Since we live in a world where everything is changing, it’s only natural that we and our priorities change too. You wanna do what works for you in relation to your current priorities.
Meaning it’s important to continuously self-assess.
The words self-care, in my opinion, have been new-aged and overused. Bought myself a new face roller? Self-care. Canceled my day of appointments because I was too overwhelmed? Self-care.
One of these things can be considered as caring for yourself; the face roller. One of these things is breaking agreements because you overextended yourself. Not necessarily self-care.
Yes, if you’re feeling overwhelmed (meaning you’re shutdown) and are unable to go on with the day, you may need to cancel/renegotiate your agreements. Then check-in with what you want to prioritize and what you’re actually prioritizing, there may be some dissonance there. Next you can figure out how to bridge the two. Because you really are capable of feeling relaxed and excited as you move through your days.
True radical self-care is preventative, self-reflective, grounded care. And that’s what I’m honoring with you here on this page. I want you to get to a point in your life where you’re able to feel relaxed & at ease in your body, do what truly matters in you, keep your agreements because you thought them through, and acquire the skill of continuous self-assessment.
Here’s some suggestions for you to try on, see what fits, see what doesn’t. Take what resonates and leave the rest. And revisit often, because as you shift and grow, your priorities mirror you. So the way you care for yourself will too.
Full Disclaimer: These tips are all suggestions. I am not a doctor. I do not diagnose nor prescribe anything. If you are unsure of practicing a certain thing, based on health conditions, please consult with your primary doctor before practicing.
Bath Ritual
You know that feeling when you look around and you’ve created the perfect aesthetic and atmosphere for whatever you’re wanting to do? And then you can really allow yourself to like..be there. That’s my bath ritual for me. Candles, steam, soft music, essential oils, mineral salt, and water I can slowly ease into and rest in. Pure bliss. Bath time can be a quick dip, a lengthy ritual experience, and anything in between. Make it your own with your well being in mind.
Get Creative
It’s not that you don’t have a creative side, it might be that you haven’t allowed yourself to access it. Passion and a relaxed nervous system increases your ability to be creative and think creatively. I don’t have any research on that other than my own lived experience. Need help in the area of relaxing your nervous system? This may help. Need help in increasing your passion? Listen to your heart and keep intuitively self-assesing what your dreams are.
Invest in your creativity by booking a Pour n More session
Sugar Scrub
As the Queen Lizzo says: “all I needed was some coconut oil.” This DIY sugar scrub is so easy to make and really good at creating space to connect with your body and have you feelin’ soft and smooth.
Dance
Especially when it’s the last thing you do. Especially if you’re a kinesthetic learner. Dancing gets you out of your head and into your body. It moves energy. Want some playlists? Check ‘em out here. (link to playlists is coming soon)
Stay In Your Lane
This is really helpful because you get to use your energy for your priorities. Your energy is immensely important and how you choose to use it can determine what you bring into your life. A good way to keep steady progress is less focus on putting out every fire you come across and speaking on every topic and displaying your perspective on stuff that truly isn’t what you’re here for and instead focusing your time and energy more on what you want more of and how you want to feel and your priorities.
Castor Oil Packs
These guys help relieve any achy tension you might be feeling. Castor oil has been used as a healing medicine for… ever. It’s has cleansing properties and can support the drawing up and out of physical and emotional tension. So awesome!
DIY Recipes
Sugar Scrub
5 parts brown sugar (you can use white sugar too)
3 parts coconut oil
2 parts honey
A few drops of some essential oil
Mix together in a bowl, and vóila! You can use it for a basic foot scrub or a full body scrub, even your face.
Ahhh-mazing.
Note: if you’re using it in the shower, please wipe your shower out afterwards, it will be slippery.
Castor Oil Pack
Step one: go to your local health foods store and get castor oil, if you don’t already have some.
Step two: get a bandana (old t-shirts work too)
Step three: fold bandana or shirt up so it’s long somewhat wide.
Step four: apply castor oil to bandana (like one stripe across)
Step five: wrap around desired area.
Step six: (optional) wrap Saran Wrap around bandana (helps to reduce a mess)
Step seven: wait as long as you’d like. Sometimes I wait 5 minutes, sometimes I keep it on all night.
Step eight: remove and revel in the openness you feel in the area you used it!
Basically anywhere you might have tension you can use it, for larger areas you may need to adjust size of cloth.
My fav is around my ankles!
You can also get super into your process by journaling while the castor oil pack is on.
Try using your non-dominant hand, too, and see what comes up! It’s fascinating and very cathartic.
Laugh
Enthusiasm transmutes!
Qi-Gong
Qi Gong is a practice relating to the movement of Chi(Qi) in your body. It stems from the awareness of the universal connection of life force that surrounds and embodies us. It reminds us that energy moves around and within us and we can direct it. We can breathe in earth energy and cosmic energy like plants breathe in water through their roots.
Talk Therapy
You don’t have to be clinically crazy or depressed or have a specific problem to want to go to Talk Therapy. All of these things can definitely be supported through talk therapy and it’s similar to massage in a sense that it can be preventative. You can talk life goals, childhood, whatever you want and a good therapist will support you and hold the tension of empathy, compassion, and expand your comfort zone growth. (Interview them, you’re paying them so they need to work for you. You might go through a few before you find a match.)
Journal
Writing by hand slows the brain down and can support emotional healing. It’s a great use of creative expression and cultivates a meditative state. It can help you learn more about yourself.
Planner
Once I realized I am the creator of my life and I can create it how I want, I realized “oh shit I need a planner.” It helps you keep track of what you get to do and where you get to go without having to store it in your brain. It saves energy and opens you up to increased creative potential. I don’t know if you know this about me, but I’m secretly part Type A. Not planning everything down to a minute type A, more like color coded type A 😁. It helps me at a bird’s eye see how much color is happening in any given week. The only thing that matters is that it works for you. If planner shopping stresses you out, Barnes & Noble and Target planner sections are good places to start.
“No” Days
If your life is busy enough that you’re at the end of the month thinking “Man, I didn’t spend nearly as much time resting or creating (or whatever it is you want more of) than I wanted to. “No” days might work really well for you. Going into your planner before all your days fill up to write no on specific days. Usually ones that you know your schedule could be a little more lenient on. Then that day is for you to do what you’d like without being commited to a schedule. The key is the commit to the no day.
Supportive Relationships
Friends. I’m of the mind that all connections are relationships. And friendships are very important relationships. Community is how we survive and thrive. Participating in a community bonded by attitudes, values, and goals is an essential ingredient to enjoying a fulfilling life. Relationships work best when both people value each other. If you’re like me and this is a newer concept and/or something you’d like to cultivate more of, you can create a list of qualities that you enjoy and need in friendships and all relationships for that matter. And keep track of having enough boxes checked that you feel valued within the dynamic.
Massage
One of my things while I’m here is to support the narrative that Professional Massage Therapy is a form of preventive healthcare, not luxury. It’s not emergency care, it’s something you do before you are in too much pain, or get sick, or can’t bend over. It sustains your health and supports long-term healing. It’s not a fix-it and done. It’s a continuous practice that is most effective when received regularly. It supports whole body communication and awareness. It supports releasing of trauma/unsupportive patterns so you can create and sustain new habits and patterns that work for you long-term. Form follows function and professional massage therapy increases your awareness of both so you can shift and sustain the shift.
Contact
stephaniels9614@gmail.com
269.547.7377