SELF -CARE

 

How do you define self-care?

While there are many practical and logical meanings to the word, giving power to a word comes from YOU!!

When I think of self-care, the words self-management comes to my mind.

I’m on social media like Facebook and Instagram, and I see advertisements and influencers showing off make-up brands and products that promise to preserve your age or reverse the signs of aging. It’s not very difficult to follow trends and jump on the next bandwagon.

How often do you follow trends?

Are you searching for the next best ant-aging solution? 

Many things posted online can benefit our well-being, but without the proper education and guidance about it, you might just be wasting your time and money. Yes, money seems to be pumping the beauty industry. If we not careful we might be end up losing money and time!

Bloggers, vloggers, YouTubers, and Instagrammers are too willing to showcase their life hacks to you.

So; where do you fit into these massive social media trends? Are you just a follower?

If you are reading my blog posts, then let me answer for you!! No, you are more than just a follower!! You are YOU!!!

There is only one of you and what you think about yourself is what matters! Screw the crowds and media influencers!!

Do you!!!

Where does self-care fit into your life?

It happens every day, even without you realizing you do it!!

We might learn how to manage our finances, and we certainly learned a thing or two about life from our parents or caregivers, but what about caring for  the life you have.

The irony of life is that we only start waking up to it when we reach our 40’s!!

When the alarms go off, we desperately need to get rid of the wrinkles and shed off the unwanted pounds.

Why did we wait?

Why did we let ourselves go?

Were we too busy growing kids up and managing life’s routine that time just went by without realizing it?

It happens to even the most intelligent people. The days turn into years, and before long, your boobs are in a race to meet your feet, and your eyes have your new best friends called wrinkles. Forgive me for my unflattering humor, but that’s the reality that’s waiting for us if we don’t start making the right changes and caring for ourselves.

I’ve been super excited to write this post. It’s been a year preparing for it. Let me be honest, a year and part of my lifetime.

I will be 42 years old in December. I never had the right and necessary education and guidance I needed in my life. I don’t blame anyone for the lack of it. There weren’t many references and information back in the late 1990s or the beginning of the 21^st century. My exposure to the internet was in 2002 when I moved abroad, and adulting was the most exciting error in my life. There I was just happy to be online, wrinkle and cellulite-free. It didn’t dawn on me to start thinking about self-care and all the things I now write about.

I was young!!!!

Young!!!! I hope young people are reading posts like this. They would be saving themselves money and time years later to discover what we already know.

Life is hope, and it’s never to let to make the right changes!

SELF-CARE – learning and managing your personal self!

Learning how to manage and maintain a healthy MIND, BODY, SOUL, and SPIRIT!

Please Note- We are all unique, and what works for me might not work for you, but you will never know until you give it a try!

I have worked on creating a self-care list that works for me because I  want to feel stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally!

Dry brushing

Taking a shower and a bath is a necessary part of our daily routines. Why not consider dry brushing before getting under the water?

What is dry brushing? It’s self-explanatory; you brush your body while it’s dry.

Why would you want to do this? Well, the benefits are life-changing and can be unique. Your lymphatic system will thank you for doing it.

Benefits of dry brushing

• Supports lymphatic drainage- Why spend hundreds of dollars to remove unwanted toxins? Our lymphatic system is responsible for getting rid of waste. We don’t always understand the functions of the body. Learning how to manage your self-care will develop an awareness and knowledge of your body’s different organs and parts. The result is that the body naturally detoxifies itself.
• It’s a free and easy way to exfoliate your skin and gets rid of dead skin cells. Dry brushing has been around for years!! Why are we not doing it?
• To see the result, you need to be consistent and do it daily. I recommend challenging yourself to do it for 30 days!
• Ready to reduce unwanted cellulite? This could be a game-changer!!! I can honestly admit to seeing an improvement.
• My favorite – It boosts your energy levels! I am a late owl and early lark!! My days are always busy, so I have been surprised by how energetic I feel after my shower!! Evidence suggests that the increase in blood circulation could be the reason.

How to dry brush?

No matter how busy I am, I try to play calming instrumental music while I cleanse myself. It’s my time to do whatever I want in that bathroom. Occasionally, I will light a candle.

Starting my job at 8:00 am and squeezing in some self-care deserves a pat on my back!

I use a firm and natural bristle brush. I recommend getting one with a long handle so you can reach your lower back.

I usually start from my toes upwards! I count the strokes as I brush each leg, inner thigh area working my way up to my stomach. I spend longer time on my stomach, stroking upwards towards my heart and chest and in circular movements for added effects.

Make sure to continue to rub upwards and increase pressure. It is essential not to be rough on your skin and work gently. The last area is my neck, massaging the brush back and forth towards my head. This is when I feel a surge of energy.

I recommend taking deep breathes while brushing because it helps boost your mood and helps you stay calm and relaxed. Now you ready for a shower or bath!!

