What’s your ritual…

If you’re finding you have a little more time on your hands at the moment…then it’s time to ‘pause’ & start the regular practice of Self-Care. Prioritising ‘you time’ will benefit those around you in these unsettled times.

Get the kids involved in their own self-care rituals too.

1. Create space for you – now this will be different for everyone, & if you live with a few people then this may be a little difficult to have your own physical space. Though you can create a time during the week which is ‘you time’ – & everyone knows to leave you undisturbed. Set your boundary. It may be to read, run a bath with candles, or to have that cup of herbal tea in peace.
2. Meditate – meditation doesn’t come easily to everyone….you may just want to walk mindfully around the garden focusing on the plants, butterflies etc & letting thoughts go. Walk barefoot & real feel the earth beneath your feet – very grounding. If you’d like to try meditation the are many Apps such as Calm, though here is one you may like to try by Natasha Holt in Katherine: Earth & Divine Energy Meditation
3. Tune into things that bring you Joy! – now that things have begun to slow down…there is time to focus on those things that bring you true Joy & a smile to your face. There is nowhere else to be except in the here & now. What can bring you joy today – is it a chat to a friend, listening to your favourite band at ‘full noise’,or maybe seeing the beauty in the garden, or the baking your favourite cake as a treat. We are all in the same boat now….FOMO is pretty much on hold.  😉
4. Move your Body & Breathe – we all know exercise releases endorphins…time to get moving to make you feel good. Dance around your living room to your favourite band – this will bring you Joy too!! Grab an online workout or yoga class here. If you’d like to sign-up for Naturopathic Yoga for $15/mth, email me. And don’t forget to take long deep breathes through your nose & out your mouth. A few simple, conscious breaths will slow your mind & bring you back into your body. Focus on breathing in fresh air into your lungs…become grounded.
5. Sleep – it’s so important to get a good nights sleep, ideally 7-9hrs for an adult…not only for your body to repair & your mind to rest, but it helps to boost your immune system. Make sure your room is a comfortable temperature, follow a regular sleep routine – maybe read a book, meditate, listen to gentle music, or have lavender/chamomile essential oils vapourising in bedroom etc. Switch off from screen time about 1-2hrs before bedtime.
6. Read a Book – transport you mind somewhere else for awhile. Take on a character from a story & lose yourself. Gifting yourself some time out of your own head & immerse yourself to give your mind a break. Enjoy fantasy, fiction, biographies – whatever takes your fancy to take you away somewhere else….even if only for a couple of hours.
7. Connect – in these strange times, connecting is a little different to what it used to be. Never again will I take for granted to catch up with a friend for lunch or a wine. But we can still connect via phone or Facetime or even a ‘Zoom house party’ – the trick is to really be present when we connect. This will help to shift your mood, unload your worries & get some support from others. So important for us right now…. #wereallinthistogether
8. Disconnect – yep…as much as technology can bring us together, it can tear us up inside too. Even if we just choose to switch off the TV tonight & play some music, or a board/card game tonight instead. As I discussed earlier, too much screen time before bed isn’t helpful for sleep, but it can also affect our moods & drag our energy down. Try some Apps to help disconnect, check out “Forest” – plant trees as you spend less time on your phone; or “Space” helps to create more space in your day & let go of phone addiction. It reminds you to breath & pause before you go back into your Facebook app & the like.
9. Write a Journal – I used to write a diary as a teen…writing all my thoughts & feelings down, then I would read back over it years later & wonder what I was thinking or how things had panned out so differently than I thought they would. Now is the perfect time to get those thoughts out of your head. Maybe you like to draw instead….get creative again, as adults we tend to lose that side of ourselves. And when things are really tough, don’t forget that writing down just 3 things that have made you grateful that day can help to shift your mindset. Today I am grateful for……
10. Be kind to yourself & others – in these challenging times it’s important to realise that we are all going through the same thing, but we all cope with it a little differently. Even when speaking to a loved one or friend, it may just be our tone that doesn’t sit right with them & they may take offence. I know I’m guilty of this on many occasions, I sometimes say something in a different tone before thinking how that may affect them. Also try to not criticise yourself too harshly – so what if you forgot to exercise today or couldn’t be bothered – you can always start again tomorrow. The sun will rise tomorrow & we will get through this together – be kind to yourself, others & the planet (she really needs our support right now too).