nourish yourself
When it comes to the wellness “industry”, there is often this misnomer that creating a healthy lifestyle has to be overwhelming, complex, expensive and time consuming. Sure, we can spend oodles of money on beauty products, body treatments, organic food and the latest in trendy tools...orrrrr we can invest in a few basics, and make our own skin care in a few easy steps, prepare healthy food, simply, and use what we have in our homes to create a special little sacred wellness space, making it just as cozy as any yoga studio.
When we think of the word nourishment, we might think of food, or family, our favourite pyjamas or a hot beverage. We might think of the one person who feels like home. Cultivating nourishment is a personal journey and it is not linear...meaning, depending on what is happening in our lives at any given time, our needs change. What felt nourishing a year ago or even a month ago may not evoke that same feeling. What we once had an aversion to (geranium or clary sage essential oils for me!) may now be our go-tos. As long as we pay attention to our needs, and as often as possible do our best to meet them, we are doing juuuuust fine. Notice I said as often as possible, and do our best. We may never have a “nourished” 100% dialled in. What does that even mean anyway? We simply do our best to take care of our whole being, and we release judgement, pressure and expectations for how that must look.
Here are 5 simple ways to build your wellness practice:
Take 5 minutes each morning upon waking to breathe deeply, set intention for your day, and to move gently. Simple movements like alternating bringing your knees into the chest, or gentle twists, can do wonders for waking the muscles up and getting the circulation moving. On your back, extending both legs up to the ceiling, to gently wake up the backs of the legs is another basic yet effective posture for a gentle morning wake-up. Breathe deeply and consciously. I also love using soft light in the morning, when I stretch, make coffee, etc… it feels gentle and like self-care.
A gentle face massage in the morning is such a nice way to release tension from the jaw which may have collected tension overnight.
As you apply your body cream or oil (either with or without a shower routine), what if you said something loving to your body; a gesture of love, acceptance and appreciation.
We hear it over and over...hydrate. The infamous skin glow comes from two things: inner peace and contentment, and hydrating from the inside out. One of these is very easy to achieve :)
Before you go to bed, reflect on your intention from the morning. Without judgment, ask yourself how that went. Take a few deep breaths. Look at yourself in the mirror as you apply a nourishing face oil or your favourite skin cream if you have one, and smile at the beautiful reflection looking back at you.
Consider creating a small space in your home, dedicated to you and your wellness. It can be a corner of your room, it can be a spare room; the logistics are not the important part. Creating a space, where you can sit, undisturbed, for a few minutes a day, to journal, meditate, pray, read, sip tea, or whatever nourishment looks like to you that day, can be a life changing decision, where you decided, and are reminded each day, that your wellness is a priority. From there you can nourish others in your life, but please dear sister, start with you.
As I write in my book, morning and nighttime rituals are like beautiful bookends for the day. As I continue to make this so in my own life, I can attest to its power and truth. xo