With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s so easy to get swept up in the commercialized fantasy of the perfect date. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with planning a special dinner with your significant other, or a single night out with your best friends, don’t forget to love the most important person in your life… you!
Trust me, I know how it sounds, but you should never feel selfish for taking some much needed time for your own self-care. I am so grateful for the amazing mentors in my life, especially my mother and grandmother, who taught me from such a young age how important it is to take care of yourself. They taught me that by prioritizing your own mental health and wellness, not only are you able to love yourself and all your natural uniqueness better, but as a result you are capable of truly loving those around you and embracing their naturally beautiful qualities too.
For me, my skincare routine has always been a massive mood boost each day. Whether it’s before leaving for class or unwinding at home after speaking at an entrepreneurial conference, it’s been such a consistent way for me to carve out time to take care of myself. It was this positive experience with natural skincare that drove me to start my own business in the first place!
Here’s a few other self-care tips I learned early on that have helped me so much to manage stress and find some much needed peace of mind…
Build a Healthy Foundation for Physical Wellness
This can look like different things to different people. For you it could be making sure you get enough sleep each night and doing your best to keep a consistent sleep schedule, prioritizing a balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables, remembering to drink enough water, purchasing all-natural and organic foods and personal care products, etc. Whatever it looks like for you, it is so important to ensure that you take care of your body in a healthy, natural way. It should never be about looking like someone else, but showing lots of love and kindness to your own body and its own design.
Take Time to Unwind Your Mind
Whatever you typically do for work or school, make sure you counter balance those taxing to-do’s with something less stressful on your mind. For example, between classes and managing my business, I’m at the computer pretty much all day. When I’m finally home and have time to relax, I’ve found it’s so helpful to step away from the screens and go out on a walk in nature or, especially on colder days, sit for a while with a good book and warm tea. This helps me refocus and relax my mind by allowing it to step back from the daily noise and just enjoy some much needed, less over-stimulated downtime.
Find Your Passion and Chase It
What is that one thing that sparks your inner joy? For me, the moment I started making my own natural skincare products I could feel this incredible passion and fulfillment from doing something I loved. For some people that’s painting, or cooking, working with animals or helping people in need. Find that thing that makes you so excited that it’s all you want to talk about at a party. I’m not kidding! When I first started Calithea my friends and family would just laugh (lovingly of course) “Oh, here she goes again!” That’s exactly how I knew I was on the right path for me. Whatever that looks like for you, chase it! Life is way too short to put what you love on the backburner!
I hope you’re able to find some version of each of these pillars into your daily life. It’s not easy and I certainly don’t perfectly keep up with these each day. The most important part is to remember that, even in the face of adversity (a bad day at work, a failed test, you name it), you still take the time to remind yourself you deserve all the kindness and patience needed to get back up and start anew tomorrow. With that mentality truly anything is possible!
~ Elena xoxo
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease
Sources:
[1] 50 Ways to Start Practicing Self-Care – International Bipolar Foundation (ibpf.org)
