How I practice self care

Hey guys!

I'm back (after a very long time) with another post on something which I have discovered in the last year or so, is extremely important when it comes to looking after myself for my physical and mental wellbeing. 

I wanted to share these tips with you now as I feel like I have finally realised the importance of consistency when it comes to self care, and how it can affect you. These things I used to do now and again, and I would see and feel the benefits of them, but now that I am doing them consistently, I cannot see myself going back due to the improvement that has been made in my life. 

Self care will likely mean something different to me than what it does to you, and that is absolutely fine. The point isn't to follow my exact self care habits, but to encourage you to discover what helps you to maintain and improve your physical and mental health. Saying that, you may read mine and feel that they would all really help you too! 

1) Establishing a good bedtime routine. 

A lot of parents bring their babies and children up with an established bedtime routine and child care experts are always preaching the importance of it. I've realised that it is also very beneficial in adulthood too. By having the same steps that I do daily to wind down and get ready for a night of sleep, it helps my body and mind to unwind and slow down. Different routines will suit different people and your bedtime routine will depend on your lifestyle. Mine includes having a hot night time herbal tea (pukka sleep), which I only drink as part of my night time routine, which again, this helps my body to recognise it is nearly time to sleep. 

2) Skincare. 

Skin care is such an important thing for me; I think the reason why is because it feels like pure indulgence. It's a few minutes in the day where you can do something purely for yourself and I think it's so lovely to have that as part of my every day routine. I have an AM skincare routine and a PM skincare routine. Some of my favourite skincare brands are Evelom, Elizabeth Arden, La Roche Posay and The Ordinary. 

3) Meditating.

I absolutely love meditating. From using meditation apps to following a guided meditation on YouTube or an in-person class, there are so many ways to enable you to it. The reason why I love it so much is because it is practising being still in a world that feels like it is constant. There is constantly new information from every angle; from incoming texts and news notifications on your phone to TV programmes, to conversations with people. I feel like it is very rare that people take the time to just sit and do nothing. The great thing about meditation is that you are not 'supposed' to try and  feel anything in particular. You're not aiming to feel relaxed or have a silent mind (although you may feel like this when you meditate- the point is, there its no right or wrong!), you are 'just being'. And that is amazing. No pressure, no aim. My favourites are the 'Calm' app and Christian Meditation YouTube videos. 

4) Scripture.

Reading scripture from the Bible is the first thing I do in the morning and the last thing I do before I go to sleep. If I get out of this routine, then I can really feel it. I become less patient, less forgiving, more anxious and more stressed. Reading scripture daily is really important because it is always fresh in my mind. It keeps me on track and it reminds me of who I am and what I am dong. This is the most important part of my self care routine. 

5) Reading.

My husbands go-to activity to wind down and chill out is watching the TV. He can't fall asleep without the tele on in the background (very irritating, although I've learned to live with it!); he always says his mind totally switches off when it's on and he stops thinking about work and everything else that's been on his mind that day. Reading is what gives me that escape. I find nothing more mentally relaxing than reading a good book where my mind can literally take me somewhere else. For me it is a real mental escape. My favourite authors are Sophie Kinsella, Carole Matthews and J.K Rowling. 

6) Setting Boundaries. 

I think setting boundaries is really important. I don't mean to no longer go out of your way to help other people etc, but to make sure that you aren't putting too much pressure on yourself that you end up making yourself stressed, ill or to the point where you don't have the time to give to yourself. I used to feel like I said yes to everything and I often felt like I was running on empty and using every scrap of energy that I had to help other people. As I just mentioned, I think it's really important to help other people and to indeed go out of your way to help others, but when it is to the point where you don't have the time or energy to give to yourself, that's a big no-no. Eventually you will get to a point where something has to change. That's why it is important to have some boundaries in place to protect yourself and also in order to be your best self to others! 

Lots of Love,

Yasmine x

BOOKS THAT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD

                                               

Hey everyone!

Welcome back to my blog! Today  I thought I would tell you  about some incredible books that I’ve read over the years, some recent and some literally ages ago. These are books that I would recommend to someone that loves mindfulness or self improvement, or just a general laugh out loud cosy read to help them forget a stressful day :)

I've love reading and always have since I was a little girl. I've always found it so relaxing and I love the way it literally makes you forget everything, no matter what your going through in reality. I could be having the most sleepless night, or the most stressful, anxious day and reading a decent book just makes me forget my troubles and will guarantee to give me relief from any anxious mind.

I'm  going to tell you about a book which isquite possibly my favourite book in the world. I remember first reading this when I was maybe around 12 or 13, I think I got it from a charity shop or the library. It is the first one of the 'shopaholic' series by Sophie Kinsella, my all time favourite author. The only way I can describe this book, and the rest of the series, is just hilarious, light-hearted, easy reading that is so cleverly put together. Sophie has a way of writing so wonderfully, her books are just like a comforting cup of tea, or your mums roast dinner. They are just cosy, heart warming and settling. The series is about a twenty something year old named Becky Bloomwood. She is irresponsible, trying to find love, hide from her debts and buy quite possibly everything ever made in her favourite designer store Octagon, all at the same time. You will fall in love with her, laugh with her and cry with her. I'm telling you now, I still read these books and I still will when I'm a little old lady! Whenever I need a good reliable holiday read or want something that's just gonna cheer me up, this is my go to. I hope some of you guys will give this a chance and will love Becky as much as I do!

Another book I want to tell you about that has honestly changed my life is 'Being Happy' by Andrew Matthews. I can truly remember reading this book being a turning point in my life which has actually stuck. It was almost like an epiphany, it made something click in my head and gain back a piece of myself. Along with other things, this book was the start of my journey to getting out of the endless anxiety circle I was in inside my head and realise I was still a strong person and my anxiety did not have to define me anymore if I didn't want it to! It's basically the most therapeutic, confidence boosting, hope bringing book I've ever read. It reminds you of who you are, no matter what has happened to you and that you hold the power to your own happiness. It teaches you of how powerful the mind is and if used in the right way, you can learn to bring yourself happiness and joy and appreciate everything and everyone that you already have. Truly a life changer! I hope you guys can gain some smiles with this one!


Something I wanted to mention is the Bible. Whether you're religious or not, and I'm not trying to get you all to a Sunday service or bible studies, its just that I personally found this the biggest help of all. I remember my Nannan telling me that years ago she got depression. After some time she just took to her bed for two weeks and she read the Bible and she got better. When I was in a desperate, dark place I started to read the bible and it really helped me. There was something comforting about it and it made me remember that God is always there for me. You can get a free app called Bible app which makes it a lot easier as it has the ability to read it out to you and you can pick different translations to suit you. Sometimes I think we can all get caught up in every day stressful situations or  give far too much time worrying about things that in hindsight, don't actually matter that much. For me, reading the bible reminds me of what's important and gives me a sense of peace.

I hope you've all enjoyed this post and if you want any help or some more recommendations just post a comment! 😊

Much love,
Yasmine x