Summer is here, and it brings so many fun, fresh ways to brighten up your Intentional Self-Care Routine! Let’s fit in some of these to feel well and reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety:
Mindfulness
Take an early morning sensory meditative walk. Feel each step, listen to the birds. Look for each color in your surroundings. What do you smell, maybe a fresh flower? Think about how you feel in this moment.
Self Awareness
If it is not your habit to get outdoors, the summer is a great time to find a new comfort zone. To help you, you may want to use nature and appreciate the different ways it can relieve our souls. Try…
Positive affirmations relating to nature, such as, “ I am as strong as a mountain,” or I am as flexible as the leaves in the breeze.”
Imagery-Imagine the sunshine or water flowing through you to cleanse, refresh, and renew. Then imagine the calm and peace of soaring in the sky, with air currents carrying you, like a bird in flight.
Relaxation
Summertime is overflowing with curative, relaxation activities to try! Give yourself some time to swing in a hammock, and take a few deep breaths, or maybe glide on a porch swing. That side to side or front to back movement is a curative bonus!
Play your favorite song and sing out loud, maybe in the car on the way to work.
If you can hop in a pool, or even the ocean, gently move your arms and legs, side to side. Feel the resistance of the water. Then stop the movement. Take a deep cleansing breath. Release your breath and feel your entire body relax!
Physical Wellness
Summertime is super for helping our bodies, get the nutrients and movement that nature intended.
Make your go-to treat a homemade fruity smoothie or ice cream alternative:
Crush one or 2 cups of ice in the blender. Add protein powder, and water or unsweetened coconut milk. Add in 1 cup of your favorite fresh fruit, for a smoothie, or frozen fruit for your ice cream alternative. Add a few drops of extract and a tsp or two of maple syrup, or a packet of Stevia and some cinnamon, if you’d like. (Try to stay away from the artificial sweeteners.) Blend and enjoy! (for the icy alternative, you’ll probably have to stop and mix and press the mixture down several times.)
Each week, choose a place to go where you can be outdoors and enjoy nature. Maybe ask a friend to join you. A walk in a local park, hike on a path nearby, a bike ride in the neighborhood, or a walk on the sand at the beach or around a lake will bring that rejuvenating feeling of wellness.