The #RONA Self Care Checklist
Hey gang! How’s everyone feeling? You finding time for yourself in the midst of the chaos? The three of us may or may not wanna kill each other at times, I’ve been struggling with feeling pretty since my nails and brows are a mess (I know, I know- beauty is more than the physical but hey, I feel what I feel), and the first few days I was an anxious mess and turning to food since my normal routine just about turned upside down. With so much going on around us right now, it’s important to take care of ourselves so that we can help and be there for others. The world is changing, and during these changing times it’s important to balance and ground ourselves. I know I need it!
In all transparency, It’s taken us a few days to find a new home routine that works. I wake up, workout, eat some breakfast, and spend time with myself in whatever way I need (bath, meditation, tarot), and this prepares me to take on my day! Thankfully Katie, Louie and I are at a place where we’re aware of self-care practices that help us cope with different feelings and emotions. Katie and Luis had complete different experiences with it than I did. They focused more on spiritual self-care, and there wasn’t much emphasis on physical self-care, aside from the usual haircut. Side fun fact: back in the day Katie wasn’t allowed to cut her hair, so she literally had NO physical self care. The only self-care I was taught was aesthetic self-care, such as manis, pedis, haircuts, and putting makeup on.
It wasn’t till our adult years that the three of us truly started figuring out what our personal self-care needs are. Each of us have our own journey of finding what we need to stay sane and centered, and our practices look different from each other too. Today I’ll be sharing a few of my self-care practices, and include a few more ideas for y’all to hopefully incorporate in your routine. So, if you’re in need of some new ideas, scroll on, and check them out!
Physical Self Care
Rest your body and sleep well
Eat healthy foods- your body will thank you for it
Move your body! Dance, walk, jog or practice some yoga
Breathwork- you’d be surprised how much it actually helps and how much or bodies tense up when we DON’T breathe)
Take a nice bath, light a candle or two, and pop in some essential oils (shout out to Yvette, who introduced us to DoTerra, and is also a company rep should you be inclined to purchase any)
Mental Self Care:
Release your creativity- draw, color, play with playdough, or paint
Read a good book
Watch a movie and veg out
Find a therapist- but really, thank God for these divine humans
Tidy your living space
Emotional Self Care:
Spend time with people who uplift you and make you feel good- energy is everything!
Set healthy boundaries- it’s okay to say no or ask for space
Practice positive affirmations
Hug yourself (this has actually been so healing for me)
Spiritual Self Care:
Meditate- being in silence can be so healing
Pray
Spend time in nature- walk barefoot on the grass, sit by a lake or creek, go for countryside drive
Make time to reflect
Find a practice that nourishes your soul
Self-care is much more than maintaining physical appearances. It’s about taking care of your body, mind, soul and spirit in enriching ways. The more you delve into your journey of finding and creating good practices, the more you’ll learn and realize so much about yourself. My journey to exploring new practices started when I began my weight loss journey in 2018. I began to listen to what my emotions were telling me, and I soon realized that anxiety and sadness were telling me to always eat, and so I’d ask them why. In doing so, I became more in tune with myself, little Raquel, and what my body needed. Katie has always had a passion for singing, and lately she’s delved into her creative side a lot more and turned video and music production into one of her hobbies. Music and prayer are her way of connecting with God, and that always centers her. Louie has a new lover, and it’s his DJ controller, but we’re all for it! All we need are lights, speakers, and drinks and we’ve got ourselves a party! No, but really- ask our neighbors…
Friends, if you haven’t done so yet, I’d like to challenge you to find what works for you. Use this quarantine time to try something new or to start that thing you’ve been putting off for a while. This isn’t for anyone else but YOU, so surprise yourself and find what helps you cope on those days you need some grounding. Your body, mind, soul and spirit deserve to be shown love. As always, thanks for reading!
Xo,
Raq
Photography: Kap2ure Photography
