• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Relaxation Moments

Relaxation for The Mind and Body

  • Home
  • Relaxation
    • Mind Relaxation
      • Meditation
      • Relaxation Music
      • Deep Breathing
      • Guided Imagery
      • Autogenic Relaxation
      • Progressive Relaxation
      • Mindfulness
    • Body Relaxation
      • Massage Therapy
    • Relaxation Ideas
    • Self-Care
    • Holistic Wellness
      • Spiritual Relaxation
    • Relaxation Resources
    • Product Reviews
  • Relaxation Shop
    • Audio Book
    • Aromatherapy
    • Candles and Accessories
    • Gift Baskets
    • Massage Products
    • Relaxation Books
    • Relaxation eBooks
    • Relaxation Music
    • Relaxation Tools
    • Meditation Products
    • Yoga Products
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • Relaxation
    • Mind Relaxation
      • Meditation
      • Relaxation Music
      • Deep Breathing
      • Guided Imagery
      • Autogenic Relaxation
      • Progressive Relaxation
      • Mindfulness
    • Body Relaxation
      • Massage Therapy
    • Relaxation Ideas
    • Self-Care
    • Holistic Wellness
      • Spiritual Relaxation
    • Relaxation Resources
    • Product Reviews
  • Relaxation Shop
    • Audio Book
    • Aromatherapy
    • Candles and Accessories
    • Gift Baskets
    • Massage Products
    • Relaxation Books
    • Relaxation eBooks
    • Relaxation Music
    • Relaxation Tools
    • Meditation Products
    • Yoga Products
  • Contact Us

Self-Care

The Ultimate List of Self-Care Ideas

July 12, 2020 //  by RelaxationMoments//  Leave a Comment

Self Care is taking personal responsibility for one’s own physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health. It is making yourself a priority, and it is good for your mind, body and soul. Self-care is not selfish and should be your lifestyle. Here are sixty-two self-care ideas for you to add to your daily routine to take care of you.

