5 Ways to Up Your Self-Care Game this Spring
1. Create Daily Rituals that You Love
Nourish body and mind with daily rituals. We all know that our bodies need movement to keep strong, healthy and fit. Whether it be yoga asana, running, group fitness classes, or hitting the gym, physical activity is necessary to thrive. For optimal self-care, I recommend creating a daily ritual that is both physical (nourishes body) and meditative (nourishes mind). For consistency, I suggest practicing your ritual at the same time each day (when possible). I prefer to do my daily ritual first thing in the morning:
MORNING RITUAL
- Drink 32 ounces of warm lemon water
- Coconut oil pulling + brush teeth + scrape tongue
- Cleanse face + apply jojoba oil (non-comedogenic) to moisturize
- Light candle + turn on aromatherapy
- 20 minute seated meditation
- 90 to 120 minutes of Ashtanga yoga asana practice
PRO TIP
Daily rituals don’t have to be all-or-nothing. Some days you may only have time to do downward dog — that’s ok! Don’t beat yourself up. Each day we begin again.
2. Daily Green Smoothie
Fuel your body with as many nutrient-dense fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens as possible! One of my favorite ways to up my daily dose of greens is in my daily smoothie! Here’s two recipes I’ve been enjoying lately. Both are yummy, sweet, and loaded with antioxidants! The smoothies turn out best when made with frozen ripe bananas (slice before freezing). If you aren’t able to freeze them beforehand, a few ice cubes will do the trick. Enjoy!
MATCHA BANANA SMOOTHIE
1 handful kale
1 handful of baby spinach
1 large ripe banana (sliced and frozen)
1 tablespoon maca powder
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1–2 dates
1/2 teaspoon matcha powder
almond or coconut milk
BANANA BLUEBERRY CACAO
1 handful kale
1 handful of baby spinach
1 large ripe banana (sliced and frozen)
1/4 to 1/2 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon cacao powder
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon flax seed meal
almond or coconut milk
PRO TIP
Make sure you’re fueling your body with what it needs to THRIVE! Check in with your doctor or nutritionist for any vitamin deficiencies. I take my daily vitamins and supplements with my morning smoothie. My regimen includes: daily multivitamin, milk thistle (to promote a healthy liver), collagen (for healthy joints and skin), biotin (for hair, skin, and nails), and B-12 (as recommended).
3. Skin & Body Care
DIY CLEANSERS
Lately I’ve been making my own cleanser at home! I love the simplicity of this ritual for two reasons: 1) I know my cleanser doesn’t contain any harmful ingredients 2) making my own cleanser helps create a small but meaningful ritual to honor my body. My skin has always been unpredictable and prone to acne, so my skin care philosophy is to keep it simple and only use non-comedogenic ingredients — the fewer ingredients the better! Here’s two DIY cleanser recipes I’ve fallen in love with lately:
HONEY + TEA TREE CLEANSER
3 tablespoons of raw organic honey
3 drops tea tree oil
Mix honey and tea tree oil and combine well. Massage gently onto face for several minutes. Rinse with warm water to remove completely. Pat skin dry.
YOGURT + APPLE + JOJOBA CLEANSER
1/4 cup organic whole milk yogurt (plain)
1/4 cup organic applesauce (unsweetened)
1 teaspoon jojoba oil
Mix all ingredients and combine well. Massage gently onto face for several minutes. Rinse with warm water to remove completely. Pat skin dry. Cleanser can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
PRO TIP
I’ve been making both of these cleansers on a regular basis. I typically just eyeball the ingredients and they always turn out lovely! The Honey + Tea Tree Cleanser is great for acne-prone / oily skin. The Yogurt + Apple + Jojoba Cleanser is an excellent gentle cleaner that won’t dry you out.
EPSOM SALT & CBD OIL
As a full-time yoga & fitness instructor my body feels sore often. Epsom salt baths are a MUST. Lately I’ve been enjoying the Dr. Teal’s Pink Himalayan Mineral Soak with a few extra drops of essential oil in the tub. Also, Trader Joes makes a lovely Lavender Salt Scrub that makes a perfect addition to any bath. After soaking for at least 20 minutes, I do self-massage with CBD oil from head to toe — blissful!
PRO TIP
Stay present during your skin and body care rituals. Even the simple act of cleansing can be meditative. When time permits, take your time and enjoy each step of the journey. Let this process be an expression of gratitude towards your body and all of the incredible things it has allowed you to do!
4. Live More, Scroll Less
If you find yourself hopping from one task (or app) to the next, day in and day out you aren’t alone. Between social media, news, youtube, google, we have enough media distractions available to last a lifetime. I know it’s tempting (and addicting), but don’t waste your precious time glued to the phone! Appreciate this moment, this body you live in, the people you surround yourself with.
My advice — spend your time doing things that support your well-being. Notice the types of thoughts that arise (whether positive, negative, or neutral) while engaging online. Use your observations as a tool to discover what nourishes you, what inspires you, and what brings out the best in you.
Instead of scrolling aimlessly (as I sometimes find myself doing) start reading a new book! I recently started reading two books that align well with my self-care philosophy — I highly recommend!
5. Connect with Your Intention
When was the last time you checked in with yourself? My yoga practice has allowed me to look deep within and connect with what’s truly important and meaningful to me. Trust me — this process isn’t always easy, but it’s ALWAYS worth it. We create harmony and balance within when our actions, behaviors, and thoughts align with our deepest intentions.
A great place to start this journey is by asking yourself the questions below. I would recommend writing them out on a piece of paper. Keep in mind that your answers can and will likely evolve over time. These questions provide a great tool to help us discover what we’re really up to.
- What are the 5 most important things to you?
- What 5 things would you like to accomplish or see unfold?
- What are the 5 primary ways you spend your time?
- What are the 5 themes of thoughts you have on a daily basis?
- If you had one year left to live, what would you do?
Thank you to Janet Stone, the teacher who inspired me to start asking myself these questions.
Sending you love and support on your self-care journey.
Don’t forget to join me for Self Care Sundays in San Francisco!
See you on the mat.
Originally published at katrinabaccettiyoga.com.
