6 simple ways I treat myself that you can do daily:
Having a happy holiday full of family, friends, and delicious food can be a source of added stress in so many ways. My goal this holiday season is to help you find natural ways to relieve stress, treat yourself, and enjoy the holidays healthfully. For starters try treating yourself to a few daily indulgences.
1. Try a Hot towel scrub. Doing a hot towel scrub is one of my favorite things to do in the shower to help relax and revitalize. It is a great way to stimulate circulation in the skin and slough off some of your tension from the day.
How to: Take a washcloth, wet it, and start scrubbing your skin in circular motions away from your heart. It’s really that easy!
2. Use some essential oils in the shower. This is my favorite shower ritual. I love using essential oils in so many things, but sprinkling a little on the shower walls + curtains is so easy and fills the bathroom with an aromatic steam that lingers even after you get out of the shower. You can also pick and choose your effect depending on how you are feeling. Here are a few that I use the most:
- Energizing & stimulating: citrus oils, peppermint
- Calming: lavender
- Opening: breath blend by doTerra, eucalyptus, peppermint , tea tree (melaluca), lemongrass
- Immune boosting: On Guard blend by doTerra
3. Drink some tea. A nice rooibos tea with nuts and spices can calm a sweet tooth and warm you up in the winter months. I usually opt for an iced berry tea in the summer months to cool me down.
4. Breath. Try out a few breathing exercises or just focus on your breath. Tuning into the present moment has the ability to calm you down. I find it particularly helpful on days where I feel scattered and anxious. Here are a few of my favorite techniques for you to try out:
- Diaphragmatic breathing
i. Breath out until you have no more air in your lungs and your diaphragm is contracted. Then breathe in and allow your belly to expand naturally.
ii. Try taking 3-4 breaths to start, then
2. Alternating nostril breathing
i. Place your right thumb over your right nostril.
ii. Breath in for a count of 10
iii. Hold for a count of 10 then release your right thumb, cover your left nostril your right pointer finger, and breath out for a count of
iv. Breathe in through your right nostril and repeat steps, alternating back and forth.
v. Same as with the diaphragmatic breathing start slow and build your way up daily, or whenever you need a little calming or balancing practice.
5. Dance. Put on some of your favorite dance music and dance around the house like no one is watching. It is a wonderfully liberating experience and never fails to put a smile on my face. A little skeptical? Not only is it a great way to get a little movement in your life, it also helps with stress relief and healing. Kris Karr, the wellness activist, author, and star of the crazy, sexy, cancer documentary, danced daily as part of her healing process.
6. Have some Dark Chocolate. Treat yourself to a little boost with some dark chocolate. Chocolate has a lot of antioxidants and provides a little boost of energy, so don’t hesitate to indulge a little. Just know the darker the chocolate, the better it is for you. My personal picks are liberty raw chocolate with Himalayan sea salt and heavenly organics honey mint patties. Both of these choices have raw honey in them, which are great for you too. Not only are you giving yourself a treat, you are also treating your self well with antioxidants. Gnosis is another raw chocolate company that I like quite a bit as well.