62 Self-Care Ideas

  1. Support system. Having a support system provides you the opportunity to ask for help, as you need it.
  2. Learn to process feelings. Master the skill of processing your emotions in a healthy way.
  3. Learn to say no! Believe in it, practice it, and use it to avoid overwhelm and over extending yourself that leads to burnout and resentment.
  4. Create, believe in, and enforce your own boundaries. Your boundaries protect you from harm, just as the borders are there to protect countries.
  5. Proper sleep. Good sleep is imperative for physical and mental health and wellbeing. It provides the body with the rest it needs to keep you well, and helps you perform at your best in all that you have to do on a daily basis.
  6. Eat a healthy diet. Good food nourishes the body and brain, keeps your weight at a healthy level, and provides you with ample energy.
  7. Solitude – Spend time alone to clear your mind, gather your thoughts and just slow down, even if it’s just a few moments.
  8. Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is a practice that makes you focus on the present moment and really pay attention to what is going on, including smells, sounds, feelings, actions, and everything else. This practice offers numerous benefits, with one of the best ones being that it keeps you in the present moment and prevents senseless worry about the future or nagging thoughts of the past.
  9. Get a treatment at the salon, a blow-out, manicure, pedicure, anything that makes you feel good and renewed
  10. Hot aromatherapy bath
  11. Do something that is fun, senseless and makes you relax.
  12. Create a morning routine with mediation, prayer, visualizations, an uplifting podcast, a session on the treadmill or anything that works for you. Morning rituals help get you centered for the day ahead.
  13. Take a few moments and do a facial massage, with botanical oils or your favorite cream
  14. Read a book
  15. Spend time with friends
  16. Drink a hot cup of herbal tea. This is great in the evening to calm your mind and body and get them ready for sleep
  17. Turn of all noise, including phone, social media alerts, and just sit in silence. You can do this easy self-care practice during any one of your days.
  18. Cook. Cooking helps keep you grounded and in touch with what you are eating. Many people find the act of cutting vegetables to be soothing and an inherent part of being human.
  19. Practice gratitude. Gratitude is one of those things that eludes many, as we get caught up in the spiral of daily stress and responsibilities and begin to resent all that we have to do. But look at the flip side, what if you had no job? Being grateful for all we have, even with the frustrations involved helps keep you centered and more calm.
  20. Break free from negative and/or unhealthy people. People who do not serve a positive purpose in your life only drag you down.
  21. Get up slowly without a blaring alarm. Get up a little early so you have time to slowly awake, and have some quite time for yourself.
  22. Create a beautiful garden for yourself to sit in and relax. If you love plants, flowers and trees surround yourself with them as much as possible. Nature is soothing, calming, and restorative.
  23. Practice deep breathing several times each day.
  24. Meditate. This practice only takes minutes, and can be done anywhere. There are many smartphone apps with guided meditations to help you stop and take care of yourself throughout your day. It helps keep you centered, focus, and relaxed.
  25. Do nothing. Yes, take a few moments each day and do nothing but space out.
  26. Plan periods of time without plans. Yes, it is okay to simply have blocks of time during your weekly schedule to do nothing and have nothing planned.
  27. Be spontaneous. The above tip allows you time to be spontaneous, this way you can just do whatever you want, take a drive, read, take a nap, go to lunch with a friend, or just watch TV.
  28. Exercise. All exercise releases feel good chemicals in the brain, reduces stress, detoxifies the body and greatly improves mood. Cardio, aerobics, weight lifting, and even a simple walk around the block are all helpful.
  29. Take a scenic drive
  30. Practice yoga. There is a yoga pose for just about every possible purpose, and yoga has more than sixty benefits for mind, body, and spirit. Its effects stay with you long after each session has passed.
  31. Recharge with a spa day
  32. Practice positivity. Positive thinking is miraculously healing, and optimists live longer and handle stress much better than pessimists do. Always look for the silver linings in any situation, especially the bad ones.
  33. Be okay with disappointment. Life is full of disappointments, but when we get caught up in the emotion of them it can drag us down, both in spirit and our quality of life. It’s okay to be disappointed with yourself, it’s okay if others are disappointed in you, you are the best you can be at all times.
  34. Be your own best friend. You can certainly figure out what that means for you. Think of the key words, love, honor, support, respect, care for, meet needs, be there for, and meet desires.
  35. Go on a retreat to rest, refuel and regroup your mind and refresh your spirit
  36. Create calming surroundings. Look around your home, your car, and office, are these areas calming or do they create feelings of chaos or tension? Clutter is chaotic, and when you are in a cluttered space, you will feel cluttered on the inside.
  37. Consider your friends and relationships. Do they fulfill you, support your wellbeing, and inspire you to be your best, or do they drag you down?
  38. Consider your routine. Is it chaotic and does it make you crazy? If yes, make changes as needed with a focus on your wellbeing.
  39. Make a list of your greatest qualities and read it often.
  40. Stare at the clouds. Find some grass, lay down, and just watch the clouds float in the sky.
  41. Play like children do. Childlike play feeds the spirit, and promotes emotional health.
  42. Scrutinize your schedule. Take a long hard honest look at your schedule, is it overfilled? Are overly burdened? Make every possible effort to eliminate things that cause overwhelm. You may think everything on the schedule is important, but considering that your wellness supersedes everything else, you will surely find things that can be eliminated, or find help.
  43. Consider nagging annoyances. We all have little things that annoy us and nag at us, and over time this can cause mental and emotional burdens. So fix those annoyances and get rid of them. For example, there is likely something at your house that you have been wanting to fix for a while, but have been putting it off, just fix it so you can stop thinking about it. Perhaps there is someone you have been meaning to call for a while, make the call, and get it done.
  44. Just one thing. Do one thing that makes you happy every single day. Smell a flower, listen to your favorite song, hug yourself, think of those good things that feed your soul.
  45. Unplug. Unplug all electronics for at least half an hour each day. That means your phone, laptop, tablet, social media, email alerts, landlines, all of it!
  46. Evaluate your social media updates. Do you really need to be bothered with constant updates from 100 plus people? This type of information overload is really harmful, it promotes stress and prevents your mind from being calm and centered.
  47. Listen to your body. Get into the practice of listening to your body. So often, we run around doing a million things without noticing hunger, thirst, or exhaustion.
  48. Dance. Dancing is great exercise and the music helps release feel good hormones in the brain. You don’t need to go to a club, you can dance while cleaning, or simply in your living room or office whenever you want.
  49. Stretch. One of the easiest and quickest way to destress and recharge is to stretch. Do it every day.
  50. Plan your meals. Plan healthy meals for the week, if possible cook everything on Sunday and have it ready to serve, this way you will not get caught in the spiral of “too busy to eat healthy,” where you wind up eating junk from unhealthy fast food places.
  51. Practice positive self-talk. Use positive affirmations to remind yourself of how great you are and how much you deserve self-nurture to promote self-care actions.
  52. Spend time in nature. Nature is soothing, refreshing and re-energizes the mind, and spirit.
  53. Splurge. Buy yourself something self-indulgent, just because.
  54. Get some sun. Spend a few moments in the sun each day, don’t forget the sunscreen.
  55. Inhale wellness. Essential oils used in aromatherapy are therapeutic and help create a certain mood, for example lavender for calm, or peppermint to boost energy, motivation, and mood. Aromatherapy can be done anywhere with a small bottle of essential oils on hand you can simply add a few drops to a tissue and place it in your purse.
  56. Laugh. There are many benefits of laughter for mind, body, and spirit. Take time to laugh every day, seek opportunities like watching funny videos on YouTube or comedy channels on cable.
  57. Quick nap. A nap that lasts between 10 to 20 minutes completely rejuvenates your mind and energizes your body so you can tackle anything that comes your way.
  58. Take up a hobby or sport you always wanted to do. Commit to it and make it a part of your self-care ritual.
  1. Candlelit dinner for one. Yes, why not take yourself out for a delectable gourmet dinner and celebrate your own company.
  2. Journal. Many people find journaling to be healing, as it allows you vent frustrations, process emotions and reflect.
  3. Receive love freely. Love is the ultimate healer, no matter how bad things get, love can pull you out. Seek it, receive it and give it, and you have the best self-care medicine there is.

