Self Care Practices I Love

"You can't pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself F I R S T."-anonymous

Self care is incredibly important because caring for yourself creates a happy + healthy YOU. In order to love others throughout the day you have to be good with you. Over this past year, I really learned that loving and caring for yourself makes a huge difference in the way you live your daily life. Self love + self care are two of the biggest things I am taking with me into 2019. With that, here are some ways to care for yourself:

Image from Tone It Up.Com

1. Mindful Meditation: This was a huge game changer for me- meditation was what helped me when I was feeling anxious and stressed beyond belief. I first started simple morning meditations of gratitude first thing in the morning by listing 3 things I was thankful for- or 3 things I loved about myself. This little thing helped me set up a positive mindset for the rest of the day. Along with this, I more recently started following Tone It Up's Mindful Meditations (they are free on their youtube- link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWmgyAvdRZY ). I love how I feel after doing a Tone It Up mediation and I would recommend them to anyone! Doing a small thing like a 6 minute meditation can really make a huge impact on your entire day.

Photo from Amazon.com

2. Face mask: It can be so easy to go weeks without putting a face mask on- but they feel so amazing for your skin and can be really beneficial if done consistently!!! Care for yourself by throwing a face mask on once a week. If you have a little more time, I usually like to do 2 face masks back to back- the first one to clear the skin/acne focusing and the second for hydrating and plumping the skin. My fav face masks are: Glam Glow Mud Mask (mini size here), Aztec Secret's Indian Healing Clay, and Miss Spa Coconut Sheet Mask- which you can find under the Makeup & Beauty List in my Amazon Storefront here. I feel like my makeup looks that much better when my skin underneath is feeling hydrated from a good face mask. By doing this, you will feel great knowing that you took the time to care for your skin.

3. A Bubble Bath: There's nothing better than a nice bubble bath at the end of the day. This is a time for you to listen to your fav tunes and just unwind. If bath bombs are more your thing, Lush sells my favorite ones! A bubble bath is a great time to just shut off from the world and close your eyes for a while. We typically are all go-go-going all day and a bath is a great way to just slow it down.

4. Keeping A Gratitude Journal: This is another great way to show some love for yourself- keeping a dedicated journal to show your gratitude. The definition of gratitude is "the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness"- so write out the gratitude you have for you, your life, the people in it, etc. Physically writing these things down really helps create positivity in your life and your day and I encourage you to do it with me.

5. A Great Workout: Whether it's yoga, toning, running, or walking- pick what you love the most and just do it. When you put in the effort and spend some time working for your body- you just start to feel really good about yourself. I like to think of working out as something I do to love body, rather than changing it. Of course the progress and results are so super amazing and keep me going, but my main focus for working out is to feel good and love my body.

6. Netflix + Wine Night: Get all cozied up with a movie, wine, your PJ's and a soft blanket. Before you know it, the wine will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Use this time to just space out if you need to and spend some time for yourself.

Enjoy <3

I hope these things help inspire you to love and care for yourself every day. Please let me know what your self-care practices are.