Have you been taking the time to simply do nothing lately? Today, it’s easy to feel like you should be productive all of the time and if we are not learning, doing or accomplishing something we are simply being lazy. But continuing on a path of constantly pushing ourselves harder and further is not sustainable.
When we are busy or stressed, we are activating our sympathetic nervous system and putting our mind into fight or flight mode. Being in this state for a prolonged period causes our nervous system to eventually suffer.
Slowing down is so important for your overall well being. Doing simple things like getting enough sleep at night, occasionally turning off technology and completely switching off and spending time with people that make you feel comfortable and at ease are all little things you can do to decompress.
Here are 4 simple self care practices you can use to slow down and restore.
A Cup of Mindfulness
Try drinking a cup of tea or ceremonial cacao in a mindful and intentional way. When you are making your drink, focus on the task and prepare it with care and attention, knowing that you deserve this little act of self care. When you sit down with your drink take your time, focus on just this moment with yourself and don’t get distracted. Take care to notice the scents from your drink, the temperature of the mug in your hands and all of the flavours.
Walking Meditation
A walking meditation is a great way to not only to slow down, but to also get grounded and connect with nature. Try a guided walking meditation or simply go for a mindful walk noticing all of the sensations you meet.
Start by focusing on sensations in your body as you walk. Start with your feet and scan your body upwards, paying attention to any tightness, cold, warmth or any other things you feel.
Then move on to noticing outside sensations like smells in the air, the wind against your skin, the sunshine on your face and the feeling of the ground underneath your feet.
Finally start to notice what you see around you, the colours, people and nature in your surroundings.
If you want to try a guided practice here is one from The Self Care Space library.
Yin Therapy Yoga
Yin Yoga is the perfect way to slow down and really let go of any feelings of stress or anxiety. Yin yoga helps us truly slow down, both in our movements and in our minds and can also support you in activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which is your rest and digest mode, where your nervous system has time to restore and recoup after you’ve been feeling stressed or overwhelmed.
Try one of the many yin therapy sessions in The Self Care Space library here.
Journaling
Journaling is the perfect way to help you tune inwards and slow down. Journaling is also a great tool to use to understand how you really are, so you can understand when and why you truly need to rest. However if you find that staring at a blank page is a little bit daunting, you can try starting with some journaling prompts or a simple gratitude exercise, listing all of the things you are grateful for.
Find some tips and prompts for your practice here.
The Self Care Space is your online wellness hub for you to come and top up your self care. With 250+ on demand videos including yoga flows, pilates classes, yin yoga therapy classes, guided meditations, sound healing, breath work, self care rituals and more, any time you can come to the library, select your choice of self care and pad out some time in your day to look after yourself.
Whether you enjoy a 10 minute gentle stretch in the morning or a full yoga class in the evening, the library is your access to your daily wellbeing.
Sign up here to start your self care healing journey today.