Category: Self-CareTag: self-care ideas

What Is Self-Care

July 5, 2020 //  by RelaxationMoments//  Leave a Comment

The definition of self-care is any activity that we do to help us take care of ourselves.  Self-care is good for your mind, body, spirit, life, and soul and NOT selfish.  It is making yourself a priority, a lifelong practice, imperative, and a ritual you should incorporate in your lifestyle.

It is important that you have a self-care plan in place. When you practice adequate self-care, every aspect of your life can be improved upon. However, while it is a simple enough concept, it can be difficult to put into practice.

Did you know there are different types of self-care you can focus on? If you really want to achieve the benefits of self-care, you are going to need to ensure you are utilizing the different types. The question is, what are the different types of self-care and what do they consist of?

5 Types of Self-Care

1. Emotional

Your emotional wellbeing has a huge impact on your happiness and quality of life. Therefore, if you want to improve your wellbeing, you are going to want to focus on emotional self-care.

This type of self-care enables you to better deal with your emotions. You will be able to control the way you feel, rather than letting it control you. You will learn to become more aware of your emotions and express them in a healthier way.

Emotional self-care can include seeing a therapist, listening to music, and keeping a journal.

2. Physical

To stay healthy, it’s important to look after the body’s physical needs. That is, making sure you get enough sleep, drinking plenty of water and exercising regularly. However, physical self-care is so much more than just healthy eating and staying active.

When you are focusing on physical self-care, it includes ensuring you are not adopting any unhealthy coping methods such as binge eating or missing sleep to binge watch a series. It means taking time out when you are sick and going to medical appointments whenever you need to.

3. Spiritual

Spiritual self-care is often associated with religion. However, it is basically anything which nurtures the spirit.

This is just as important as your physical and emotional wellbeing. If you want to lead a truly healthy and happy life, you need to make sure your mind, body and spirit are equally taken care of.

Examples of spiritual self-care include surrounding yourself with nature, reading a great book, meditating, and taking time out for personal reflection.

4. Social

Your relationships and social skills can play a large role in your happiness. We all need healthy, strong relationships to be genuinely happy. It is also important to remember that the people we surround ourselves with make a big difference to how we feel about ourselves and how we act.

How is your social circle right now? Think about the type of people you prefer to be around. Consider your romantic relationship, or lack of, and how it can be improved.

Social self-care includes learning to say no if you need to, as well as making time to spend with family or taking that chance and going on a date. It focuses on strengthening your relationships and doing what you need to do to meet your individual social needs.

5. Practical

Another type of self-care you will want to focus on is practical self-care. This relates to the practical aspects of your life such as your finances, career, and organizational skills.

By focusing on practical self-care, you will potentially avoid stressful situations in the future. Taking care of your finances for example, will greatly reduce your stress levels and ensure you are well-equipped to handle any potential future cash flow challenges.

Some practical self-care tasks include creating a budget, taking a course to progress in your career and organizing your closet.

These are just five examples of the different types of self-care. If you are committed to improving your quality of life and becoming happier, you will want to make sure you’re taking care of all of your needs.

However, with so many things to focus on, it is easy to become overwhelmed. So, it is a good idea to start by focusing on one or two self-care tasks until they become a regular habit. Then, you can move on to other tasks to gradually improve your life. 

The Consequences Of Not Caring For Yourself

Ignoring your needs and not taking care of your self has serious physical, emotional, spiritual and lifestyle quality ramifications.

Physical

One of the greatest consequences of a lack of self-care is chronic stress, which numerous studies have shown to play a critical role in chronic disease, including heart attacks, stroke, overweight and obesity and others.

As the stress hormone cortisol surges through the body it causes serious complications, including reduced immunity, deteriorating organ function and accelerated aging of both the mind and body.

Hectic lifestyles that lack some type of self-care component also result in unhealthy diets and lack of exercise that further increase risks for chronic health problems, one of which is type 2 diabetes, which is at epidemic levels in the United States.

Emotional

When we do not take care of our needs, we become exhausted, angry, bitter, and anxious. Often, these feelings can lead to resentment that can spill over into personal relationships, such as marriages. Studies have shown that women who follow a regular self-care routine have happier marriages.

