Self care made easy

Our wonderful Meditation instructor Kerry has written a wonderful blog to help you with your wellness.

Have a read to see what she has to say!

Self care seems to be the buzz word at the moment, but just what is it exactly and why is it so important?

Put simply it is ensuring that we are looking after ourselves by getting enough sleep, eating a well-balanced diet and staying hydrated and making sure that we get exercise. Sounds simple enough, right? But in all honesty, how many of us make sure that we are doing all of this? These days it’s seen almost as selfish to make sure you’re looking after yourself and not putting other peoples needs first. We need to remember that you can’t pour from an empty vessel, if you’re burnt out and exhausted then how can you help those that you want to!

We also have social media that seems to dictate what self-care is, now we may be seeing expensive spa days and shopping sprees and think I can’t afford to do that and feel deflated and not bother to then invest in yourself. Remember that what may make one person feel good will not make another feel the same, also a lot that we see on social media is not a true representation.

So, lets start with those basics, sleep is so important and a good night of it leaves us feeling much more refreshed and ready to tackle the day. Try to stick to a bedtime routine and avoid devices for an hour before to help you switch off and get to sleep easier. Try to swap that afternoon chocolate pick me up for fruit instead, just a few small changes can make such a big difference.

These days we are leading busier and busier lives so time to unwind is essential, don’t have a big budget? No problem, there’s so many things that we can do for free or very little money. Besides, now booking a massage isn’t an option, we need to find different ways to unwind.

#Bring the spa to you – run a bath and make it more luxurious with some candles and incense burning. Try a nice bubble bath or essential oils to make it extra special and feel that you’re really pampering self. I find a nice extra touch is playing some relaxation music or nature sounds.

#Get outdoors – being out in the fresh air is a great pick me up. Go for a nice walk in the park or the woods, whatever you have close by then make the most of it. If you have nobody to go with then see if you can borrow a dog to take. That will give you more motivation to get out moving. To be perfectly honest I hate gyms and never stick to going, I’d much rather be outside and taking in some scenery.

#Switch off devices – try getting lost in a book! A good idea is to see if any friends want to do book swaps, so you get something new to read and it is not costing a penny. Failing that you can buy second-hand books in great condition for a fraction of the price of new ones. Reading is known to help to keep our minds sharper.

#Meditate – the practice of meditation can totally transform your life. Proven to help with stress levels, I think everyone could do with this in their lives at the moment. Start small with about 10 minutes per day and build up the time over the weeks. There are so many great sessions on this page to try from.

#Breathe – okay this is obvious but spending a few minutes in the morning and evening just focusing on the breath is a great feeling. As a general rule we don’t pay attention to breathing as it’s just a natural thing to do. However, we spend most of the day shallow breathing, focusing on nice deep breaths really gets the oxygen flowing and revitalises us.

#Exercise – okay the gyms are closed, and the weather may be putting you off going for a walk, so why not try doing yoga or Pilates at home. If you don’t have the budget for joining an online class regular, then there is a range of videos on YouTube that you can follow in your own time and at your own pace.

#Journalling – writing down your thoughts and dreams can really help when you’re having a bad day. Try to think of something good that has happened rather than all the bad things. It could be as simple as having enough money to buy food! Write down what you hope to achieve, it’s a great feeling to look back and see what you have accomplished after making these lists.

#Play music – put your favourite band on and if the mood takes you, have a dance around and sing (you may want to close the curtains for this!) those feel-good endorphins will get a boost.

# Laughter – how much better do we feel after a good belly laugh? So, pop that comedy on and relish in laughter. If you’re missing friends and the giggles that being together bring then why not arrange a video call? I’ve found that arranging these on days off is great to catch up and still see faces. We call it the virtual brew sessions and it’s the next best thing until we can meet up again.

#Get creative – you don’t have to be the next Picasso to be creative, it can be as simple as getting a colouring book and crayons. I love painting and find it so therapeutic sitting there with a canvas and paints and seeing what happens.

So, remember, indulging in “me time” is not selfish, its necessary! By taking care of your needs and having time to unwind you’ll be much more productive and able to help those that need it. Don’t be afraid to say no to doing something that you don’t want to do. Do the things that ignite your spark and make you happy. Don’t feel dis heartened that you can’t afford to what others can, hopefully from this you can get some ideas that are either free or cost effective.

Why not take advantage of our free and funded events, you can book by going to

https://bookwhen.com/relaxwithlucyclasses