The past 18 months have tested everybody. It’s rare for a challenge to be global, with millions experiencing anxiety, fear, and frustration. It leads to some interesting hobbies and global phenomenon – remember banana bread baking or The Queen’s Gambit? One unexpected and rather remarkable habit came out of the anxiety… one that hopefully will continue. In a word, self-care.
For years, the idea of self-care seemed rather bourgeoisie. You know, spa treatments and yoga retreats, spending excess cash, and flaunting a lifestyle. Thankfully, times have changed. Women and men alike have found that slowing down and taking care of themselves – making time to relax, pamper, and treat themselves well – became not just a coping mechanism but a necessity.
While the specifics of a self-care routine or ritual are individual in nature, self-care can encompass the six life domains: physical, professional, relational, emotional, spiritual, and psychological. And remember, there’s no ‘correct’ way to self-care. Do not judge yourself against others. You may have had a friend jumpstart a new career, start a business, or write a novel – it doesn’t make your journey less valid or ‘wrong.’ Just finding happiness despite the chaos is always a success!
Want to start a self-care routine? Here are some of the easiest ways to prioritize yourself, improve wellbeing, lower stress, and help maintain a sense of normalcy in the world.
Back to Basics
It may seem silly to ask, but are your basic needs being met? What seems so obvious – sleeping, eating well, drinking enough water, are often the tasks glossed over and underdone. Grabbing fast food or sporadic eating habits is not health-friendly. Pushing back sleep until you are run down is not smart.
Be honest… how well are you treating yourself? Getting the basics in order is the first step in self-care and is the easiest to accomplish. Set your phone to “Do Not Disturb” and limit screen time before bed. Get the full 8 hours. Hydrate throughout the day, water not soda. Try food prepping to have nutritional meals ready when you are.
Acknowledge Shortcomings
Ask yourself some hard questions. How do you honestly feel? Don’t gloss over, be honest but not critical! This isn’t the time to pick yourself apart, this is self-care time… inwardly examine the shortcomings you have control over.
Listen to your body. This is where your self-care routine begins. Feeling anxious? Maybe try meditation or yoga. Sluggish and worn down? Perhaps you need more exercise. Skin looking tired? Try adding a new skincare product or changing up your daily routine. Hair looking flat? Time for new products. Our Volumizing Foam could change your hair, and your attitude, for the better!
Schedule. Schedule. Schedule?
Adding more to your calendar may seem counterintuitive, but it’s important. Finding the time for self-care may be difficult, you put it off and put it off until you’re an exhausted pile of anxiety eating cold pizza over the sink. Put self-care time in your planner and don’t cancel it, like a coffee date with a friend. Look forward to it, acknowledge it, and don’t ditch! As time goes on, naturally implement your self-care practices into your routine, but until then, keep it scheduled.
Be Kinder To Yourself
Would you treat others the way you treat yourself? You wouldn’t say the negative things you say to yourself, or sit back and watch while your friends overwork themselves. Why do you treat yourself so differently?
Journal for Gratitude
One way to ease yourself into a more grateful headspace is with a gratitude journal. It's a quick activity you can do throughout the day that puts your life into perspective. It doesn’t have to be an epic tale… something as simple as a delicate glass of wine or a beautiful sunset. Little gratitudes add up.
“Spark Joy”
Let’s Marie Kondo! It doesn’t have to be your entire home (though it might lead there)… maybe some drawers or your workspace, your inbox, your skincare routine. But finding exactly what you need to make you happy and feel less stress, well, it’s a beautiful feeling.
Many women feel the pandemic pushed them to simplify their skincare and beauty routines. Full-face glam and overly complicated routines became streamlined.
What became more important? Brows and lashes, especially with mask-wearing. The eyes became the most important feature. And while women cut back on the treatments – no microblading or lash extensions, the desire and need for power brows and feminine lashes grew. RevitaLash® Advanced and RevitaBrow® Advanced became a self-care necessity!
Beauty is Self-Care
Beauty routines became an escape from the pandemic. Indulgent creams and masks, treatments and baths… anything that makes you feel beautiful, present, and rejuvenated. Do you know the mind-melting calmness that comes post-facial? Beauty is self-care and self-care is beautiful.
All Together Now
Self-care doesn’t have to be a solo activity. Enjoy caring for yourself with a partner, family member, or friend. Cook dinner together, have dance parties, work out with each other, try out face masks and spa treatments, or practice a new hobby.
While you may be rearing to get your life back to normal, it is important to continue your self-care and utilize the habits and rituals you’ve developed to prioritize yourself. You may not bake bread every day, but you can and should find time for yourself. Be like Tom and Donna in Parks and Rec, “treat yo’ self” but in an everyday way!
