmune system. So now, every morning I wake up early (I was not a morning person!) to give myself time to calmly and peacefully start my day for both my brain and my body. I make myself some warm apple cider vinegar and lemon tea before my coffee, the benefits are endless to this little concoction. Then I take 15 minutes to write in my morning gratitude journal. This sets the intention for my day, increases my brain productivity and puts me in a positive emotional space. Since I know I’m not an early morning gym person, I get my post-workout energy boost by doing some stretching and taking my dog for a nice, long walk.
In realizing that this routine is an essential daily practice to optimize my mental state, I experienced a strong, positive shift in the interactions I had with people and how I handled everything life throws at you in a day. Mindfulness is a mind + body based approach that helps me to manage my thoughts and feelings and overall mental and physical health.
Mindful Practice
Now comes my favourite part; rather than spending my extra cash ordering take-out, I invested in my skin! I created a custom skincare line-up just for my skin concerns and started really taking care of myself. Now I absolutely cannot live without my Vitamin-C serum and complexion pads from ZO® Skin Health. These products have been a game changer for me and I just love how glowy my skin looks. While I was at it, I booked that long-awaited laser appointment and added on a facial because hey, I deserve it! After all, your face is your money maker! It’s the first thing people see and what we communicate with all day. Did you know that your skin is your body’s largest organ? Well, I didn’t!
So now, I take care of both my skin and my body. That’s why I trust Vancouver Laser the most. Not only do they take the best care of me from the second I walk through the door, but their dedication to the honest, educational advice they provide to support my personal care journey is beyond anything I’ve experienced. After my super in-depth skin consultation, they told me they can help aid in my internal concerns as well! Have you ever heard of Vitamin IV Therapy? Let me tell you, not only has this kicked my fatigue to the curb but my skin, joint pain and weight management are being addressed too. I’ve been coming in once a week for a treatment if I can. It’s a quick session and while you wait you can get cozy in their state of the art massage bed. Now, doesn’t that sound like the type of Self-Care we all need?
Immune boosting power
Keeping our skin and mental health aligned is great, but we cannot forget about our body! Cold season is officially upon us and I love to help boost my immune system by staying hydrated with electrolytes. I have little packets of them everywhere I go and it keeps my daily water intake exciting. I’ve also made it a habit to keep up with my internal health by eating whole, healthy foods and being conscious of what I put inside my body. Maintaining a good bedtime routine is also important and I help myself out by incorporating Magnesium and Echinacea at night — not only do they have awesome immune benefits, but they help me relax and wind down at night. They also lend a hand in maintaining my blood sugar, easing anxiety and inflammation and boosting my skin health.
Slowly incorporating these acts of Self-Care into my day-to-day routine made them feel way less daunting. Now I wake up every morning feeling energized, focused, content and most of all: balanced. Self-Care has never felt so satisfying, so what are you waiting for? Take your first steps today (even if they’re baby steps) and stop just treating yourself and truly experience The Art of Self-Care for yourself!
Don’t hesitate to reach out and get in touch with us!