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The festive season can be a stressful time. It’s so important take some time to care for your mind, body & soul all the time but especially during stressful periods.
Self-care isn’t always bubble baths & chocolate although there is definitely a place for that: meditating in the bath is one of my favourite self-care – more of that later.
Self-care is all about doing something we look forward to everyday, it’s the highlight of our day, something we do that nourishes & nurtures our body mind & soul. It doesn’t have to be time consuming or self-indulgent, just a few short minutes can make a huge difference.
It’s all about about doing what you need in order to nurture & nourish yourself.
Simply taking sometime to do this sends a powerful message – it sends a message about your self-worth. That you love yourself enough to take care of yourself. You send a message to the Universe: I am worth it, that’s why I am investing in myself, taking some time to make myself a priority. This is an act of self-love & you are SO worth it.
Self-care is an act of self-love which boosts self-worth: what a beautiful virtuous circle.
When life is stressful, as it can be during & leading up to the holidays, it’s even more important to practice self-care. This is because when we are living in stress we are living in survival mode, drawing from our energetic field. We need to balance this by activating the rest & digest system to boost our energetic field, protecting against illness & burn out.
As I said at the beginning meditating in the bath is one of my favourite self-care rituals ever.
I use magnesium salts which are brilliant for detox-ing, cleansing & soothing away aches & pains, mentally & physically.
I just love meditating in the bath – words can’t do it justice, just try it.
Fill the bath with bubbles or magnesium salts & then lie in the bath just rest your attention on your breath. Every time you get distracted by a train of thought, no need to beat yourself up, criticise or judge, just simply guide your attention back to your breath.
If your mind feels really noisy & busy, don’t worry, this is normal: when we become still & silent our minds can suddenly seem really busy thinking thoughts.
We can’t stop our minds thinking thoughts but we can stop these thoughts from controlling us. We simply become aware when we have been interrupted by a thought & gently & kindly accept this interruption, guiding our awareness back to our breath.
Join me next week for another self-care tip to help you thrive in the holiday season.
If you would like to find out more self-care tips to thrive in the festivities check out Alex’s FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindfulnessyoga4selfcare
Or on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexbannard/
Short yoga sequences including yoga for stress are available on her YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQlKZJ7MeyYc6lqkv6seISw
Alex is based on the edge of the stunning Cotswolds & has been sharing her love for all things yoga & mindfulness for almost a decade, not just in the UK but also around the world. Her mission is to help everyone discover a more mindful way of living & to encourage them to embrace regular self-care practices for a happier & healthier way of being.