Salt & Water Co. - Get Dirt on Your Hands
What a great thought to ponder! We are nature. We are connected to the earth in a magical, mysterious way. I don’t know about you, but this season of hibernation in our homes and marching in the streets has brought me face to face with some fears that take me right back to the earth. The ground. That truly grounding energy that pulls us to the garden and outside for an evening walk, nature reminds us that we are tiny and that this earth might just know what we need more than we do.
These are intense times. Sacred times. Universally shattering times. How does one begin to write about self-care in this current climate? Is it important? Does it matter?
Well my friends, yes it does! I fell head first into a pile of research, discovering the nervous system and the toll that trauma, new and ancestral, takes on the body. It became very clear that caring for your body, emotionally and physically, is of most importance during these times. Whether you are serving others on the front lines, caring for loved ones, mothering and teaching and cooking for the family, marching on the streets, writing congress, saving your business, or reimagining your whole life, this vessel of a body needs a moment of your time.
I have written about morning pages before, but I will mention it again. In the Artist’s Way, Ann Cameron encourages us to pull out three pieces of paper first thing in the morning and free write/brain dump. These pages are for no one to read. You can keep them or burn them; you just have to keep writing till the mess in your heads is out (It always turns into more than three pages for me).
Our Minds
Affirmations: Literally put the darn sticky notes on your car and closet walls - maybe even the front door. With all the visual fear and chaos we are consuming, seeing and hearing encouraging words reminds our bodies to let down that flight or fight mode and breathe deeply.
Educate yourself from sources you trust. Limit scrolling time and social media as information sources. Find a therapist, counselor, doula, or mentor to help guide you through these new waters. Thankfully, with our available technology we can find helpers and healers that align more closely with our beliefs than we ever could before. No longer are we bound by our zip code to find the community we need.
Our Bodies
Energy moves. Stagnant energy and thoughts build up free radicals in the cells and wreak havoc on your nervous system. So take that walk, run, bike or swim. Loop around the neighborhood. If you are a listening kind, the Calm app has some wonderful guided talks that help bring peace and stillness to an anxious mind. Podcasts are a great tool to seek knowledge on the current times and issues at hand.
Sleep — It’s Recovery in Every Way
I find it is so easy to jump into fueling your body with fresh crisp greens, seasonal fruits, and veggies in the summer. The warm air just begs for water-dense foods. Bring on the smoothie for lunch and pair it with ice water.
Vitamin D
While we are not recommending sun worship, a few moments in the sun with a protective hat and safe SPF will do wonders for the mood and the body. Try the early morning to start the day off with a natural lift.
Stress and Your Skin
Stress and free radical damage in the body it appears on the skin as wrinkles, discoloration (aka dark spots) and dullness. Antioxidants are the antidote — vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A/retinol, vitamin B3, coffee berry, grape seed, green tea. You can find most of these ingredients in skincare products, but just be mindful of percentages and quality. Do your research. Many of these powerhouse vitamins can cause more damage than good if we are not using sunscreen and protecting our skin as it is healing. Foods rich in antioxidants are blueberries, kale, spinach, strawberries, artichokes, and (yay!) dark chocolate. Healing from the inside out is preventative as well.
I will leave you with this thought from Lauren Trend @self.practice:
“Breathe
Be still
Keep moving
Go again
Trust yourself
Question everything
Lean in
Let go.”