Self-care Anywhere

I was so looking forward to a yoga retreat this weekend with a few friends, but winter storm Kenan arrived and upended my plans to relax, refresh and restore myself through mediation, yoga, drumming, chanting and just hanging out with like-minded folks.

Sure, I was bummed, but I thought why not just create my own retreat at home? After all, with all the snow and wind we got, I wasn’t going anywhere.

And I had some really nice frou- frou from the holidays to pamper myself with, some interesting new massage and acupressure tools from my husband’s FSA store, and plenty of time. I could use my time productively to catch up on The Expanse (Amazon Prime), follow Only Murders in the Building (Hulu), and give myself a pedicure too! This is going to be good.

I had the tools and the time, a real rarity, and I was going to make the most of it. So this weekend, I deep-conditioned my hair, gave my feet a pedicure, gave my lips a mask (really, they are so dry), and read diverse books on meditation, sci-fi, and performance when I wanted to. I played Wordle. I slept in. I had coffee in bed.

I also took the time to meditate longer and be more contemplative with my gratitude journal each morning, really leaning into not just intention, but my attention, often lacking when I am rushing in the morning.

I spent time on the phone talking to friends and family. I worked on the outline of my sisters’ and my idea for a screenplay (or maybe a book) based on our reminiscences of my mom and aunts’ Teacup Hotline that burned up the phone lines for decades.

I even attempted to make a flan. All I can say is, 3 hours is too long to make a cake, and melting sugar makes a mess of the pan and the stovetop. I know better, I am not a dessert maker. I need to just buy a cake, not try to build it. We will see how it tastes.

But, you know what? I gave myself permission to goof off, do things I don’t normally do, try things I really shouldn’t (for the sake of everyone else), and have a good time doing it.

There was no clock, no regimen, no pressure. And it felt good. It felt restorative.

As I stated last week, I am off to a slow start in 2022, and that is OK. I am trying to figure it out, and self-care is part of the journey. And giving ourselves permission to indulge ourselves is a necessary part of taking care of ourselves.

So, ask yourself-

• Am I doing everything I can to nurture myself, physically, mentally and emotionally?

• If so, how am I doing this? Is it satisfying? Does it bring me joy? Do I feel recharged when I take care time to take care of myself?

• If not, why not?

• What is holding me back from indulging myself?

I would love to know your thoughts on this. Send me a message.

And, just for kicks, here’s a very hydrating DIY mask for you make at home and give yourself a treat!

Cleanse your face first to get rid of all the makeup and then use micellar water on a cotton pad to make sure all of it is gone.

DIY Hydrating Mask:

1. 1/2 ripe avocado

2. 1 teaspoon plain organic yogurt

3. 1 teaspoon of honey

Mash the avocado and mix it with the yogurt and honey into a paste. Apply it to your face and leave it on for 10-15 minutes. Wash off with warm water.