We care about SELF CARE

I’m sure you’ve heard of the term self-care. By definition, it means to “care for oneself” or specifically : “health care provided by oneself often without the consultation of a medical professional”. We all could do with some self-care and self-love. Whether you’re taking a whole day for it or just an hour to unwind from your regularly scheduled…schedule, pick one or a few items here to do today, or tomorrow. We can all use a little recharge in our batteries and hopefully, this will help!

Every morning:
-do a few light stretches and 5 pushups to get your blood pumping
-do a quick yoga sequence, TBH no judgment if you just end up doing childs pose for 2 minutes. May I suggest the goddess pose while lying down if you’re so inclined? It’s the same, only you’re basically adding jazz hands to the regular ol’ child’s pose.
-meditate for a quick 2 minutes. Sit down. Focus on your breathing. Clear your thoughts. Continue to focus on your breath. Inhale. Exhale. Innnnnhale. Exxxxxxxhale. Repeat.
-come up with some words of affirmation. My favourite: “I am a strong independent individual” and “I have the power to curate my best life” and “Shit happens, but I’ll get through this”

Beautiful me: 
-do some dry brushing stat! It’s so easy to do and everytime I do it, I just feel a bit Gwyneth Paltrow-y.
-take an epsom salt bath, light some candles, relax and just pretend your bath tub is a pool filled with flowers. And while you’re at it, fill it with some real organic flower petals. No need for chemicals in your flower bath!
-scrub yourself with a washcloth
-use a sheet mask
-scrub your feet with a pumice stone
-put on some body oil when you get out while your skin is damp
-blow a kiss to your reflection in the mirror. Sorry, not sorry: I’m cheesy and I know it.
-Repeat aloud your words of affirmation. Believe in it, or pretend to. (Fake it til’ you make it)

Work it:
-Take a walk or a hike. Plan a day of socializing with your friends while doing something that works up a sweat. No judgment if doing your laundry makes you sweat but maybe make an impromptu call to a friend or loved one while you’re waiting for the washing machine minutes to countdown to 0.
-Eat a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner for the day. Then maybe have some chocolate or ice cream somewhere in there. Everything in moderation. Splurge on the good stuff though because you’re worth it. If you don’t have the $, sign up for a godiva free rewards club membership and get that free chocolate today.

Create:
-Do something. Pick up a new skill you always wanted to: sew, crochet, knit, draw, burp the national anthem. Or take positive steps to do so by ordering that book off Amazon or going to AC Moore. You could even hem that pair of pants with the hole dangerously close to the crotch. No judgment. I have many a-crotch-hole that has been mended this way. The important thing is: do something with your hand/s. You’ll feel amazing after. Trust me.

Do good:
-Drop by at an animal shelter to volunteer your time petting some furry little cuties or drop off some goodies like pet food or furniture. You could even make a few goodie bags and drop it off at the homeless shelter. Or bake some cookies or make an extra batch of your healthy dinner and pack some for an elderly neighbor. You could even plant something in your backyard or even in a pot! Seriously – send good vibes to the world and you get it back ten-fold. This is beyond true, I promise.

Emails:
-Delete all junk mail if you can, or create a folder with today’s date and move all unread email to this tab. Create another tab and move all read email to this tab. It is surprisingly therapeutic.
Favorites tab:
Delete all. Declutter your life. You’ll be so happy -1 second after doing so!

PC:
Move all your desktop files into a new folder on your desktop. Forget about it. Life goes on.

Phone:
Delete all but 5-10 of the apps you frequently use. You do not need the duolingo app if you haven’t used it in the past 2 months, but if you do: just make it your 11th app in your phone. Again, life goes on.

Pen and paper:
After a hectic day of self-love and do-greatness, let’s recap. How do you feel about yourself? How do you feel about today? I’m not going to validate myself over your own feelings by saying you should’ve had a great day if you did not. I’ve had days where I’ve had to trudge along where it was hard to make myself do normal everyday tasks. But honestly, taking steps to curate a better day helps make it easier everyday after. If you could, list some things you wish you could do, or places you want to go to and the people you want to see. Self-care can also be going to a concert, sharing a bottle of wine with friends, or baking cookies and giving them to your neighbor. Good karma begets good karma. Believe in this and nothing will get in your way.

Important Note: Self-care can also mean taking the time to meet or schedule time with a professional who can help you with a personal struggle. We’ve all been there, even if no one else admits to it. It definitely helps to speak with someone over something that you’re struggling with internally. Everyone is different, but we all could benefit from a willing ear. If you can’t afford to do so, please feel free to privately message me. I want to help you.

Peace, love and good vibes <3

Wanderlust: Vietnam Edition

Sapa, Vietnam.

Takes my breath away each time I see this. Literally. My university friends and I had to hike up then make our way down around the mountain to the valley which was a fourteen kilometers hike. The view definitely made up for the lobster-like sunburn I acquired. Another thing that made up for it? The pho.

Definitely the pho. Oh yeah.

Vietnomnomnomnom! With so many delicious food to choose from, I’d love to find out your favourite Vietnamese dish too. Tell me here, or in person ! I don’t bite, unless you’re a big beautiful dish of fresh pho that is..