The best time to start was yesterday; the second best time is today. You don’t need a sign or a major event to start a new habit. You don’t even need to wait for a Monday. It’s time for a change. Not necessarily a major change, like moving to a new city or leaving your job (more power to you if you’re ready to make the leap) but a positive change, one that benefits your body, mind, and soul.
Here’s the first step on your new journey.
Join the Self-Care Revolution
Self-care is getting in tune with your body and your mind, de-stressing, looking after yourself as the primary goal. Giving yourself the simple but essential things you need to be at your cognitive, physical, and emotional best.
Self-care isn’t about indulging your every whim, going on daily Amazon shopping sprees, or becoming narcissistic; rather, it’s caring for yourself in a loving, empathetic, kind way. About appreciating and respecting yourself.
So, where do you begin? Right here and right now with a new ‘philosophy’ that includes how you eat, sleep, work, exercise, relax… even your daily beauty routine.
Sleep Better. Feel Better.
Let’s start with the crucial and easiest self-care ritual: get more sleep! It's a game-changer in a multitude of ways. A lack of sleep can lead to a weakened immune system, mood swings, memory failure, and increased food cravings. Lack of sleep even ages you, as cellular damage isn’t repaired and ‘hurt’ cells accumulate, especially on delicate skin. Luckily, getting more and better sleep can happen with a few tweaks:
Create a Routine: Did you know you can’t ‘catch up’ on missed sleep? Once it’s gone, it’s gone. The damage is done. Now is the time to focus on a consistent sleep schedule. Begin by going to bed and waking at the same time every day, even on weekends. Adults need 7–8 hours of sleep nightly, so plan accordingly. Once you find the schedule that works for you, you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel throughout the week. Goodbye, Monday morning struggle.
Manage Stress: Daily stress relief isn’t just beneficial self-care, it’s also sleep-care. Find the time to quiet your mind. Releasing your worries and going easy on mental checklists (through meditation, journaling, exercise, or spiritual practice) will keep your thoughts from racing the second you hit the pillow.
Sleep or Leave: One of the worst habits getting in the way of good sleep is lying in bed, awake. If you don’t fall asleep within 20 minutes, or wake up and can’t fall back asleep in the same amount of time, get up and leave the room. Keep the lights dim and your activities calm… read a book, listen to music, practice some yoga, but do not stay in your bedroom. The bedroom should be a place of repose, and (aside from intimacy) the bed should be a place for rest.
Remove Distractions: You don’t have to go as far as removing all electronics from the room, but limit their usage after the sun goes down. Keep blue light to a minimum, as it can throw off your circadian rhythm. Use a blue-light filtering app on your smartphone or laptop. Have dimmers on your overhead lights or use table lamps. Block any outside light sources. Finally, try a sound machine or earplugs to keep external distractions away.
Sleep is extremely personal. One size does not fit all. Try several techniques, schedules, and stress-relieving activities to see what works best for you. And don’t get frustrated! Enjoy the experience, knowing at the end of your journey you’ll feel a lot better.
Beauty Routine Upgrade
It’s time to turn your skincare routine into a day at the ‘spa.’ You know that sense of calm, relaxation, and rejuvenation you enjoy following a facial? You can capture the feeling at home. It just takes a few quality products and daily commitment. Let the pampering begin!
Set the Mood: Turn your bathroom or vanity area into an oasis. Place your most loved and most beautiful products on display. Keep the space clean, and tap into the power of scent. Find a fragrance that transports you somewhere calm, and only use it here. Create a shrine to loving yourself.
Downsize and Upgrade: You probably have more than a few products in your cosmetic graveyard. It's time to purge, simplify, and organize. Look at expiration dates, double-check ingredients, and research when and how to use them together. A spa will (or should) use only the finest ingredients. Make sure you do the same. Avoid products with sulfate detergents, parabens, phthalates, or BHT; instead look for high-quality botanicals and ingredients backed by science.
Focus on Full Face Beauty: Are you pampering your full face? Your lips and eyes need different treatment than your complexion. Protection and prevention of age-related fine lines and moisture loss are crucial for sensitive areas. And what about your lashes and brows? Like the hair on your head, your lashes and brows need nourishment, care, and love.
The best way? Try the luxurious RevitaLash® Advanced* and RevitaBrow® Advanced serums. Dedicate a few minutes each day to bolder brows and healthier-looking lashes. You’ll see and feel the difference in strength, flexibility, and shine. When brows and lashes look their best, so do you!
Move It!
Too often, exercise is tied to weight loss. But movement of any kind is beneficial for a multitude of reasons, from boosting your mood to reducing stress and anxiety, keeping your heart healthy, and more.
Focus on moving your body because it feels good and not because you think you should, or in pursuit of a number on the scale. That’s not a healthy mindset, nor is it self-care. Keep looking forward, working toward being the happiest and healthiest you. Any other benefits are a bonus!
Practicing and committing to self-care is challenging. It’s difficult to carve out time for yourself and too easy to appear selfish when you are used to putting others first. But you need to find and celebrate your me-time. Schedule it, commit to it, and protect it.
A bit of self-love will do wonders for your well-being.
