Mindful Living as a form of Self-Care
By Maria Newell.
It’s not easy living in the human body. We are often faced with different thoughts and emotions that lead to overwhelm. I would like to share the gift of mindfulness with you as it has changed my self-care routine. Self-care is a subject that is mainly discussed around skincare, fitness and treating ourselves. Although these are a few aspects of it, I believe that self-care is something deeper.
This is where mindful living comes into play. Mindfulness is the quality of being in the now. It is a sense of freedom and perspective, of being connected to ourselves and to others. Simply just flowing through the day.
Being mindful ensures that we are less likely to want our life to be other than what it is. If you find yourself overthinking, going through stress or constantly wanting more, mindfulness is definitely the practice for you.
‘The act of mindfulness is not to relax. Oftentimes difficult feelings arise as we become aware of our thoughts, feelings and bodies. This is okay. The practice of being mindful allows us to learn more about who we are and to accept what we feel inside’.
Here are ten mindful rituals that you can apply daily including Self Ceremony products that you can implement into each practice:
01. Meditate
Meditation is a favourite of many for a reason. There is an app called Insight Timer that offers thousands of free meditations ranging from a variety of different categories and time durations. By meditating we allow ourselves to gain a new perspective, focus on the present, manage our stress and so much more. Even five minutes of meditation each morning can make all the difference.
Have the selenite wand close by for clarity, understanding and concentration.
02. Mindful Walking
Add some movement into your morning with an early walk. Think about it, are you the mindful type when you leave your house? Do you pay attention to your senses? Keep an ear out for the birds chirping, feel the temperature of the breeze and see the blue hue of the sky. Count the steps that you take. Take time to truly appreciate nature without any distractions.
03. Set an intention
Take out your favourite scented candle and light it. Now, set an intention. Your intention could be to let go of what no longer serves you and to live in gratitude for all that you have. This is a small but powerful mindful practice especially if you believe in manifestation. It is best done in the morning to set the tone of your day.
Our Hearth loose incense is also perfect for meditation, self reflection and setting intentions
04. Go screen free
Social media is another world inside of this one. How many times have you got lost in your phone for hours while mindlessly scrolling through the accounts of others? I think that a large majority of us can relate to this. Set a schedule for yourself on what times to be on social media and when to take a break. When you are online, be conscious of what content you indulge in.
05. Your love language
The five love languages are words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, acts of service and receiving gifts. Detect what your love language is or maybe you have more than one. Look at them and figure out how you can include these into your daily routine. For example, if your love language is physical touch make sure to take your time when using skincare products.
For this ritual we would suggest our Self Love Set which includes a mini Rose Quartz Pleasure Wand, Botanical Facial Steam and The Heart herbal Smokes.
06. Remember to nourish yourself
Let's talk about food. We’ve all been there, we’re super busy and grab the first thing that we see in our pantry. This could be that leftover pizza that you ordered last night. Remember to be mindful when it comes to food. Make a conscious effort to prepare and cook something that you know is good for your general health and make healthy but tasty swaps. Keep things simple and plant-based where you can.
07. Make time for what you love
Never deprive yourself of what you love. Most of the time we are wrapped up in work or others. There are various things that get in the way too but work is common for most of us. Use your own judgement on when you need to make time for you and what you love. Remember your hobbies, listen to an uplifting playlist, bake something that you haven’t had for a while or run a nice warm bath.
Haven’t had enough time for yourself lately? Speaking of baths, try our herbal bath salts Alivio / Relief, perfect for diminishing emotional stress
08. Journal as much as possible
Journaling has been life changing and whenever somebody expresses that they are dealing with emotional difficulties, I will always suggest this practice. By writing down your troubles, you are creating a safe place for yourself within your journal. Journals aren’t just for documenting the downs but the ups too as well as your core values. Set aside a day in the week to freely write what comes up.
09. Your surroundings
Be aware of what you surround yourself with. Do the people in your life energize or drain you? Is your room cluttered or tidy? Is your work fulfilling or hard to focus on? Always ask yourself questions and make adjustments where you need to, Sometimes we don’t realize just how much our environment affects us.
Set a comforting atmosphere to your home with our Clean Slate loose incense to cleanse, release and renewal.
10. Speak kindly to yourself
Think about it, we speak to others with such kindness but rarely do the same to ourselves. You are so worthy of love just like the people among you. You deserve good things in your life despite what you may or may not have done. Compliment yourself and be self-compassionate. Pay attention to the words that you tell yourself as they can be more destructive to us than we think.
Remind yourself that you are worthy with the herbal bath salts Animo / Courage, this serves as a reminder that ‘You can do it!’
To conclude, there are so many mindfulness practices to try. These ten are great whether you are a beginner or expert. If you happen to come across a practice that feels more aligned to you, always go along with it. If there is one thing that I have learnt, it is that being mindful is about honouring your needs and that is something that should never be forgotten.
- By Maria Newell for Self Ceremony. Photos by Nyla Noor.
1 comment
Thank you for these lovely and valuable reminders.