Dear readers,
I hope you’re reading this from the comfort of your couch or comfy space mid-quarantine. It’s a strange and turbulent time to be alive and I’m not sure about you, but I’m feeling the change in energy pretty heavily so I thought I’d share some self-care tips as this does fall under Ashtoria’s “Wellness” umbrella.
I’m a homebody by nature, so the thought of needing to quarantine doesn’t necessarily cause me concern. I really didn’t need another excuse to stay home and isolate as this is actually preferable for me! However, it takes all types to make the world go ‘round and I know a lot of you are having some serious FOMO. Self-isolating doesn’t have to be boring or feel like a punishment, though. I see this as an opportunity for a cultural re-set, a time for us to slow down and take care of others by first taking care of ourselves.
Self-care is something we can incorporate into our daily routines in big ways and small ways during any conditions, but especially now. One of my favorite things to do for myself is cooking a really nice meal. Now, with grocery stores in their current state, I’ve been hearing a lot about practicing restraint, which I highly encourage you to do. I’ve been trying to use things that have been hanging out in my pantry first, like grains and pasta, before going to the store. Getting creative with my recipes has already enhanced my cooking skills. I love being able to follow a recipe from beginning to end and have it turn out exactly the way it looks in the picture, but there’s also something about abandoning rules and restrictions in the kitchen that’s also super rewarding.
Meditation has also been a major key for me during this time. It is statistically shown that meditation improves general wellness, energy levels, memory, and focus, and provides anxiety and depression relief. I encourage you to practice mindfulness and meditation 365 days of the year, but time gets away from us and it can be hard to carve out those few minutes of your day to dedicate to yourself. Instead of waking up and immediately checking social media, I’ve started these past few mornings with a fifteen-minute meditation. This practice has left my mind and spirit feeling ready for whatever Twitter or other media sources are about to throw at me.
All of this is to say I haven’t necessarily been alone these past few days. I do have roommates and luckily we’ve been able to keep each other company. For those of you that may live alone though, I encourage you to call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while or an older relative and check in on them. I’m sure they’d really appreciate it. Not that this is the end of the world or anything, but I think it’s a sweet gesture to reach out to people you care about in a crisis. And it would probably make you feel better, too!
Some other things I’ve done these past few days include: watching The Irishman, finishing a book I’ve been reading, giving myself an at-home pedicure, and cleaning out my at-home office space to more comfortably be able to work from home if these conditions continue. These are all things that I’ve been wanting or needing to do for a while and haven’t had the time for. So whatever that thing is that you’ve been putting off, what’s stopping you?
I hope you’re all staying well and sane, and I look forward to talking skin with you soon!
XO Tanner