Mental

A lack of self-care can result in depression, anxiety and other mental health problems. In fact, women suffer from depression at a four times higher rate than men do. Burnout, overwhelm and brain fog are some of the disastrous consequences of a hectic lifestyle that does not address self-care.

Spirit

Our spirits can suffer profoundly from a lack of self-care, as our needs go ignored as we place all our attention and energy on everyone else’s needs. Anna Quindlen summarizes this consequence well in her book, Being Perfect, “Someday, sometime, you will be sitting somewhere…. And something bad will have happened: You will have lost someone you loved, or failed at something at which you badly wanted to succeed. And sitting there, you will fall into the center of yourself. You will look for some core to sustain you. And if you have been perfect all your life and have managed to meet all the expectations of your family, your friends, your community, your society, chances are excellent that there will be a black hole where that core ought to be.”

Final Thoughts

Self-care isn’t just about doing what you want. You need to focus on the things your mind and body needs. Knowing the difference between what self-care is and what it isn’t, will help you to establish the most effective routine.

Category: Self-CareTag: self-care

How To Start A Self-Care Plan

June 28, 2020 //  by RelaxationMoments//  Leave a Comment

Why A Self-Care Plan Is Important?

To have a self-care plan is important to take care of you in so many ways. When you practice adequate self-care, every aspect of your life can be improved upon. It’s treating yourself well and giving the body what it needs and making improvements for yourself. To successfully achieve self-care, you must have a self-care plan. It’s through that structured plan that you’re going to be able to properly care for your well-being. Self-care isn’t just about brushing your teeth and taking bubble baths. Self-care is for the needs within you. Self-care is caring for your soul, your inner self, and your very being.

Building a Solid Self-Care Plan

A good self-care plan reminds you of what you want to accomplish. After all, you have values, goals, and a purpose in your life. This plan reminds you about what you need to do to take care of you. Using a day planner or making notes to yourself can remind you of your goals and the things you need to do to take care of your body, mind, and soul. Did you know there’s actually many different types of self-care you can practice? Each focus on a different aspect of your life, helping you to improve everything from your health to your relationships. Physical and emotional self-care are the most common types to start with.

  • Your self-care plan gives you a solid foundation for what you want to do and how you can accomplish it.

You should also provide yourself with inspirational quotes and affirmations. This is the spiritual food that keeps you focused on your own personal well being. Not only do you have the reminders of what to do, but you also have little pieces of inspiration around you to remind you of why you’re doing it!

In addition to inspirational quotes, you can hang motivating pictures throughout your home and office. These pictures may be of exotic places you’d like to visit someday, or tranquil images of nature.

Your pictures may be something that you want to attract into your life or may remind you of a positive memory from your past. You can also have a photo of your family to remind you of what’s important to you.

  • Your self-care plan should inspire you and remind you of why you want to take care of your body, mind, and spirit.

Another aspect of your self-care plan is tracking your progress. Let’s say you have a hard time getting motivated to exercise. By keeping a log of your exercise time, you can keep yourself focused on achieving a healthier you.

A food journal is also a good way to track your food choices so you can remind yourself that you need to eat nutritious foods. In addition, you can use a journal to record your mental and emotional health. Write down what’s going on inside of you so you can evaluate your feelings and proactively take care of your mental health.

  • Your self-care plan tracks your progress to help you stay on track toward your goals.

You can use these aspects of planning toward anything in your life so you have that solid foundation you need to take care of yourself. Just make sure to take care of the inside as well as the outside.

Creating a Personalized Self-Care Plan

You may need to motivate yourself to initiate your self-care plan. For some, beginning any new task may be daunting. In addition, you’ll want to be sure you can find motivation along the way to help keep you on track.

Ask yourself about what has motivated you in the past. Use this as your motivation toward the things you need to do to take care of yourself.

A good motivator to keep you on track is to have a family member, friend, or spouse hold you accountable. If you slip up in your efforts to proactively take care of yourself, they will let you know so you can renew your focus and get back on course.It’s important to have some sort of structure in place for successful self-care. You need to take care of yourself before you can take care of anyone else. Click here for a list of self-care ideas. A good self-care plan will provide you with the vigor, attitude, and energy to enjoy life to its fullest!

Category: Self-CareTag: self-care plan

Mindfulness in the Winter for Self-Care

January 20, 2019 //  by RelaxationMoments//  Leave a Comment

The cold, grey days and long, dreary nights of winter are an ideal time to establish a mindfulness practice. Mindfulness is helpful in dealing with stress and other challenges such as anxiety and depression, and it is an effective self-care tool that can easily be applied by anyone, anywhere. Whether one has been an adherent of mindfulness for many years or is a novice, there are practices that can be incorporated into daily life that can help to bring a sense of calm and peace to both our inner and outer beings. Some practical ways to practice mindfulness in the winter include the following:

Sitting Meditation

Perhaps the most well-known mindfulness technique, sitting meditation essentially involves quieting your mind and recognizing your emotions. By doing this, we can honor our feelings while at the same time learn not to be controlled by them. By bringing stillness to our minds, we can stay in the present moment. We allow ourselves to pause and to relax, to restore harmony and balance to our lives.

