What are the things that make you feel like the best version of you?
I was thinking about this today, because one of my goals this week is to do the things that serve me in a positive way, and I started by doing my hair this morning.
It’s amazing what getting my mop out of a messy bun does for my mood. Fun-buns are easy, and easy can be gloriously good, but sometimes Fun-buns make me feel disheveled, so when I take the time and make the effort to style my hair, I feel better and more capable.
Other things that help me…
- Going to bed early (this one’s a challenge for me because all I wanna do at the end of the day is veg out on my couch.)
- Cutting down on screen time, especially mindless scrolling before bed. If I leave the phone alone for at least an hour before I go to sleep, I fall asleep so much faster, and my next day is so much better.
- Eating lots of fresh vegetables (I have so much more energy when I do this, so yay for leafy greens!)
- Being militant about time management and keeping track of time (otherwise, every task will take two times longer than it needs to)
- Stretching for at least 10 minutes every day
- Putting on a little bit of makeup. At the very least, blush, bronzer, mascara and lippie!
Also, trying to help other people always makes me feel like the best version of myself, and when I radiate happiness and light, it comes right back. ?
What are the things that make you feel like the best version of you? Volunteering? Drinking enough water (it makes a HUGE difference, doesn’t it?)? Curling your lashes? Going to the beach?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
So important to do these things, big or small.
1. Scraping my tongue first thing in the morning!
2. Practicing ashtanga yoga second thing in the morning! When I confront myself and my bullshit on my mat and finish the series, an hour and a half later I feel so grounded, centered, and “breathed through.” I feel complete and anything else I do in the day feels like a bonus.
3. The first (and only) cup of coffee that I meticulously make for myself every morning. Fresh coffee grinds, dash of cinnamon, Aeropressed, foamed heavy cream. I’m set and feeling alert and positive after the first sip!
I also read your posts for ideas, inspiration, and giggles. 😉
For stretching, I highly recommend Bob Cooley’s Genius of Flexibility. He has discovered fascinating physical, mental, and emotional components to stretching!
Cool, I just bookmarked a few of his videos! I’m still so terrible at stretching because I’m not naturally flexible (my body is built more for balance and endurance), but like all skills, I’m finding that the more I do it, the better I feel overall, so I just keep doing it. Now at night instead of parking on the couch while I zone out for an hour with Netflix, I hang out on a yoga mat (haha, I almost wrote “yoga matte”) and stretch during that time, and I sleep so much better at night. I’ve also found that I recover faster from heavy lifting workouts, WHICH IS AWESOME! It’s also so great to be able to pick things up off the floor without that pinching feeling in my hamstrings. I doubt I’ll ever become a yogi but you never know, LOL!
P.S. I busted out Oystergirl today because of you!
Awww! 😉 I love the OG finish. I bought the $10 mini, I may have to spring for a full-size. Although, surprisingly, WetnWild’s Zodiac Collection lipgloss for Cancer is a close substitute, and for a lot le$$!
“Yoga matte” could be code for extremely glistening, extra dewey finish. 😀
It’s great you are experiencing first-hand the benefits of stretching. The more I read Rob Cooley’s book, the more fascinated I became.
I do yoga every morning t00-not Ashtanga–more Anusara or what’s left of it after the John Friend fiasco. Yoga is like magic to me!
Oh no, we are having a Pattabhi Jois reckoning as well; I am glad, though, that the technique is withstanding. There is a lot of dialogue along the lines of #metoo, which is good.
Yoga *is* magic; I relish the breath. 🙂
Oh no! I haven’t been paying attention to Pattabhi, I’m sorry to hear that.
1. Sleep – at least 8 hours.
2. Exercise – lately it’s been spin class 2-3 times a week and yoga once a week.
3. Eating healthy fruits and vegetables.
4. Exfoliating body and face.
5. Getting an eyelash lift and tint so I don’t have to fumble with the eyelash curler!
Ooh tell me all about this eyelash lift!!!!
My lashes are stick straight and even when I curl them with my Shu Uemura it never holds all day. So I went to my cousin because she is an aesthetician and does eyelash lift and tints. The results are awesome! It probably lasts about 6 weeks and it’s looking better and better each time because I’ve been using a lash serum so my eyelashes look long and curled! I say you try it at least once in the name of beauty!
Hosting a fun party.
Going to lunch with a friend.
Watching less news.
Taking a 30 minute nap (no more than 30 or I wake up grumpy).
Sitting on a dock (river or lake).
Doing my hair definitely makes me feel better! If that’s done, then I’m more likely to put on some makeup and dress nicer than throwing on some old yoga pants and a t-shirt.
Getting enough sleep and staying hydrated definitely help too. I’ve struggled with exercising regularly, but I always feel better when I do.
And I volunteer once a week at a cat shelter. When I first started, it used to make me very sad because I wanted to rescue all the cats! But now, I look forward to taking care of the kitties and giving them some love for a couple of hours.
I think self care is so important! For me, having my nails painted. I do them myself and I love that time for me. Also, drinking coffee, there are a couple of app games that I play every day that get the brain going, reading the funnies in the paper, super cuddles with my three pugs.
Sleep and my runs. LOL everything else is secondary to these. Though I do need to try eating more veggies. I love veggies, but my family doesn’t and so I often forget about them!
Some makeup really helps! Fresh vegetables and fruits are the best!
https://jasminlen.blogspot.com/?m=1
Jasmin
Hi Karen ,
Happy Wednesday .
Housekeeper is here today . I added things that need to be done before Thanksgiving.
For Me : Shower , fix my hair . The color is a very deep red right now from Madison Reed . Make up . Mascara and blush .
Coffee , breakfast .
Recumbent bike .
If the weather is nice I go in the pool and do my routine which includes stretching, squats and laps .
I eat plenty of veggies esp cauliflower rice . It’s not the real thing but it helps .
Usually have relatives or friends drop by by 1 pm .
Depends on who it is we also have dinner . I don’t go to bed later than 11 . I watch Seinfeld reruns and tape them for hubby .
Thursday is reunion luncheon . I know I want to see that new movie ? w the Rock . I love movies ? and popcorn ?
Ten months ago, I could’ve answered that question without hesitation. Now we just can’t seem to get out of crisis mode. Or at least semi-crisis-mode. The ultimate luxury for me would be an entire day at home with just my family. Or two consecutive days where we got to do exactly what we had planned.
What a great question. For me, deep cleaning the house. I tidy up regularly but don’t deep clean often. We’ve developed a moth problem so we scrubbed down the house (dusting & polishing furniture and shelving, scrubbing floors on hands & knees, cleaning baseboards and vents, vacuuming cat trees, etc.). It felt sooo good once we were done. I felt clean, accomplished, and took pride in the results. Still have moths tho, danggit.