Self-Care Tools For the Mind, Body and Soul
My favorite part after work (after seeing my husband of course 😉) is coming home and plopping down on the couch! It feels soooo good to sit down and rest my body and brain after a busy day.
Taking a moment for ourselves is is not selfish, it's necessary. Just as we are educated to incorporate daily, physical exercise and practice good eating habits, we should also be educated to incorporate daily, mental rest!
Our minds work 24/7. Think about it... are you ever not thinking about something? (No pun intended 😜)
Our stress directly affects our immune system and our ability to heal 1
Below are some tools I have found that can help provide stress relief for your mind, body and soul
Massage Stones
Not only do they have these stones for pedicures in nail salons, but also for places that offer full-body massages!
My husband bought me some off of Amazon for Christmas one year. You can find them here
Warming the Massage Stones:
- Purchase a spa towel warmer or place them over the stove in a pot of boiling water
- If using the boiling water method: After the water comes to a boil, turn the heat to low/medium and set a timer for about half an hour
- After the timer has ended turn off the stove and carefully drain the water
- Use hot pads to place the stones onto a towel.
- When ready to use, you can transfer the stones to a bowl of cold water for a few seconds, and remove them once they are able to be held comfortably in your hands.
- The trick is getting the stones to the right temperature and not burning yourself (I'm still practicing)!
Using the Hot Massage Stones:
There are many different massage techniques you can use with massage stones. If you have a partner, you can ask them to massage the stones on different parts of your body.
If you are alone, you can simply place the stones on targeted areas of your body in a relaxing environment. I like to use coconut oil mixed with essential oils for my massage.
Benefits of Massage Stones:
- Improves blood circulation
- Promotes relaxation and stress relief
- Decreases anxiety
- Promotes sleep
- Promotes detoxification
- Decreases muscle tension
Massage Gun
Staying on the topic of massages, a massage gun is fabulous for decreasing every-day muscle tensions without having to pay lots of money for an in-person massage.
I like to use this most nights while I watch an enjoyable TV show or movie on Netflix. I especially like to use it before and/or after workouts and stretching! You can use it on yourself or have a partner help you with hard-to-reach areas (like the back).
I purchased mine on Amazon here
Bubble Bath Essentials
You can never underestimate the relaxing properties of a warm bubble bath. Read on to discover some essential items that help set a relaxing and pampering bubble bath session
Bamboo Bathtub Tray Caddy
If you like reading books or watching Netflix on your iPad during your bath time, a bathtub tray is a MUST. This allows you to have "me time" as you enjoy a hobby and ease tension in your muscles.
The bamboo caddy also allows for you to place candles and a drink nearby if desired. I like to get a wine glass and fill it up with a healthy smoothie or a soda pop (every once in a while).
Candles
Candles, in my opinion, are vital for setting a relaxing mood! You can get some cheap candles at the dollar store and place them around your bathtub. Purchasing candles with scents is great if you want to add some aromatherapy
Bubbles and Bath Bombs
Go big or go home! Fill your bath with lots of bubbles! Help yourself feel like a kid again. Bubbles are soothing, but also they allow you to practice mindfulness using grounding techniques. Feeling the bubbles and looking at their different colors and textures can help your mind rest.
Aside from bubbles, adding a bath bomb or a generous amount of Epsom salt is a great addition to your bath. Epsom salts are great for detoxing, promoting sleep, and decreasing pain and inflammation. Be sure you drink lots of water if you choose to add Epsom salts!
Headphones & Music
Music truly speaks to our souls. When I was struggling with panic disorder, it gave me anxiety to put earbuds in (it doesn't anymore); however, I LOVE music and its healing properties. As an alternative to ear buds, I would listen to music in the car as my husband would drive me around the town.
Find what works for you, but something you can try is creating a playlist specific for relaxation. You can choose to listen to this playlist whenever you want to relax and get into all your feels.
If music isn't your jam, there are also lots of self-help, inspirational and motivational podcasts out there too!
Essential Oil Diffuser
These are so popular, you can find them almost anywhere! I like the ones that change different colors. You can choose a number of essential oils to add for aromatherapy.
A bonus to essential oil diffusers is that they also help provide some humidity to your home. I love humidity because we live in a desert area.
Common scents to help relieve anxiety include:
- Lavender
- Rose
- Lemon
- Jasmine
- Chamomile
- Bergamot
- Frankincense
- Geranium
Wax Melter
A wax melter you can use as an alternative or addition to an essential oil diffuser. There are so many cute wax melters around! Walmart has a lot for fair prices.
I love wax melters because there are so many different wax scents that it's perfect for every season. My husband and I enjoy the scents around the fall season because it makes our house smell so homey!
Notebook
A notebook is great for a variety of things
- Drawing / creativity
- Gratitude journal
- Daily journaling
- De-stressing by writing down worries
- Organization / planning
Make your notebook personable by picking out one that you LOVE. I like to pick out notebooks that are my favorite color. I personally don't like notebooks with writing on the front, but that's just me! I often choose notebook that are spiral bound because I think they are easiest to use.
Books
You can take a book ANYWHERE! Books subconsciously help you to be mindful, because you are solely focussed on reading! Your mind can't think two things at once. This is a great way to relieve stress and take a break from your to-do list and worries.
I also love books because it helps you take a break from electronic devices. Phones emit small levels of radiation, which can be damaging to our health. Reading can be so refreshing and rejuvenating.
Exercise Equipment
Working out can be hard to get started, but I know that when I choose to do a workout, I ALWAYS feel grateful I did it after.
Taking care of you requires hard work and effort. Self-care isn't always easy in the moment, but your mind and body will thank you for it. Your health is vital!
You can start working out by choosing an exercise that is simple and fun. Recently, I started to have the goal to do the splits. I am trying to consistently stretch my legs and hips every night, because while stretching may not be fun... doing the splits is my motivation!
Here are couple apps that have really helped with my motivation to workout:
- Fiton
- Blogilates by fitness instructor Cassey Ho
Overall, these are some great starting tools you can add to your self-care took box. Invest in your health by caring for you physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
Treat Yo-Self Healthy!
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