Shen Dove

personal style, musings and inspiration

Elevate Your Epsom Salt Baths This Winter

Self-care can come in all shapes and forms.  One of my favorite, inexpensive ways to practice self-care on a regular basis during the winter months is to take baths.  Taking baths can help your body eliminate toxins and relax at the same time.  Take your bath to the next level by using essential oils, which provide antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory benefits, along with common household items like baking soda, Epsom salts can help flush impurities from the body by allowing it to sweat out toxins (source).  Epsom salt is also a source of magnesium.  Magnesium is found in food sources and can also be assimilated through the skin.  Magnesium is responsible for several key biochemical reactions in the body.  Here are 3 simple bath salt combos to try to elevate your next Epsom salt bath.

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On Practicing Yoga and Cultivating Habits

While not very consistent with my practice these days, I truly enjoy yoga.  Yoga, a practice that is thousands of years old and originates from Indian Ayurvedic tradition has proven health benefits such as reducing stress, strengthening bones,  building balance, staving off cognitive decline, among others (source).  Yoga is a form of self-care and exercise that I feel makes a difference in my personal quality of life.  Though gym memberships go unused every time I’ve tried them, I’ve always enjoyed exercising in group settings.  In some ways group exercise classes like yoga take me back to my childhood during which I took various dance classes for over a decade.  But I haven’t made time for practicing yoga at home or attending my usual studio in recent months.  Especially since the weather has gotten colder, it seems far easier to head indoors at the end of the day than to take the extra effort to trek to the yoga studio! And the call of my couch and Netflix is strong after a long work day…

I’ve decided to make practicing yoga a daily habit I want to focus on cultivating this year.  With most habits, once I get back into the swing of it, I’m sure yoga will again become a  cherished part of my regular routines.  I’m truly not a night time person, so I’ll commit to waking up earlier to to a short yoga practice before starting my day.  I also want to try a trap yoga class (a vinyasa yoga practiced to trap music) in DC that’s been on my to-do list for ages.  I’m going to sign up for a class this week and stop coming up with excuses not to go.

Here’s to creating sustainable, good habits  in 2017!

 

Image: Black Girl in Om’s Instagram

The Importance of Self-Care + 23 Self-Care Ideas

Self-Care

People from all walks of life; from working mothers/fathers, political activists, business owners, caretakers of the old or young, career driven folks, and everyone in between tend to look after the needs of loved ones before themselves. But it’s important to remember that self-care isn’t selfish. Self-care helps you to manage stress, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a prolonged bout of stress can affect your health and ability to cope with life (source).  So, self-care is truly vital to your mental and physical health. Self-care does not have to be expensive or take up a lot of time out of your busy schedule. But it sometimes can be overwhelming to think about self-care rituals with so many other tasks that need to fit into daily life. So if you’re in need of inspiration on building a self-care practice, check out the ideas below:

  1. Meditate or Pray.
  2. Sage your living space.
  3. Take a yoga class.
  4. Do your favorite exercise of choice (running, swimming, dancing, HIIT, cross training, Pilates, etc.)
  5. Draw or color in a coloring book (there are plenty of coloring books out there geared toward adults).
  6. Give yourself a facial with ingredients you have in your kitchen (for example: a yogurt, honey, strawberry mask).
  7. Wash your hair and do a deep conditioning treatment.
  8. Pick up hobby you rarely make the time for and devote some time to it on a weekly basis, even if it’s as little as 15 minutes a day.
  9. Call your bestie, Mom, Auntie, or Grandmom. Then makes plans to meet up with them.
  10. Cook a favorite meal or order take-out.  Try using your best dinnerware, and slowly savoring your meal.
  11. Take a bath with your favorite bath salts and essential oils. Light some candles and turn on your favorite music playlist.
  12. Go to a bookstore and read your favorite magazines with a cup of coffee or tea.
  13. Take a walk, jog, or hike.
  14. Get a massage.
  15. Get a mani/pedi with your bestie or by yourself.
  16. Research and plan your next vacation even if it’s far into the future.
  17. Take a book to the park and read.
  18. Watch your favorite stand up comedy special or episodes of TV sitcoms that always make you laugh.
  19. Write in your journal.
  20. Write down your favorite affirmations.
  21. Listen to your favorite podcast.
  22. Schedule counseling, therapy, or coaching sessions if you feel it would be beneficial to you.
  23. Get a full night’s sleep.

BONUS IDEAS: Go to your place of worship for a service, have a prayer call or meeting with loved ones, cuddle with your pet, take a social media break, dance around your living room, volunteer for a cause you believe in, congregate with your tribe on a regular basis so your community can lift you up.

There are countless other ideas for self-care rituals, but regardless of what practice you implement, be sure to build it into your schedule regularly.