Hi everyone, my name is Alyssa. I hope you're all well! I’m thrilled to be contributing articles to The Queen V blog. I'll be kicking things off with the first part in a series about Radical Self Care. I hope you enjoy!
Is it just me or is everyone burnt out nowadays? Not to start things on a negative note, but when did adulting require so much of our vital self that most of us are left depleted at the end of the day, then zombified at the end of the work week?
I’m still trying to understand my place in a world that seems to pull me in so many different directions at the same time. I’m trying to stay sane when there is so much going on in my real life, the one outside of this 9-5 I’m trying to pull off. It’s a lot. Life is about… more than this? Right?
I’ll let you know when I figure out the secret to life. For now I’m just trying to live it, and self care makes the living part more doable when I incorporate it into my life regularly.
I think that if people took a more radical approach to self care we would live in a better world. It’s almost like a peaceful protest; the decision to tend to our own needs instead of the demands of society and our working, relational lives.
When we practice self care we remember ourselves. Stress dissipates as well as dis-ease and mental blocks.
Self care is what connects me to the “more than this” aspect of living. It rekindles the relationship I have with myself and being alive. It’s something I struggle to do on a daily basis. It seems like the way my life is set up, there is very little time to attend to my own needs and desires and more significantly, little time to go deeper and figure out what is actually going on inside me- AKA what are my true wants and needs. Can you relate?
Maybe this is why so many of us cake out on YouTube, social media and Netflix. We are so exhausted with the pace of modern life, the only thing is to tune out. Sometimes too much tuning out is unnatural and it is more essential to tune in… to ourselves.
Life gets so loud that self care allows us to simmer down and meditate on who we are, treat what is hurting us, and get back inside ourselves, where we belong.
Radical Self Care Practice: Set a date with yourself
A simple way to practice self care is to commit to a self care date at least once a week and stick to it. I find that something along the lines of pampering works really well for me. A very economical and self reliant practice is taking a bath with salts, essential oils, and moisturizing body oils. I like to take it up a notch with a simple spa ritual that I'll include below.
I feel resurrected after a non stop work week when I go through this ritual. It's affordable and done at home. I love how I feel like a new version of myself when I'm all done, like I've shed an extra layer I'd been carrying.
ULTIMATE AT HOME DAY SPA
You Will Need:
All natural body wash or bar soap, or castile soap. Like Bridlewood's Orange and Turmeric Soap.
1 cup good quality salt (epsom, pink himilayan, grey sea salt, ect.) Or Wyld's Coconut Milk and Lemongrass Salt soak.
2 TBSP oil (coconut, sunflower, extra virgin olive oil, almond, ect.)
Essential oils/blends of choice. Lavender, cedarwood, patchouli, ylang ylang, geranium, rose, and orange are all great options. Or you could use East Coast Glow's Orange and Calendula Flower Bath Bomb loaded with coconut oil for moisture.
¼ cup-½ cup prepared clay mask of choice (I recommend rhassoul clay) *it’s also best to mix this in a plastic container as you will be using this in the tub
Palo santo, sage, incense, or smudge stick
A rich moisturizing body oil, butter, or lotion. A great one is Mama's Life Shea and Lavender Body Butter.
Cozy towel or housecoat
Optional: face mask, shaving razor, exfoliating gloves, exfoliating tools. A great face mask is Schmear's Spirulina and Kale Face Mask and Sayula Agave Exfoliate Glove is effective and biodegradable!
Directions:
Prepare for the bath by mixing your clay mask according to instructions (I recommend doing this in something plastic, or non shattering). Gather all your materials and bring them into your washroom.
Light your incense or smudging tool and smudge your washroom lightly.
Take a quick shower. Use all natural soap to clean off any dirt, debris, and sweat (depending on the season).
4. Fill your tub with water at a temperature that you will feel comfortable soaking in. While the tap is running add your salt, essential oils, and 2 TBSP oil of choice. Make sure your clay mixture is close by, as well as your optional face mask, shaving razor (if you are planning to shave) and exfoliating glove.
5. Soak. Apply your face mask, use your exfoliating gloves, massage your muscles, or just relax. Leave shaving for the end of your soak. The oils soften up body hair and this makes for easy and smooth shaving without the need for soap.
6. When you feel ready, pull the drain and empty the tub. Reach for your clay mixture and carefully smooth the clay all over your body until you are covered in a thin layer. You can include your neck and face. Do this with the utmost care! The tub will be slippery. I do this while seated in the tub to be extra cautious.
7. Let the clay dry for 3-5 minutes while you stay in the tub, then run a cool shower and rinse the clay off your body. The cool water is stimulating and feels amazing after a hot soak.
8. Dry off in your cozy housecoat or towel, then apply your favorite moisturizing body oil, butter, or lotion.
If you don't have access to a tub, here a few more ideas for self care dates that I brainstormed:
Independent Activities: Do a hair or face mask, walk in nature, listen to a self love meditation, do an in depth body scan while you relax (use crystals and incense to set the mood), use self massage tools or a foam roller for a full body massage, make a salt body scrub with essential oils.
Outside Activities: Get your hair or nails done, get a massage, book a spa day or sauna, book a spot in a breathing or meditation workshop, attend a sound healing bath ceremony or book an acupuncture treatment.
I'm looking forward to keeping up with my self care practice and hopefully expanding on my weekly dates with myself. I've already learned that, depending on the time of the month, these pampering dates are critical to my self care and can make all the difference in how I prioritize my life intelligently and intuitively.
What do you do for self care right now in your life? Do you feel like you could incorporate it into your schedule more? What does "Radical Self Care" mean to you?