Invest in good and delicious fragrant bath and body showers!! Go ahead and turn your bathroom into a sanctuary of cleansing for yourself!

Cleanse your body, mind, soul, and spirit!! This is your time to awaken to the day!!!

 

Challenge yourself a cold shower!!!

Now that you have taken care of your lymphatic system, it’s time to rinse away the dead skin. It’s been over a year since I switched from very hot showers to cold showers. The hot showers left me feeling dehydrated, tired, and hot!! One day I saw a post on cryotherapy, and this made me think of cold showers. I read up on it and decided to give it a try! Not the cryotherapy, but the free cold shower, I always ignored!! My results and experience have been life-changing.

Benefits of cold showers!

• Researchers have proven that it can help depression. So if you struggling with mental health issues, this could make a slight if not a big difference. I am not suggesting it will help depression, but there is no harm in trying!
• Improves circulation– It is not the most comfortable experience; there will be screams and jumps when the cold water runs over your body. You might want to switch to warm water, but don’t!! Force yourself to do it every day, and it will start becoming less uncomfortable. After the shower, you will feel fresh and wide awake!
• Since you are improving circulation with dry brushing, adding a cold shower will improve your circulatory system. Your blood will move quickly up your body, and this can help with sports injuries.
• Helps boost your metabolism. 

Did you know that we are born with brown fat? White fat is what causes problems like obesity. We can increase our levels of brown fat when we expose it to cold temperatures, which results in a healthy level of white fat. Taking only cold showers without eating healthy and exercising will not result in an improved metabolism. If you are healthy and exercising, this could just help improve your goals!

How to take a cold shower!

You need to be mentally ready to step under cold water! Focus and remain calm.

Breathe calmly and count if you must. I started counting to fifty and increased it as the days went by. I don’t have to rely on counting anymore, and  I can’t live without my cold showers.

Essential oils!

Your body is all clean, so now it’s time to massage and moisture.

Did you know that essential oils is a multibillion booming industry? These little bottles of magic drops have claimed to help people with so many diverse and problematic physical and mental health issues. The education and research behind it are phenomenal. If you take anything away from this post, it is the awareness that essential oils can help improve your life. People are becoming certified as clinical Aromatherapists  because conventional medicine is no longer the only option.

Please do not use essential oils without the proper knowledge and care. Do your homework before following my suggestions. I do not recommend ingesting essential oils; instead, use it as the instructions suggest on the bottle.

I personally use essential oils as a moisturizer and to improve my mood.

What are essential oils?

Liquid extracts from various plants. It’s science in a bottle and can have positive effects if used correctly. For many people, essential oils have become bottles of miracles.

Essential oils are claimed to have had life-changing results not only for adults but kids. I recently watched a documentary where a registered Aromatherapist helped a mother of an Autism child. Is this possible? Who knows? When life pushes you towards searching for alternatives, it is incredible what you will discover.

Remedies and cures that appear useless to our existence might someday matter.

One person’s sorrows might become another’s tomorrow!

We can only pray that this never happens, but let us not disregard the information that comes our way. In this case, essential oils.

I have used essential oils on and off for years. I never paid attention until my son started developing teenage pimples. I didn’t want to go down the same path as my daughter, visiting a dermatologist, and focusing only on a healthy diet. I did a bit of research and discovered rosehip oil. We tried it, and the results were evident. His pimples faded. I can’t guarantee that it’s because of the oil and it will be permanent, but we have nothing to lose. Essential oils can be used topically, and they can be mixed. I recommend educating yourself on how to use and apply it because you can harm yourself if you are not careful, especially for children.

Please note-I am not  suggesting that essential oils might be the answer to a health issue you might have. Please consult a professional before using anything I recommend.

Benefits of essential oils

• Tea tree oil– Used for infection. I have used it for dry scalp.
• Rose oil– Improves mood and anxiety.
• Lavender oil– Relieves stress.
• Peppermint oil– Used to boost energy.

There are over 200 different kinds of oils that claim to have benefits. Make sure you investigate which ones will work for you.

Move your body!!

What works for you?

We, not all fitness fanatics, and some of us just want to maintain a healthy lifestyle. There shouldn’t be any pressure to join a gym or keep up with the fitness trends that keep going around.

Whatever you choose, just move your body!!

Be present to yourself when you are moving. This is what people who practice yoga and other similar fitness routines do. They are present, in the here and now.

When you walk, take deep breathes and focus on an upright posture. The most important thing is self-awareness; when you are moving for a healthier you.

I’ve often observed how caught up people are in their life routines. They forget to take the time to be present with themselves.

Life is simple, just like enjoying a cup of tea and watching the sunset. Whatever you do, remember those famous quotes we see on our social feeds reminding us how precious life is and life lessons.

Sometimes it’s worth taking the advice.

The message is simple!! 

Live your best life!!

Superlady!!