11 Self Care Saturday/Sunday Ideas
At my best, there’s a little #selfcaresunday sprinkled throughout my week. At my “trying my best” it happens over the weekend.
This isn’t the bubble bath version though. We’re going to cover mind, body and spirit (and no, there won’t be any sweat involved). This self care routine will leave you walking taller, feeling calmer and literally like you’ve hit your inner reset button.
I’m so excited to share this list with you because it’s been a game changer for me. Of course, take what resonates and leave what doesn’t.
It goes without saying, but this is obviously not meant to be medical advice. Consult your doctor, and all that good stuff.
Just sharing a few things that help me re-set.
In no particular order, here are my faves:
Create The Vibes - I like to light a scented candle to get the day started. It has a ceremonial quality to it. We love a dyptique moment, but in this economy? Some of my favorites are love Sand & Fog, DW, Archipelago, and Paddy Wax candles. If it’s warm/sunny out I’ll open windows as well. I like to make sure that I’m wearing exactly what I want to wear and feel completely comfortable. It’s so easy not to be thoughtful at home, so sometimes I just make a big deal about remembering that. Doesn’t mean go out and buy a bunch or loungewear or athleisure gear, what you have is probably perfect.
Foam Rolling - You can find a simple foam roller on Amazon for 12.99. If you’ve never used a foam roller, it’s a great one to start with and it’ll hold up for a while. When you’re ready, there’s a a range of textures to explore. I like to find a fully body foam rolling routine sometimes on YouTube. I’ll do this for at least 20 minutes. Longer if I’ve really put my body through a lot that week.
Before you start, here are some mistakes to avoid from Self Magazine https://www.self.com/story/foam-rolling-mistakes-you-should-avoidTennis Ball Releases/Self Massage - No access to a foam roller? No problem! I think being able to take care of our bodies in these self massage ways is criminally underrated. I’ve learned so much from doctors and physical therapists who share their knowledge and demonstrate tons of techniques on YouTube. Always err on the side of caution and do lots of research if this is new to you. My friend Christian is a professional dancer and he put me on to the tennis ball thing years ago. I usually use it for my shoulders. All that lugging around of my kit, and painting faces can be hard on the body. I discovered this one move intuitively. I lay on my stomach and place a sliding disc under my hand. Then, I place the tennis ball between the front side of my shoulder and the mat. Once I’m there and have found a spot that feels like it needs a release, I use the disc to slide my arm in what I’d call a 1 armed snow angel motion. Then, I switch. My body literally thanks me. Try going to YouTube and typing “tennis ball release” and you’ll see results for different parts of the body. Find the one that’s right for you. Remember, often the source of pain isn’t the where the pain originated so try to do some research around what might be causing it.
Stretch - We know stretching is important but we don’t do it enough. I love a quick 10 min yoga stretch. If I feel I need more, I’ll do more. I love Yoga with Kassandra’s morning stretches. She shared a new one during this quarantine, and it’s great. I still go back to one video the most: https://youtu.be/4pKly2JojMw
Sometimes I do long stretch routines at the end of the day. It really depends on what my body is telling me. Before doing any intense stretches try doing a quick 5 minute warm up.
Meditation/Mindfulness/Mindset - You’ve probably heard of great meditation apps like Headspace, Aura and Calm. I’ve put together a few guided ones on YouTube on this playlist: Here. I won’t go on and on about meditation. It seems like something many of us have tried, are curious about or know we’d like to do more of. The effects of meditation have been well researched.
Change Your State - Dance. Just pull up a playlist of your favorite songs and move. We regularly have quick and spontaneous dance parties at our place. You can only feel great while dancing, no other option. I guess you could do some jumping jacks, or push ups, but that just doesn’t seem as fun to me. It could also be as simple as just changing your posture. I find the more ridiculous I am the more fun I have.
Music/Sound - If you know me, you know my love for music. We love just being at home in our living room listening to vinyl while burning 1 or 2 of our favorite candles. Listening to music we love actually causes our brains to release more dopamine. How dope is that?! There are lots of science backed reasons to listen to music, but let’s just go with the fact that it just feels amazing to listen to songs you love.
On the subject of sound, there are lots of great videos on YouTube like this one featuring the sounds of singing bowls https://youtu.be/Y6QTdvbu0uI and high vibration music like this one https://youtu.be/IU13sdrLQ-M
Classical music exists in this realm, here’s a favorite of mine - https://youtu.be/MICksKeZoJU.
I believe turning on these kinds of sounds instantly changes the energy in any space.
Energy Cleanse- More and more we’re learning that the use of Palo Santo, sage and smudge kits have become problematic. I believe intent is powerful and energy cleansing can be achieved through sunlight and open windows, sound, and a good cleaning with some music blasting. I remember sometimes my grandma would make sure our place was cleaned top to bottom then on certain holidays like Christmas or NYE she would burn incense in every corner while praying. On NYE, she’d make sure the sheets and everything we wore to sleep was brand new. I remember going to sleep excited. Anyway, the point is intent. You can create your own ways with the power of intentiom. However, if you’d like some alternatives to white sage and Palo Santo, check out this article on Medium https://medium.com/@modern_volva/6-sustainable-alternatives-to-california-white-sage-smudge-sticks-9ac47630dff4 and here on The Spruce https://www.thespruce.com/alternatives-to-smudging-4137648
Masking - We couldn’t finish a self care list without some skincare. I live for hydrating masks! The Sephora brand Pearl sheet mask is a favorite! I also love the famous Aztec clay, which reminds me, I need to order some. That clay masks is very intense, so I like to mix in plant derived squalane oil, Argan oil and rosehip seed oil. I read that you have to be careful with rosehip if you use retinols. Seems worth mentioning. If I don’t have all 3 oils, one is totally fine. 3 just gives me my boujee fantasy.
Two things I didn’t include on this list but are definitely worth considering:
Breath work - You’ve probably heard of Wim Hof, but if not, here’s his guided breathing technique: https://youtu.be/tybOi4hjZFQ There are other types of breath work. Find something that feels right for you.
Acupressure mats. One of my favorite people suggested this to me last year. The first few times I used it I definitely needed to lay a sheet or large scarf over it because those spikes are intense! After a while I could fall asleep on it. Never imagined that would be possible.
I’m not suggesting this is an exhaustive list. Just some things I love. Some people like epsom salt baths, bath bombs and bubble baths, I just happen not to be one of those people and I wanted to focus on a different kind of list today. I hope you find something you wanna try.