The winter holidays are over, daylight is in short supply and some of our littles are still doing virtual school and that combination, mommas, might find you flagging. This is the perfect time to begin looking inward and providing ourselves with the self-care we so desperately need during this time of year.

 

Self-care looks different for everyone. Some love to binge shows on Netflix and have a little online retail therapy. While others prefer to make art or go for a run. While there is definitely nothing wrong with buying a tie-dye sweatshirt off Etsy, it’s always nice to try out different restorative methods. So, whether you’re a self-care guru or just beginning your journey, check out these regenerative & intentional practices below that’ll have you back to your best reenergized self.

 

1.) Practice Self-Compassion:

This one I think we can all benefit from, momma or not. One of the easiest ways to turn your perspective toward self-compassion is to replace yourself with a loved one or a small child during your inner dialogue. Would you tell your child to work harder instead of going to bed when their body is telling them they are tired? Openly criticize your parents for not providing dinners made from scratch each night? Would you criticize your best friend’s body in that swimsuit? In order to stop self-criticism and to turn our empathy inward, soften your tone while you’re speaking to yourself. It’s time to be more gentle and allow more compassion with ourselves.

2.) Acknowledging Our Bodies:

We all know that eating healthy and drinking water is great for our bodies but sometimes all our body is craving is some acknowledgement from us. Rarely we tune into ourselves and ask what we need since we are usually tending to the needs of others. Sometimes it wants us to stretch, grab a quick walk through the park, sit in the sun and get some vitamin D or even just have a good, long chat with a friend. Don’t forget to tune in and do a full body scan from time to time. You’ll be surprised how your body holds onto stress and how it can manifest itself in your life. We might be tensing our shoulders and not even realize it. While the littles are napping, get in a quick savasana (corpse pose) and do a head to toe body scan and remind yourself that it’s
okay to have needs and to address them.

3.) Ask For Help:

It may sound simple enough, but frequently as moms we feel that we need to be the ultimate caregivers and often neglect to accept help or even ask for it when we’re spread too thin. Not only should we normalize asking for help but we should prioritize it! It’s completely okay to reach out to your partner, friends, family member, support circle, etc if you need a helping hand. Not only do we benefit from receiving help but so do the people we most care about as they receive our most grounded and restored versions of ourselves once we’ve had time to regroup.

I hope you have the time and intention to journey inward during this time in your
life and see what you find. Oftentimes, all we need to do is to answer the signals our body has been sending us in order to find personal growth, peace and grounding. Don’t forget that it is completely acceptable to reach out and ask your support circle for advice, help or even for a Zoom date. So, whether it’s a good ole’ Netflix binge or getting in some restorative yoga, don’t forget to carve out some moments for yourself this year, momma.

 

All photos courtesy of @magpie_wild

 

About the Author:
Georgia native Tiffany Ammerman is the thru-hiker and CrossFitter behind the travel blog The Goodish Traveler. She spends the majority of her time traveling, eating sushi and searching for hiking trails. When she's not blogging, Ammerman can be found training at CrossFit LaGrange and teaching art to kids.

You can follow her adventures on Instagram: @the_goodish_traveler or her website: TheGoodishTraveler.com

 

Written by travel blogger Tiffany Ammerman 

We’ve all seen the #SelfCareSunday hashtag on social media, but have you taken the time to do your own self-care Sunday? For the majority of us, it was difficult in the past to find the time to devote to taking care of our mind and body. Now that we’re spending a large portion of our days at home, why not take this time to explore different ways to indulge in a little self-care love, any day of the week! 

Check out these tips and tricks to help jumpstart your self-care journey: 

Starting off by choosing a day to dedicate to your own wellness creates the foundation for a good, self-care Sunday. Oftentimes, especially now, we feel that it’s important to check in on others and to provide stability and comfort to our friends and family and, subsequently, putting ourselves on the backburner. However, it’s very important to remember to take care of your own emotional wellness—not only for yourself but also for those around you, so you can continue to fill yourself up in order to be someone others can turn to in return to get filled up.

We can start off with really good self-care intentions, when—suddenly—we’re on a social media spiral, checking our notifications and scrolling for hours. In a blink, our dedicated ‘me’ time is gone. It’s so easy to get distracted, with so many of our friends sending video chat requests and myriad notifications pinging our phones throughout the day. Do yourself a favor and set your phone to ‘airplane mode’ so that you can get the most distraction-free time out of your self-care Sunday (or whatever day you choose).

Reading an interesting book is the age-old self-care tradition that can easily fall by the wayside when life gets busy. Try keeping up with a series that you enjoy or join a virtual book club so you’ll be more likely to devote some time to reading and relaxing. You’ll be glad you spent a few hours curled up on the couch with a good book and a comfy blanket. 

Creating a clean space can automatically release endorphins, the feel good hormone, making you more at ease and happy. It might seem counterintuitive to do some work during a self-care day but your future self will thank you. Being in a cozy, organized and clean environment makes you feel more at peace and will create the perfect spot for future self-care moments. 

Soaking up some much needed vitamin D in the sunshine can help to boost your mood and make you feel more energized. If you live in a smaller space without a yard, try potting some houseplants or even making a little herb garden for your balcony. Planting and taking care of something can help make you feel productive and happy while also providing the benefit of having your own fresh herbs on hand for making healthy, yummy meals. 

Devoting time to taking care of your body is not only good for your physical health but it’s beneficial for your mental and emotional health, as well. Take some time to meditate, work out or stretch your body during your next self-care session. Endorphins that are released during and after your workout will have you feeling happy, relaxed and ready for your next self-care activity.

Many of us have found a new hobby (or a few!) to keep us busy during quarantine. From bread making to quilting, a lot of us have turned to learning “old world” skills as we’ve been in lockdown. Try to use one of your self-care days to devote time to learning and experimenting with that hobby. Learning something new keeps your mind sharp and allows you to understand how to overcome challenges. Picking up a new hobby can also help to alleviate stress as you immerse yourself into learning a new language or how to preserve foods. 

It might seem strange at first, but stress can begin to seep into our lives by the simple act of over-committing ourselves. Keep telling yourself that you’re worth the self-care time and don’t allow others to take that devoted time away from you. Protect yourself and your self-care sacred space by saying, “No!”

C O N C L U S I O N

Times are stressful for everyone right now and, for many of us, our first instinct is to take care of the people we love. While that is important, commit to setting aside some time to take care of yourself today. Start off with something small like a face mask or taking a bath, if the idea of a full day of self-care is a big leap for you. Remember, you have to make sure your own cup is full before you can pour into others. Enjoy your unique self-care journey!

Cover photo courtesy of @LIFEAID
All other images courtesy of @magpie_wild 

 

About the Author:
Georgia native Tiffany Ammerman is the thru-hiker and CrossFitter behind the travel blog The Goodish Traveler. She spends the majority of her time traveling, eating sushi and searching for hiking trails. When she's not blogging, Ammerman can be found training at CrossFit LaGrange and teaching art to kids.

You can follow her adventures on Instagram: @the_goodish_traveler or her website: TheGoodishTraveler.com

 

> > > Stay well.