Sometimes I have days on which I just want to lay on the couch and watch Netflix 'till we exceed our monthly band with space. While this certainly has its place, I also have some other selfcare techniques that make me a lot more happy in the long run.
1. Take a long, hot bath filled with pink bubbles. It requires a bunch of things such as an actual bath tub, pink bath bubbly things and a pre-heated bathroom, but once that's organised, you are good to go. My favorite bath product is the comforter by Lush. I got my first bar for my 26th birthday from my friend Anne and I'm hooked since. This is what selfcare is for me: giving myself the permission to relax! I'd love to hear what your favorite bath product is!
2. Listen to music I loved when I was a teenager (aka rediscover every Jimmy Eat World song in my iTunes) and sing+dance along.
3. Clean up my studio. Usually, when I feel overwhelmed with work or can't get anything creative done, it's because my head is in chaos. And this shows in the studio. If everything gets cluttered and displaced, the only way to bring clarity back is to clean up all the mess and get organized again. Once the studio is shiny and organized, creativity comes back too! You might feel as if cleaning is not really selfcare, but for me it does feel this way. If I take time out to clean, I do feel a lot better afterwards!
4. Go for a walk through town or for a swim. Moving my body makes me feel better. I used to deny it, but I've come to realize that I feel so much better when I take time to move! I love swimming and try to go for a swim at least twice a week. Walking through Antwerp and looking at people, or going to the river and watch the water is also perfect for clearing my head!
5. Watch this video of pandas going down a slide. I love it so much.
6. Bundle up in bed and take a nap. This is perfect. I simply go to bed, put on my alarm clock and close my eyes; No matter if you actually get sleep in, you will feel better after! Nothing beats taking a nap!
8. Make myself a golden almond latte. This is one of my favorite drinks after almond chai latte. Simply heat a cup of unsweetened almond milk and add a teaspoon of honey, cinnamon, ginger and turmeric (one teaspoon each). This feels like a warm hug and gives so much energy! The recipe is super simple but I found it in the book 'Paleo voor Beginners' a beginner's guide to Paleo by by Elke Gunst.
9. Call or Snapchat my husband/my mother/a friend. My friend Stéphanie and I have this thing that mainly consists of snapchatting the other person with the bunny ears filter. We don't see each other as often as we'd like 'in real life' but I'm pretty sure that next time I see her, I will be wondering why she isn't sporting bunny ears :-). Facetime is also super helpful when it comes to finding my support network when the husband is away for work! Selfcare also means looking after yourself with support from others!
10. Read a saucy novel. I love my chicklit and I'm not ashamed. If you are looking for some light reading, Milk&Honey, a novel by Alexandra Franzen is SO good. I think I've read it about 10 times now! Which reminds me… I might need to read it again!
What do you do when you feel blocked and you need to be nice to yourself? Any tips or coping mechanisms you use to feel better? What does selfcare look like for you?
Pictures are from my instagram account! You can follow along!
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