There are many methods of sitting mediation to choose from. The most basic technique calls for a meditator to find a quiet place to sit, close his or her eyes, and focus on his or her breath. Thoughts will race through a meditator’s mind, and that is perfectly normal and acceptable. When this happens, one simply needs to return to focusing on breathing in and breathing out. Although it can be difficult to find time to meditate in our hectic lives, even taking five or ten minutes in the morning or evening can prove to be very valuable.

Breathing

Many people find that a mindfulness practice that involves intentional breathing does wonders. The act of breathing in and breathing out at a controlled pace helps to regulate our heart rhythms and keeps us from hyperventilating, which can be miraculous in extremely stressful situations. Learning proper breathing techniques is an essential form of mindfulness self-care.

One popular breathing procedure is known as “4-7-8 Relaxing” breathing. One inhales for a count of 4, holds one’s breath for a count of 7, and then exhales for a count of 8. Repeating this behavior for a few cycles can bring rapid relief to an overburdened mind and body.

Explore Nature

The shorter, darker days of winter can be difficult to endure. Although it seems counterintuitive to venture outside into the cold, getting outside to explore and spend time in nature is one of the most healing gifts that we can give ourselves. Being exposed to even a little sunlight, along with getting exercise, increases our feelings of contentment. Walking through the woods or going to the park are incredible ways to explore nature in the winter.

We can incorporate mindfulness into our nature explorations by pausing to examine what we see while outside. Notice the birds that are still around. Look at the shapes of the icicles hanging from the trees. Feel the wind on your face. Taking a moment to appreciate nature is an incredible form of mindfulness.

Self-care in winter revolves around activities that can be done indoors. The extra time that we spend at home provides us with the time and space to implement changes. Practicing mindfulness is a crucial step in staying stress-free and calm during the winter.

Category: Self-CareTag: self-care, winter self-care

How to Care for Yourself in the Winter

January 6, 2019 //  by RelaxationMoments//  Leave a Comment

Winter can be a beautiful and thoughtful season, but it’s often difficult to enjoy it with the cold temperature and various illnesses in the air. Luckily, it’s entirely possible to enjoy a picturesque winter season with a few simple steps! Here are some self-care tips you need to enjoy winter today.

Staying Healthy and Warm

One of the most difficult things about winter is the high-probability of getting sick. Whether it’s a sore throat, stuffy nose, or dangerous flu, you’ll want to protect yourself while still enjoying the season’s benefits. While flu vaccinations and over the counter medicines are common, these tips can help protect you while also being enjoyable by themselves!

First, you’ll want to keep your body and home warm throughout the season. This seems obvious, but it requires more than just a sweater and heater. Make sure to wear socks indoors to keep your body temperature down, and sip on warm tea throughout the day. Avoid caffeinated teas in the evenings and instead choose something calming like chamomile.

As the temperature drops, you’ll also find that the air gets drier as well. This can cause your throat and sinuses to get scratchy which also leaves you more susceptible to common colds. To prevent this, get an air humidifier and add some pleasant natural oils into the mix. Oils like lavender, lemon, or peppermint can open your airways and keep you relaxed throughout the season. Plus, a humidifier makes your room’s air moister which will keep your sinuses clear no matter the temperature outside!

Taking Care of Your Mental Health

Depending on where you live, the winter may bring subzero temperatures and occasional snowstorms. When the sun isn’t present for long periods of time, your body begins to produce less vitamin D. When you have a vitamin D deficiency, you may experience mood swings along with other symptoms like depression, lethargy, and insomnia. To help, try a small vitamin D supplement to keep your levels stable throughout the darker months.

Your mental health can also improve through regular exercise. While you may not be able to run outside, you can practice yoga or body weight fitness inside of your home in any season! Do some daily pushups, jog in place, or simply shake out your arms throughout the day. Even the smallest amount of exercise can go a long way in keeping your mind and body healthy during the winter.

Arts, Crafts, and Literature

You may spend more time inside during the winter months, but that doesn’t mean you have to be bored! Find some unique activities or games that you can play inside to stay busy. This could be a new board game or something more personal like arts and crafts. Learn how to draw, or reignite a passion for a craft that you haven’t enjoyed in a while. Plus, nothing’s better than diving into a long and well-written book during the winter! Have some hot chocolate, curl up in a blanket, and enjoy that book you’ve always been meaning to read.

