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As we say goodbye to June, we find ourselves at that surreal, halfway through the year point — could that horrendous New Years’ party really have been six months ago?!
This year has moved particularly fast. Between Omicron, super flu, torrential rain and a gruelling international news cycle, 2022 has had a more stressful start than many of us hoped. If you’ve been feeling burnt out, the most recent census indicates you’re not alone. Following two years of lockdowns, Aussie youngsters really needed to catch a break.
But self-care can feel hard to check off your to-do list. While a return to (closer to) normal is an enormous relief, it’s easy to feel stuck on a hamster wheel, trying to catch up on everything we missed during two years of lockdowns.
In June, I tried to focus on self-care that works for me. Here are the practices and products that helped me slow down and look after myself.
Moving Meditation:
Ever been told to “calm down” when you’re freaking out? In my opinion, the 2022 version of that is being asked if you’ve tried mindfulness meditation when you’re feeling anxious.
I have tried. Endlessly. But I find being mentally or physically still incredibly difficult. Indeed, when my body stops, my thoughts tend to ramp up. This is why I love reformer pilates and yoga.
Both focus on breath control, which — like the breathing practices in mindfulness meditation — stimulates the vagus nerve, a part of the brain responsible for feelings of safety and wellbeing. They also require an intense focus on your physical movement. Indeed, during reformer pilates, if you’re thinking about a work deadline, or an upcoming date and not your balance, you’re likely to take a tumble.
Meanwhile, it’s been suggested that by engaging the right and left sides of the brain, yoga can regulate emotions and improve concentration. I’ve been alternating between the two throughout the week and have found myself more focused and much calmer.
Epsom Salts:
Adding Epsom Salts to your bath can be a great solution for sore tired muscles — something I’ve been experiencing plenty of after jumping back into pilates.
When it comes to bath salts, there are plenty of luxury, bells-and-whistles options on the market, but I like to keep things simple (and inexpensive) with Help@Hand, Epsom Salts 1kg, ($6). As you’ll see, I find my “bells and whistles” elsewhere.
Susan Kaufmann, Oil Bath for the Senses
There’s nothing less relaxing than scrambling to apply moisturiser in the cold post-bath, which is why I like to add hydrating ingredients to my bath time routine.
Diluting Susan Kaufmann, Oil Bath for the Senses ($103) by throwing some in the tub seems like a waste of this sumptuous elixir. Instead, get the full hydrating benefits of sugarcane bagasse and corncob extracts by applying this like a body oil before hopping in the bath.
The nourishing extracts and oils will protect your skin from the dehydrating effects of your gloriously steamy bath. Meanwhile, rosemary promotes circulation and deeply relaxes. The oil emulsifies on the skin when it comes into contact with water, turning into a milky, skin-softening emulsion that you can soak in blissfully.
Lush, Deep Sleep Bath Bomb
To me, a bath without a bath bomb is incomplete. They’re fizzy fun that injects some childish glee into your self-care routine.
However, as with moisturising post-bath, giving your tub a scrub down with Ajax and scooping up leftover flower petals after a bath bomb really takes the “aaaah” out of relaxaaaahtion.
Lush has a neat-little workaround for this bath-time dilemma. The Deep Sleep, Bath Bomb ($13) comes in a biodegradable muslin pouch, which captures the fresh lavender petals before they get stuck to your empty tub. These lavender extracts are blended with German Camomile and Neroli oils for a sensory delight that won’t leave a mess.
Flamingo Estate, Euphoria Body Scrub
If you’re in need of self-care because you’re sick with envy at your friend’s Euro-trip Instagram posts, this is the product for you. The recently launched Flamingo Estate, Euphoria Body Scrub ($90) will take you around the world in 80 days in the space of a five-minute shower.
The ingredients in this exfoliating, hydrating balm scrub are sourced from all over the globe. From traditionally harvested “ocean identical” Icelandic sea salt, to bergamot harvested from the ionian sea (the ocean that bridges Italy and Greece, the regions your friends’ happy snaps may be coming from), combined with sustainably harvested Australian Sandalwood that gives it a rich, warming scent, this body scrub is perfect for winter.
Like Kaufmann’s oil, this shea-butter-rich scrub leaves skin deeply hydrated post-shower, and working it into your bod feels like a mini massage.
Bed of Nails, Acupressure Pillow
Reader, you may think a pillow with 2,142 nails in it doesn’t sound very relaxing, but you would be wrong.
The concept of a “bed of nails” has existed for thousands of years. The first reference to a bed of nails is thought to be in the “Mhabhatarata,” an ancient Hindu epic tale and the longest epic poem ever written. In the “Mhabhatarata,” warrior Bhisma is described as laying on a “bed of arrows,” and it is thought this is where the practice began.
From a health perspective, the nail bed works like acupuncture by exerting targeted pressure on specific body parts to stimulate the release of endorphins — the body’s natural pain killer.
I prop my neck up with the Bed of Nails, Acupressure Pillow ($55) while trying to meditate (or, reading my kindle or watching TV). Fortunately it’s less painful and stressful than acupuncture — the evenly spaced plastic tips are rounded, and the pressure is intense but not uncomfortable.
I’ve found the pillow incredibly helpful for headaches, for after pilates, for sore muscles and for reducing, if not curing, stress. I sit with it under my neck while I attempt my nightly mediation.
Lululemon, The Reversable Mat, 5mm
As I said, yoga is a big part of my self-care regime. Unlike reformer pilates, yoga can be done at home, so I finally invested in a high-quality mat this month. The Lululemon, The Reversible Mat, 5mm ($79) is perfect for me.
At 5mm thick, it protects my sensitive knees with enough cushioning for practising on hard surfaces like floorboards or tiles, perfect for extended stretches like cat-cow.
If you’re prone to sweaty palms, you can rest easy. The Reversible Mat’s polyurethane top layer absorbs moisture, so you won’t find yourself slipping into plank when you were supposed to be in downward dog.
Additionally, the mat doesn’t budge and provides steady support for everything from balance work to intense vinyasa sessions. Very simply, it has all your bases covered.
Gratitude Journaling:
I’ve always had an aversion to gratitude journaling. Like mindfulness, it’s something that’s often recommended by well-intentioned people when you’re feeling particularly ungrateful – it can smack of toxic positivity.
However, after being roped into a gratitude journal experiment by a colleague, I’ve committed. Like yoga and pilates, gratitude journaling is a way I can be mindful without being totally still, and it’s helped me take better care of myself.
When I write in my gratitude journal before I go to bed, along with highlights from the day, I list anything I did for myself. That could be going for a walk on my lunch break, playing with my cat, doing some yoga, or spending time with friends. Knowing that I’m accountable to my journal keeps me motivated to perform self-care — even when I’m busy and it seems inconvenient.
