By Julia, Customer Service Specialist + Self-Care Enthusiast
It’s getting colder and the days are getting shorter. It’s easy to fall behind on self care during this difficult change. Now that it’s getting to be the holiday season, we tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves and get easily overwhelmed. Thus forgetting the importance of slowing down and taking care of the body and mind. So I’m here to remind you of some steps you could take to help ease that stress!
Declutter!
Just like we have spring cleaning, decluttering and organizing for the fall and winter is a nice way to make your home feel more comforting for the colder months to come! Nothing is better than having a clean open space, especially when this time of year people tend to spend a lot more time inside. Imagine, coming home to a clean comfy space from the cold New England weather and making a hot drink to relax for the rest of the evening. Make your home feel warm and welcoming!
Since cleaning can be very daunting as well, try making it a fun activity and play some of your favorite music or put on a podcast to help distract your mind. Take it one step at a time, don’t pressure yourself and just start with cleaning small sections instead of trying to take it all on at once. You got this!
Take a relaxing bath or shower!
Give yourself a luxurious bath by adding a bath bomb, salts, bubbles, or you could even make yourself a mix of herbs to soak in! Don’t have any of these relaxing items at home? Fear not! We have a huge selection of these delightful items to help you have the bath of your dreams! To add some extra relaxation we even have some products that are infused with cbd. A few of these products include cordial organics bath salts, Soul Spring bath soaks, Rare Essence Rosemary Mint bath bomb, and Unplugged Essentials bath soaks. Unplugged Essentials is also 15% off for the month of November, so don’t miss out! If herbal soaks are more your thing, then head to our bulk section; we will have just what you’re looking for! At bulk you can find rose petals, lavender, calendula, chamomile, oat tops, and so much more! Maybe even light some candles and put on a face mask. Romanticize your life a bit and give yourself the main character moment you deserve!
If you are someone who doesn’t have a bath tub or prefers showers, we got your back! Shower steamers are a must for people who prefer or only have a shower and still want a luxurious experience. I also recommend trying out a body scrub! My personal favorite is the Soothing Touch Lavender Herbal Salt Scrub, it deeply exfoliates while also acting as an amazing moisturizer.
Be active!
Go for a walk and get some fresh air! Even a small walk, anything to get your body moving would be helpful for not only your physical health but your mental health as well. Or if you can’t go outside, put on some music and dance a bit! Maybe even do some stretches or try some simple yoga poses to get your body moving. I know it’s easier said than done. Some days are harder than others when it comes to getting out of bed to get your body up and moving, but that's when it’s most important!
Take care of your immune system!
Be sure to do all you can to protect your immune system, especially during this time of year! Maybe try including some herbs like elderberry, echinacea, goldenseal, or yarrow along with your supplements. Also if you don’t have any immune boosting supplements and don’t know where to start, Host Defense Stamets 7 Mushroom Blend is great for everyday immune support. Or if you need something a little more fast acting, Gaia Herbs Quick Defense with Echinacea and Elderberry will be more your speed. But don’t worry, we have a huge selection of immune support supplements and a great team to help you find just what you need!
You could even support your immune system by adding certain foods to your diet as well. Foods like garlic, ginger, broccoli, turmeric, papaya, green tea, and citrus fruits are great for consuming more vitamins and antioxidants. In fact we have a book filled with nutritional recipes called, Cooking For Winter Health Wellness by Brittany Wood Nickerson (sold in store!). This is a personal favorite of mine since I love to cook!
Take up a hobby!
Try doing some activities that you think you would enjoy! Maybe things like painting, drawing, reading a book, gardening, knitting, journaling, baking, or anything that brings you joy. It’s nice to have personal hobbies like these to make day to day life a little more exciting! It helps distract us from life and the world around us for a short while.
If you’re having trouble finding some things to do, we actually have events at our Boston Landing location or sometimes on zoom that in the past have included a free meditation class, herbalism classes, pilates, and much more! We even have some events coming up soon that include the Free Community Meditation with Anna Robinson (Online Event) on November 20th at 7pm and Managing Writer's Block with the Mind-Body Connection on December 4th at 5:30pm.
Take Yourself out on a date!
For me, nothing feels as freeing as having a day to myself and finding a new restaurant or cafe. Go and check out that cafe you’ve always wanted to go to! Go see some art at a local museum! Have a day to explore and practice self love. Treat yourself the way you would treat someone you’re on a date with.
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help!
Mental health is not only very important, but it can be incredibly hard to maintain as well. Especially when the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, it gets even more difficult to stay in a healthy mindset and routine. Please reach out to the people in your life when it gets hard, maybe even try out a form of therapy that you think would suit you. Life is hard, and it’s okay to ask for help. ❤️