While the winter may not be everyone’s favorite season, it can be an enjoyable time if you put your mind to it. Plus, you can get some festive and colorful lights to hang indoors so you can always enjoy the warmth of the season. By following these tips, you’ll be sure to have a wonderful winter season without worries!

Category: Self-CareTag: self-care, winter self-care

Do You Take As Good Care Of Yourself As You Do Others?

November 25, 2018 //  by RelaxationMoments//  Leave a Comment

relax and de-stressSelflessness and selfishness are two very misunderstood terms. People mistakenly think that selfishness means doing things with the intention of taking care of your-self and they also think that selflessness means doing everything for other people that they want, taking everything on board, and never doing anything for your-self.

It’s always important to understand the balance in all of these actions in order to see the reality of the situation.

Imagine This

All day long, you do things for yourself, only based on what you want. If someone else needs something from you, or asks you to get something that they need which might ‘put you out’ a little, you refuse. Your time is your time and you want to keep it all to you.

This is pure selfishness.

Now imagine the opposite.

All day long, you run around for people getting everything they want, not having a second for yourself to get things done or to focus on what you need. You are constantly being told where to go and what to do without ever having the ability to sit down and think for yourself. People use you to the point of exhaustion, every day like a servant to the needs and wants of others.

This is pure selflessness and it is exhausting.

In all of this, it is vital that we find the balance.

Balancing Yourself

When we take care of the needs of others, we must do so while maintaining what we need also. When we need a break, we must be able to say no. When a person’s requests or demands are getting to be too much weight on our shoulders, again we must learn to say no.

While looking after and taking care of others, we must also make it a high priority to have time to ourselves, to relax and not have to deal with any added stresses and pressure.

Doing this, taking time out for ourselves, to give ourselves what we need, actually allows us to better serve others. If there is not balance, very quickly we will become exhausted and drained of our ability to do anything.

In this state, we would quickly become depressed and overwhelmed, or perhaps even start to get irritable and angry. This is all because there is no balance between selfishness and selflessness.

Real Selflessness

What we are trying to achieve here is ‘Real Selflessness’. The kind of selflessness that is balanced, that gives both ourselves and the other person or people what we all need. Living in this way actually makes us more capable of helping others, because at the same time we maintain our own requirements along with the requirements of everyone else.

It is important that we take as good care of ourselves as we do others. If we don’t, we actually lose the ability to take care of others properly.

Developing the right kind of balance means we can go on living through ‘Real Selflessness’ for as long as we continue to live.

How To Be Truly Selfless

We must be honest with ourselves and with others. We must have boundaries in place that don’t allow other people to take advantage, unknowingly or not.

We must recognize when things are becoming too much to handle, and when we need a little space to relax and let go of the stress.

Once we recognize this, we must put everything down, essentially say ‘no’ to the world for a little while so that we can rest, recover, recuperate and reset to come back reinvigorated and ready to serve once again.

Living in this way means that we aren’t just taking care of others, we are simultaneously taking care of ourselves in the same moment.

People will respect this and appreciate it because everyone knows how it feels to be stressed and exhausted and at the same time, they will appreciate that you are still helping them, or that you will continue to be your giving self once, you have had enough of a break to focus on yourself.

Learn to have boundaries in place and effectively implement them. By doing this, you will learn how to be the right amount of selfless and the right amount of selfish, without falling into any extremes.

The middle way is always balanced. Learn to walk the middle way and take care of yourself as much as you do others.

 

Category: Self-CareTag: self-care

Guide to a Self-Care Routine

January 28, 2018 //  by RelaxationMoments//  Leave a Comment

 

A Self-care routine is essential for both mental and physical wellness. It fosters a healthy lifestyle, which ensures that your body functions optimally. Self-care involves self-love, self-respect, self-awareness, and self-understanding. In other words, it involves doing what you feel is right for your health. Although self-care may be elusive, especially if you have a very busy schedule, it is important to note that prioritizing your needs is essential for your wellness. This article explores a few steps to guide you on how to incorporate self-care into your busy schedule.

Healthy Eating

Healthy eating ensures that your body gets adequate nutrients to function at an optimal level. The nutrients reduce your vulnerability to diseases and infections by keeping your immune system strong. To ensure you eat healthy, it is important to plan your diet in a way that incorporates carbohydrates, vitamins, proteins, and other nutrients that are important for body processes. Avoid fries and other foods that raise the level of cholesterol in your body. Any cholesterol surplus in the body is deposited as fats, which are harmful to your body. It is important to adopt a balanced diet to avoid too little or too much of a particular nutrient in your body.

Healthy eating may also involve avoiding excessive alcohol intake. Too much alcohol has various side effects, including alcohol addiction and dehydration. Alcohol addiction may be difficult to treat, especially when you begin experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Alcoholism may affect your social and economic lifestyles.

