Self Care Challenge Day 21: Simple Pleasures

Hey lovely person!

And so here you are on the last day of your challenge, and wow, you should feel so pleased with yourself! You stuck it out, and realised your own value – YAY!!

So today is just a lovely way to end the challenge.

We’re going to look at lifes simple pleasures.

Today you are going to have a GOOD DAY!

• Maybe you have a stash of luxurious toiletries that you are saving for best – use them!
• Maybe you have some beautiful clothing that you are saving for a special occasion – wear it!
• Maybe you have some deliciously scented candles waiting for a special occasion – burn them!
• Maybe you have expensive hot chocolate in your cupboard to share with friends – use it!
• Maybe you have a beautiful perfume you keep for best – wear it!
• Maybe you have some money tucked away for a rainy day – spend some!

 

These are things you already have, but you’ve decided you can’t use.

Well you can!

Use them, and enjoy them. Revel in the everyday luxury. It’s surprising how wearing your most beautiful lingerie can change an ordinary day into a day that feels special.

Choose one thing to do today, and enjoy the decadence! As the advert says ‘you’re worth it’.

Well this is the last task in this 21 day self care challenge, and I hope you’ve enjoyed it and learned something about yourself.

Wherever you are in the world, have a lovely day ❤

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Self Care Challenge Day: 20: Creativity

Hey lovely person!

So here we are on our penultimate day – and FINALLY I get to say penultimate!! I so love that word, and don’t think I’ve EVER had the opportunity to say it before! Proof if needed that it’s lifes simple pleasures that matter 🙂

Ok, enough nonsense from me, what is todays task?

Today, we are looking creativity.

The best activities for stress relief are things that take enough concentration for us to push the mute button on worries, but not so taxing as to cause more stress.

Examples of this are cross stitch, drawing/painting, reading (though if very stressed it may be difficult to concentrate), knitting, crochet, jigsaws, crosswords, Sudoku, playing a musical instrument, gardening.

So I’ve chosen colouring because it’s very simple to do, you don’t need special equipment and it’s creative, so it ticks a lot of boxes. .

Once the reserve of kids, adults are now rediscovering the delights of colouring in again, and it provides fantastic stress relief.

 

So today, I’d like you to do some colouring in, and as usual be aware of how it feels, both during and after – what aspect did you enjoy?  Did you find it relaxing?

Tomorrow is day 21, and I can’t tell you how proud I am of you for sticking this challenge out till the end!

Stay tuned for Day 21.

Wherever you are in the world, have a lovely day ❤

Self Care Challenge Day 19: Meditation

Hey lovely person!

Wow, you’ve really experienced some varied self care methods in this challenge! Some you might have already been aware of but needed a nudge to do it, and some will be new to you.

Today we are going to look at meditation, because – hey, we can’t do self care without it!

Meditation is amazing, and is a fantastic way to reduce stress, anxiety and overwhelm.

This blog talks through meditation in a very simple way and also recommends some apps.

Meditation is one of those things that sounds easy – I mean, don’t you just just sit and breathe?

Well yes, and no, Anita! Your brain thinks, that’s it’s job! And if you feel stressed, anxious or overwhelmed, thoughts spin in your minds ceaselessly leaving you exhausted and giving you no peace.

Meditation helps to quieten the mind, but it takes practice, so if the first time you struggle to empty your mind that’s pretty normal – persevere!

Meditation also allows you to become more in touch with yourself and your body, which ties in perfectly with writing a journal

So todays task is to do a short meditation.

The below apps could help:

• The Mindfulness App.
• Headspace.
• Calm.
• MINDBODY.
• buddhify.
• Insight Timer.
• Smiling Mind.
• Meditation Timer Pro.

Don’t forget to reflect on your experiences in your journal.

Stay tuned for Day 20.

Wherever you are in the world, have a lovely day ❤

Self Care Challenge Day 18: Music

Hey lovely person!

‘Music is the soundtrack of your life’ – Dick Clark

Today, we’re going to look at music.

 

Music Can Improve Your Mood

Most of us aren’t professional musicians, but listening to music can still enhance your work performance.

Listening to music at work can make you a happier, more productive employee, especially if it’s music you’ve chosen.

Office workers allowed to listen to their preferred choice of music complete tasks more quickly and come up with better ideas than those who have no control over their musical choices. Science has now proven what music lovers already know, that listening to upbeat music can improve your mood. Listening and playing music reduces chronic stress by lowering the stress hormone cortisol.

Music can make you feel more hopeful, powerful, and in control of your life. Listening to sad music has its benefits too. If you are going through a tough time, listening to sad music is cathartic. It can help you get in touch with your emotions to help you heal.

 

Music Boosts Brain Chemicals

One of the ways music enhances brain function is by stimulating the formation of certain brain chemicals. Listening to music increases the neurotransmitter dopamine.

This is the brain’s “motivation molecule” and an integral part of the pleasure-reward system. It’s the same brain chemical responsible for the feel-good states obtained from eating chocolate and runner’s high. Playing music with others or enjoying live music stimulates the brain hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin has been called the “trust molecule” and the “moral molecule” since it helps us bond with and trust others. There’s evidence that the oxytocin bump experienced by music lovers can make them more generous and trustworthy.

 

Your task is to: Make a couple of different playlists – maybe a motivational list, to fire you up on a day you’re struggling to get going, or thoughtful list, to close your eyes and really listen to.  Maybe even a melancholy list, for those times a cathartic cry is needed and the tears won’t come.

Then reflect in your journal about how the music made you feel, what you enjoyed – the melody or the lyrics, and what made you pick that particular song?

Stay tuned for Day 19.

Wherever you are in the world, have a lovely day ❤