Self Care Practices That Have Helped Me Adjust To Our New Normal.

Well, hello! Yes, I set down my digital pen for a few months after from the blog (which I'll discuss below) but now I'm happy to be back again. Don't worry, this isn't all about the bubble baths that normally come with "self-care", it's more about how I have helped myself re-adjust for our new normal after lockdown.

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As you may or may not have noticed, I took a few months off from my blog. It wasn't intentional, it wasn't planned and I didn't plan to make an announcement about it either, mainly because I didn't know how long I wouldn't be writing for.

I have to say, it was really nice to take that small piece of pressure out of my life for a little while. Posting once a week certainly isn't difficult, but you know yourself, when you have your life to live, something has to give, and for me, I was happy to put my writing down to the side for a while.

The phrase "self-care" is thrown about quite a lot, and I know it's very over-used now, but in the right context, I think it's perfect for this period that we are in now; most of us are out of lockdown, and re-adjusting to life, not exactly how we knew it but to some degree at least. For me, I knew that in order to re-adjust to life again, I had to add in my own building blocks in the form of self-care to get me there.

I didn't do a lot when I was away, I didn't go on a "journey" of any sorts and I didn't have a particularly busy period in my life either, I was almost getting myself truly back on track from things that I had let go by the wayside, and that I knew were important to me to pick up again. I don't need to keep saying that these last few years have been tough for everyone, but it's made us really in tune with what we need to make us happy, and you could say that's what today's blog post is about.

Making a cup of tea.

Yes, very very simple to start off with but if you're not a fan of tea, I don't think you truly realise how much tea means to someone who loves tea. Albeit, I don't drink as much of it as I used to since I got my Invisalign during the summer, but my sweet spot is a cup of tea just after lunch when I'm heading back up to my home office. It's warm, it's a cosy feeling and I'm getting back into the routine of having a cup a day again, and it's perfect especially with the colder and darker months coming back.

Having simple, but structured routines.

I've tried the "go with the flow" type of life, but most of the time, it's not for me. I need structure and I actually really like it, and while it seems like you're doing the same thing all the time, that really helps me get on with my day. I don't have to think about more decisions than I really have to, and that's comforting to me. Take for example, how I shower: shampoo my hair and wash it out, condition my hair, use a body scrub, wash my body with shower gel then wash the conditioner of my hair. That's a really simple example, but that's a routine I use every single day, and it's so normal to me that I never stray from it.

It's the same with how I make my breakfast smoothie in the morning, I put in the ingredients the same way every time, I wash the parts of the blender in the same order and I put the ingredients from the fridge and freezer back in the same order too. Again, it's all about that simplicity for me and that's something I thrive on.

Cleaning my space regularly.

Now, this one is a challenge, and it's definitely not simple but once it's over, it feels so much easier to stay on top of. Keeping your space organised is something I have struggled with in the past, and more so when it gets too messy then it becomes very overwhelming. I have found if I do one deep clean in one room over a few hours, then afterwards, it's easier to keep on top of the cleaning and the tidying up, which makes life so much easier, right? Eventually I want to have a schedule for each room every day but we're not there just yet, I'm on the right path though.

Being more physically active.

(I know, I know, this is a VERY popular one!) I would have described myself as quite an active person up until before lockdown, and while my partner and I would try and hit our 10,000 steps a day; during last Winter, it was really tough with the darker mornings and evening, as well as the colder temperatures too. The gyms not being opened either didn't help us either, but over the Summer, it's been an easier transition to get up and out again. Scott bought us both bikes for my birthday and I have loved cycling into the office when I'm needed, and alongside going to a personal trainer and my gym membership, I have loved getting a sweat back on. I have had to deal with quite a few ankle injuries in the middle of Summer, which meant anything more than walking was very limited. I'm preparing myself back into the Winter months this year with some of the same challenges of last year, but with a clearer mindset, I'm hoping that getting outside or just being more active, will be easier this year.

Learn some go-to recipes that are really easy to cook.

I absolutely love cooking but I always felt like I was never that good at it, and the process itself would make me feel stressed, especially if everything wasn't ready on time or if one elements had cooled down. Learning some quick and easy recipes that I can go to instantly and not have to worry about, has been key in being me back in the kitchen, and not totally freaking out. (For the Winter months, I've found a lentil and potato stew which I'm in love with from the Minimalist Baker)

This was never meant to be an all singing, all dancing list of how I help myself, it all about noticing little patterns that I do on a daily or weekly basis that have really helped my life. While it's important to see what works for other people, I encourage you to take a look what you do in your life, and see what's working for you, and alternatively, what's not and what can be changed.

I'm so happy to be back in the blogging space again, it's been really nice getting my thoughts down on this digital sheet of paper, and I'm glad to have my creative outlet back.

Have a lovely week!