Healthy Sleep

Getting perfect sleep should be an essential part of your daily schedule. Perfect sleep relieves stress and improves your cognitive ability by eliminating mental fatigue. Since every person is unique, it may be difficult to determine how long proper sleep should last. However, scientists generally recommend that you should sleep 7 to 8 hours a night. You can know that you lack good sleep if you experience certain signs and symptoms, including mood swings, sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, hallucinations, memory problems, and disrupted sleep cycle.

Meditation

Meditation connects you with your inner self. It alleviates stress and gives your mind the ability to focus on useful things. Meditation also fosters self-awareness and self-compassion. When meditating, be sure to focus on the good things you have achieved in your life. This gives you encouragement that you can achieve better things. Avoid thinking about past negative events because such events tend to cause stress and distract your focus on important aspects of your life.

Proper Exercises

Proper physical exercises should not be too light or too heavy, and they should be done on a regular basis. Exercises ensure proper self-care by keeping your circulatory system efficient. When the blood in your body flows optimally, nutrients and oxygen are properly transported in the body to keep you healthy. Proper exercises also boost your cognitive ability by ensuring increased blood supply to the brain. Additionally, it keeps your body healthy by toning your muscles and burning fat deposits in your body. To make the results of regular exercises even better, accompany your workout plan with a proper diet plan.

Overall, it is important to understand that you may not live to care for your loved ones if you fail to care for yourself. You need to avoid conforming to environmental and situational demands that compromise your self-care. Instead, think and act in a way that promotes self-care.

 

Category: Self-CareTag: self-care

Hygge: Get Cozy for Proper Self-care

January 14, 2018 //  by RelaxationMoments//  Leave a Comment

 

Hygge (pronounced by some as “hue-gah”),  is Danish word that can be translated to the word “cozy.  In Denmark, the people enjoy a hygge lifestyle that involves creating a moment of coziness, especially in the wintertime when it is cold. Denmark has long and cold winters, but the residents want to spend a lot of time with their relatives and friends, so everyone tries to have enjoyable hygge moments that will create a feeling of warmth. You don’t need to be from Denmark to want hygge moments, and with these winter self-care tips, you can also feel cozier during a snowstorm.

Have Candlelight in Your Home

If you live in Denmark, then you will rarely find scented candles on display in a home, but you will find unscented lit candles instead. Most Danish people have a lot of plain white candles throughout a home, and they light the candles to create a cozy ambience. The unscented candles are lit throughout the day and are in every room of a home. Look for plain white candles at a local store, and place the items in candleholders throughout your home to create a cozy atmosphere.

Cook Your Favorite Comfort Foods

In the winter, you can overcome the feeling of darkness in the winter by cooking your favorite comfort foods. You might want to have a warm bowl of macaroni and cheese, or you might prefer mashed potatoes with fried chicken. To increase the feelings of coziness, you will invite your friends to your home to enjoy a potluck buffet of comfort foods. You can also have a cooking party to learn how to prepare the most popular comfort foods from Denmark.

Create a Quiet Oasis Inside Your Home

You should also have a quiet oasis inside your home where you can rest and relax after a difficult day at work. This special area might be a window seat that is filled with soft pillows and a warm blanket so that you can read your favorite book. Alternatively, you might have a quiet area in your living room or bedroom that makes you feel peaceful and cozy.

Visit a Nearby Cafe

On the weekends, you should have a favorite cafe to visit with your friends where you can sit for hours talking about nothing while drinking cups of coffee and eating delicious desserts. While spending time with your friends, you may have an intense feeling of contentment or coziness that is indescribable, making it a hygge moment.

Enjoy a Favorite Hobby in the Winter

If you don’t have time for a hobby during the other seasons, then you will have time in the winter. Choose a hobby that you can enjoy at home or with your friends. You might want to learn how to knit in the winter, and this is a hobby that you can take with you to a friend’s home. Alternatively, you might want to learn more about collecting coins from around the world, or you may want to learn more about woodworking.

Create Numerous Cozy Moments in the Winter

Additional cozy moments in the winter can include lighting a fire in a fireplace before relaxing in front of it to listen to music, or you can have a warm bubble bath before slathering lotion on your dry skin.

 

Category: Self-CareTag: winter self-care

Taking Time Out to Be by Yourself

January 7, 2018 //  by RelaxationMoments//  Leave a Comment

Taking Time Out For Yourself

Taking time out for yourself is one of the most important aspects of self-care. You need to find time in your day to relax, unwind, and recharge before anything else. Even if you’re busy with work or family life, giving yourself time to relax can help you fulfill your responsibilities more efficiently and without stress. This guide will help you find the time to relax along with tips for what to do during your short breaks.

