The last several months have been increasingly stressful as we have watched this virus sweep the world leaving chaos and destruction in it’s path. For myself, I have struggled with a lot of emotional ups and downs over the last couple weeks in particular.
I know that I am not alone and that many of you are fighting the low vibrational energy that is bombarding us at every turn. Today on the show I share with you my top self care practices. I hope that these practies can be a blesssing for you in this time. I have included links to some free and paid resources for those of you that wish to implement those practices into your life.
Go Outside
This is probably a given for most of you but I have to include it in this list because of how important it is to our health. Getting outside each day has been shown to increase your mood, boost your immune system and generally leads to better health. Being in quarantine does not mean that we have to stay in our house and avoid the outdoors. As long as you are implementing proper hygiene and practicing social distancing etiquette, such as staying 6 feet away from people and avoiding gathering in groups, there is nothing stopping you from stepping outside for some fresh air and vitamin D.
Taking a brisk walk around your neighborhood, gardening, sunbathing, yardwork, jogging, and riding your bike are all great ways to get some much needed time outside.
Eat Nutritious Food
Eating a balanced healthy diet of living food such as vegetables, fruits, healthy grains, and herbs is absolutely key to your health and wellbeing. Sugar, processed food and overeating not only decreases your energy and causes weight gain but also increases inflammation in the body which lowers your immune system and that’s the last thing you want to happen right now.
I get it. Junk food is so hard to resist especially when most of us are plagued with boredom. Sugar gives us a hit of that feel good chemical Dopamine. Under normal circumstances we might be able to seek out that Dopamine rush through activities that we enjoy, but since we are having to stay at home the easiest way to get Dopamine is by munching on some nutritionless junk food.
Be mindful of the food that you bring into your home and put into your body. Especially during times of stress when your immune system is already vulnerable.
Laugh!
Laughter truly is the best medicine. With all of the doom and gloom we are being bombarded with a good laugh can be soothing to our soul. Try watching a funny movie or sitcom, spend some time talking about light hearted topics with a trusted friend. Play a game with your housemates or your family. Have fun and let loose!
Have An Outlet For Expresssing Yourself
Journaling is a great practice for getting things off of your chest but you can also turn to a trusted loved one or friend to listen to you when you need to vent. Bottling up your emotions or fears will not make them go away and can end up causing more harm if left unattended. There are also a lot of great hotlines and online services that offere therapy or coaching. Online support groups are another good option.
Move Your Body
I just had a conversation on the show with Jessica Burkett about the power of movement. Our body is made to move and made to move often. Being sedentary for long periods of time is extremely harmful. Find a form of movement that brings you joy and your body will thank you for it.
Check out this yoga flow from our guest Jessica Burkett from Wild and Aligned. Jessica also offers donation based live yoga sessions on her facebook group found here.
Create A Routine
Many people have had their normal routine pulled out from underneath them and it has left them feeling overwhelmed and out of control. Implementing a new or temporary routine into your life will positively impact your mental and emotional health. Routines make us feel safe and grounded even if they are simple and short. The key is repetition, so whatever you choose to do make sure you can do it regularly.
Sol from Thelivingnarrative.com shared a really great tip about creating new routines. She said to start with something that you really enjoy doing. That way, you will look forward to the routine and are more likely to stick to it. Try to avoid implimenting activities that you dislike right away. Instead, wait until you feel you have gotten into a good rhythm then add the less enjoyable activities one at a time.
Relax Your Expectations
If you are feeling overwhelmed with chores and stressed out over the condition of your home or work life, it may be because you are trying to uphold the standards that you had before this pandemic changed our world. Relaxing your expectations and lowering your standards for the time being will lower your stress level. It’s ok that things are a little more messy than usual. It’s ok that the quality of your work might be a little off. We must have compassion and patience with ourselves and with others as we navigate our way through this situation. Do what you can without stressing yourself out and accept the fact that you can’t do it all right now.
Disconnect
This one is pretty obvious. We all know that the media can be an energy sucker on a normal day, but as we face this global crisis social media and news outlets have become saturated with low vibrational energy and volatile people. Limiting time spent watching the news or on social media is a good practice all of the time but it is absolutely imperative now more than ever.
Set a certain time each day to check in with the news or check your messages on social media but as soon as you notice strong emotions rising in yourself, take that as a sign that it’s time to disconnect and step away.
Cleansing And Grounding Rituals
Rituals hold tremendous power. The repetition of an intentional actions can create a feeling of peace and groundedness. Below I have listed some of my favorite grounding and cleansing rituals.
Breathing Techniques
Practicing breathing techniques is a sure way to feel an immediate and visceral response. I recently discovered this work and it quickly became one of my favorite practices. I love the invigorating feeling that I get from these techniques.
*Note that if you have underlying medical conditions you should check with your doctor before using these techniques.
Herbal Baths
Baths are not just for cleansing your body, they can also be used to cleanse your energy. It’s important to note that herbal baths should not be for the purpose of “bathing”. Washing your body and hair is not the focus of this type of baths. It is best to take your herbal bath at a different time than you would your normal bath. This practice can be used by those that do not have access to a bath tub or cannot take baths due to medical reasons. Simply set up your herbal bath as a foot soak using a small bucket or basin.
Herbal baths are simple. You can use many of the herbs that are readily available to you either in your pantry or your garden. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Simply choose herbs that correlate with your intention and place them in a sachet to soak in the water.
Check out my Healing Herbs board on Pinterest for some ideas.
A Sound Bath
A sound bath is the practice of using different frequencies of sounds to clear and heal energy in the body. Singing bowls, bells and other instruments can be used to create a sound bath experience. Howerver, if you do not own such an instrument you can listen to a recording. Make sure that you use high quality speakers to get the full effect.
Candle Ritual
Candle rituals have been used for centuries across many denominations and many beliefs. Candles are a great tool to use in a meditation or intention setting ritual. For a guide as to how you can dress your candle for a candle ritual check out my video below.
Guided Meditation
Guided meditations are always a great way to relax and unwind. They are easy to access and there are many different styles to choose from.
Prayer/ Set Up An Alter
Prayer is such a powerful practice. It is said that the universe came into being from a vibrational sound so it would make sense that our words carry the power to manifest. Saying our prayer outloud not only can shift our emotional and mental state but it also can call that energy into our life.
Setting up an alter is another beautiful practice that many use as a sacred space for their prayers to be heard. An alter does not have to be elaborate or complex. If you are new to it, start simple and choose things that bring you a sense of joy to place on your alter.
I hope that everyone stays safe and I pray divine peace as we move through this difficult time.
The Inspired Soul Podcast 