It’s never a bad time to take care of your body, mind, and spirit. It’s difficult when we are faced with uncertainty but we must be gentle to ourselves, warm and compassionate to others. Happiness and relaxation builds strong immunity. Remember that self-care is important to prevent sickness. We need to look after ourselves so we don’t get sick rather than when we do get sick. Eating well and getting enough light exercise keeps stress levels down and aid resilience. Move it! Did you know, the more you keep moving, the more energy you will generate as well as positive emotions! If you’re struggling with motivation to keep in shape at this time, we recommend simple yoga stretches in the morning. Stretch out those kinks! This could be bending one vertebrae at a time to touch your toes, leg raises, or if you really want to heat up fast – try a set of burpees! Mindful Exercises Breathing – never underestimate the power! Our diaphragmatic breathing exercise is life-changing. Perform your exercise whenever the opportunity arises to reduce stress at any time: Before you go to bed, after you have risen, before big meetings or take a break during the day – do several diaphragmatic breaths and you’ll naturally expand your lung capacity. Remember, it’s better to do three breaths than none! Visualise Your Calm Your happy place… being at one with yourself, letting go of the tension and stress and just being. Easier said than done of course but stop putting pressure on yourself (for a short moment at least) and visualise yourself somewhere that takes you away to a place of calm. Finding Joy Find joy in what you have. The weather, your family, you name it. Choose what you have. Choose the joy that’s in front of you. Your vibes multiply, so choose to generate joy. What you create radiates. FACT. And it acts like a big boomerang coming right back around. Put the person who lives inside your heart, body, and mind first (and remember to celebrate the small wins)! Positive Vibes Think of all the things you have to be grateful for right now. Positivity breeds positivity! Play some music that will lift your spirits and get down and boogie. Get the whole family involved and have a dance-off! Let your inhibitions go. Dance like no-one is watching! Movement reduces the body’s stress hormones, such as cortisol, and stimulates the production of endorphins, aka the body’s natural painkillers. Look at the bright side You’ve called your friends, you’ve had some downtime, you’ve even learned things about yourself. You have reconnected with yourself and taken time to reflect. And on the outside, we have given our earth some time out too! Thanks to the quarantine, we are experiencing a cleaner environment. Lessons in life have never been so present. Stress Less Find the calm and magic in the everyday. You will collect moments, not things. Let a smile be your umbrella on a rainy day and never stop dreaming. Now is your time to make big plans. Savour the benefits of a simplified life. Connect To Nature It’s easy, it’s free and it’s empowering! When you’re feeling stressed, take a step outside. You don’t need to go far! Simply sit amongst nature, or take your shoes off when walking on sand to really get that connection. Stay hydrated Get plenty of H2O! It’s free and it will bring mental clarity and flush out unwanted toxins (even if we do admit to a ‘survival’ drop of wine when ‘needed’)! Drink a glass of warm lemon water. It wakes you up, aids digestion and suppresses your appetite. If you can, purify your water through an alkaline purifier. Talk to stay connected Let’s use today’s technology only for the good it can bring right now. Pick up the phone for a FaceTime or a call to speak to loved ones and make use of this time to catch up with the people you love and don’t have time for in our usual daily rush. Happiness is homemade! Self Care Savvy Create your at-home spa day to connect with yourself. When you take care and love yourself so deeply; when you feel the eternal presence of love in every cell ignite. We promise it will counter that angst! Pop on a face mask, soak your feet, paint your nails to make you smile or give yourself a good body brush. Pop some oils into your bath to create an experience. Smell is the most sensitive of the senses. It can make memories come alive! You likely know from experience that scents can affect your mood. But you probably wouldn’t associate aromatherapy with productivity! Essential oils not only help improve job performance but they maintain health also. They have anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and using them in an environment where there are a lot of people can help to keep germs at bay too. A handmade how-to for you this season Rather than using synthetic plug-ins or candles that could contain harmful chemicals, you can also simmer cinnamon sticks, cloves or allspice on the stove for a fragrant room freshener! Or you can make your own lavender spritz for your (silk) pillow! If you diffuse the same scent day after day, you will learn and eventually associate that particular aroma with waking up or going to sleep. Keep up a routine (especially your skincare routine!) There are many reasons why you should have a morning routine: A morning routine ensures you are more organised for your day and maintain a high level of productivity throughout the day to keep you on track. It also allows you to assert your own authority throughout the day and gives personal fulfillment and quality personal time. When it comes to taking care of your skin, it’s what you do every day that makes the difference. Skincare routines need to be just that – routines, in order for them to work as effectively as possible. Taking care of your skin and following a routine should always be a priority, no matter your age or the condition of your skin or what is going on around you! In times of stress, skin can be directly affected, and neglecting skincare routines is one of the worst mistakes to make. Keep up the good work and we’ll see you on the other side! Some of us just need to know we’re on track and that’s what helps relax us! So we know where we’re going, our intentions and of course to get that satisfactory tick so we still feel an element of control. Put us in the diary for a good old facial as soon as we’re back! Maintain a night time routine too! Relax into sleep and feel fully empowered the following day! Your body needs time to shift into sleep mode, so spend the last hour before bed creating the calm. Doing an activity such as yoga, reading or just sipping a caffeine-free herbal cuppa can aid that relaxation process. Blend some lavender essential oil into some fractionated coconut oil or carrier oil of your choice and dab onto your temples. Take a few minutes before bedtime to think about the things that matter to you the most. Reflect on the day’s important moments. Imagine your dreams and goals. Envisage what’s important in the coming days. Direct attention to things you’re grateful for. You’re helping yourself prioritise what matters to you so your mind can take that into consideration when the night shift begins! Nourish and hydrate your skin with plenty of water throughout the day. This will not only keep your skin glowing, but it’s also especially important during the colder months, as the skin will dehydrate faster thanks to the dry winter air. Try and refill your drink bottle at least once a day, and listen to what your body is telling you. Meditation before bed Why is it that when we decide to hit the sack, our thoughts go into overdrive and we find it hard to switch off? It’s important to wind down to dose off with ease so we (especially Debbie!) advocate a bit of meditation. While it does take some time to develop a solid routine on your own, a guided meditation makes an ideal way to get started. Here are some easy starter tips. Stretch it out then sleep it out Remember to pay attention to your body from inside out and top to toe! Stretch it out and layer it on. Although you might be uber keen to just roll into bed and pull the covers over, we highly recommend a stretch or a yoga pose to focus your thoughts and breathing and better prepare you for a deep and restful sleep. Don’t overcomplicate it, just reach for the stars! The last step… lather your body in Ultra’s Retexturising Body Complex for complete skin rejuvenation while you sleep. — If you liked this blog, head over to our Journal page to read more of our helpful skincare guides! If you live in Christchurch and new to the world of facials, get in contact with us or make a facial appointment here. Meet the Total Body Concept team on this page, or head over to our online store for some skincare retail therapy!