Finding Time for Yourself

Whether you work in an office all day or are at home taking care of kids, it’s important to find at least 15 minutes to give yourself some breathing space. At work, you can wait for a lunch break to sneak to your car or a quiet space outside. At home, wait for your partner or kids to calm down before focusing on yourself. Once you have a few minutes without excessive distractions, you can then utilize the following tips to make the most of your time.

Focus on Your Breathing

When alone, focus on your breath and posture to completely relax yourself. Inhale slowly and deeply, and then exhale completely to feel at ease. This will help to calm your mind and body very quickly, and it can give you a lot of energy later in the day.

A Short Activity

Even if you’re pressed for time, you can find ways to get in a quick exercise to stay healthy and calm your nerves. Choose to walk to the store instead of driving, or quietly jog in place if you can’t go outside. Stretch your body, shake out your limbs, and get your blood flowing so you can stay loose and calm throughout the day.

Read Something Special

Keep a small book of poetry or prose nearby so you can dip into it when given the time. A well-written poem can liven your spirits and give you the perfect boost throughout an otherwise monotonous day. If you prefer, you can also choose something like a crossword puzzle or sudoku.

Buy Yourself Something Nice

You don’t have to buy yourself something expensive, but treat yourself to something nice every now and then to boost your mood. It could be a dark chocolate or a cute keychain. You could even buy yourself a beautiful postcard to pin on a wall at home. Give yourself gifts and treat yourself with love to always have the best mood possible.

Practice Positive Thinking

It’s easy to fall into the trap of negative thinking throughout the day, but it’s extremely important to break that trap before it becomes self-fulfilling. Instead of worrying about errands, chores, or work, think about how nice it will be to complete your tasks. You’ll have to complete them anyway, so it’s better to think of the positives instead of the dull negatives. Instead of worrying about how long a project will take, try to imagine how pleasant it will be to complete it.

By following these tips, you’ll be able to take time for yourself throughout the day without worries. Give yourself a gift every once in a while, and do something positive for yourself whether it’s thinking happy thoughts or getting in a small amount of exercise. Once you make a habit of this, you’ll be able to see the positive results immediately!

Category: Self-CareTag: self-care

How to Relax and De-Stress After the Holidays

January 4, 2018 //  by RelaxationMoments//  Leave a Comment

relax and de-stress

After the holiday season, you still have several months of winter left to cope with, so you must find ways to relax and de-stress. You may have been super busy throughout the holidays, giving you little time for reducing the stress of shopping and going to parties. Here are some winter care tips to help you feel better after the holidays end.

Create a Soothing Bedroom

First, you should create a soothing bedroom to cope with the cold temperatures at night. You may want to replace your old mattress and box springs by shopping at an after Christmas sale. In addition, January is a great time to find new bedroom linens at reduced prices so that you can have new items such as a thick comforter, heated mattress pad and soft flannel sheets. This is also an excellent time to replace lightweight curtains with heavier draperies so that there are fewer cold drafts in your bedroom.

Visit a Day Spa

Winter is the perfect time for visiting a day spa for relaxing treatments to eliminate the stress from the holiday season. You can request a facial to cleanse and moisturize your skin, or you might prefer a full-body wrap that includes an application of mud and herbs. A spa will have additional amenities such as whirling hot tubs or warm saunas to help you feel better. It is also possible to have an assortment of massages along with beauty treatments such as pedicures, haircuts and manicures.

Change Your Diet Plan

If you have gained weight during the holidays, then you will want to change your diet plan to lose a few pounds. You may have consumed a lot of bad carbohydrates such as cookies and noodles throughout the holidays, so you can switch to eating numerous fresh fruits and vegetables instead. Create new daily menus that include three meals and two snacks so that you can control what you eat rather than grazing mindlessly. With these menu plans, you can create a grocery-shopping list to avoid buying junk foods while you are at the supermarket.

Plan Your Exercise Routines

When you have avoided having an exercise routine, January is the perfect time to join a fitness center. This is the time of year that local gyms are offering discounts on memberships, and a fitness center is a heated indoor space away from snow or ice. You will have access to an assortment of exercise equipment such as elliptical machines, stationary bicycles and free weights. Most fitness centers also offer classes that involve group activities such as yoga or calisthenics. Joining a class at a fitness center is an excellent way to socialize with others while also increasing the strength of your muscles and bones.

Maintain a Regular Schedule

You may have had a poor daily and weekly schedule during the holidays because you were busy with Christmas shopping and holiday activities, but in January, you can begin to maintain a regular schedule again. To feel your best, you must go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. You will also lose more weight if you eat your meals and snacks at the same times on a daily basis.

Category: Self-CareTag: self-care

Footer

Relax Your Mind eBook and Audio

Relax Your Mind

Featured Relaxation Video

Copyright © 2021 Relaxation Moments · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme