Practical Self Love + Fave Little Luxuries

Practical Self Love

And My Favorite Little Luxuries

| I know, I know...I’m over it too.

If I had to pick the buzziest of all buzz words for 2018, it would most certainly be self–care. I know that a lot of people (myself included)  are growing tired of hearing it. And rightly so. As with any buzz word, it has now made its way into the digital and social world so as to give marketers and retail brands license to shove products down your throat.  But in reality and at the heart and root of the practice is self preservation and mental health awareness. 

Just in the past few months, I have become increasingly more aware of my mental health. By nature, I am not at all an individual that suffers from depression or even much anxiety. Of course there are days in which I am heavily stressed and  pushed to what seems like a breaking point, and it is on those days I have make it a point to show myself some love. In modern day lives that are often extremely hectic and busy, there are very few instances in which I have time to dedicate an entire afternoon to a “spa day”. Traveling so often for work, maintaining my household, keeping up in my career and with the blog, does not lend itself very often to luxurious baths. And with financial goals of saving for a house, tithing my 10% and building a substantial nest egg, I also do not have the coins to spend on a full day spa package or restful staycations. But not having the time or the money is not an excuse to neglect your needs. Stepping back for even a moment gives you perspective and allows you to carry on in a healthy and productive way. So on days when you are questioning your sanity, have seemingly no time to stop and need a bit of a reprieve, I wanted to share a few of my very literal go-to methods to quickly and effectively decompress. 

Find a Quick Little Luxury | When I feel stressed becoming overbearing and I am concerned about my ability to constrain my words and actions, I reach for something that I know will immediately make me feel good, calm and/or smile.  What better way to break away from a tough moment than to surround yourself with something you know you love. When I’m working from home, this is either a silky or plush robe depending on the season. Currently , I’m wearing this robe from Target. Seriously, in the middle of a tough conference call with one earpiece in, I will walk to my bedroom and put on my favorite comfy robe while I finish out the meeting. When I’m out on the road traveling, I pull out my favorite lip plumping lipgloss because the smooth feeling and tingling sensation gives me something else to focus on, even for a moment. I use this one from Boxom. A little luxury can go a long way. 

Write or Draw | Whether it be your thoughts, affirmations, a list of things and people you are grateful for, a love letter to yourself or your significant their...just write it down. It does not have to be the next Prost, but something short, easy and uplifting. There is something cathartic about putting pen to paper and creating something. Perhaps it is instantly gratifying because you see the product of your immediate making. This is especially useful for me when I’m in a moment of frustration because something (or everything) is not being done or accomplished. My advice is to stay away from noting something that gives you action, however. No to-do lists, grocery lists, a plan for the rest of your day. Take this time to remove yourself from the situation temporarily to be able to come back with 10 more minutes if clarity. I carry around the A5 size Leuchtturm1917 notebook with dotted paper. The same concept applies to adult coloring books. Personally I find them overwhelming and daunting because many are too intricate to satisfy my need for completion. But for many, it works incredibly well. 

A Short Face Mask | I know this one is cliche but it works. I treat doing a face mask like doing my nails...I am unavailable to everyone and for all activities until I am finished. It renders me useless so I have no choice but to sit in a quiet room, or watch a short video or read a few pages in my novel. Sheet masks are popular as they are portable and there is no rinsing required. For my skin type, most all tend to leave me oily so I stick with a wide variety of traditional rinse masks and I find the entire process soothing and cathartic. I’ll even mask in the morning with my coffee. My current obsession is the Mask of Magnaminty from Lush Cosmetics

Shop These Items! Robe | Lip Gloss | Notebook | Perfume | Face Mask

By no means a comprehensive list, but these are just a few of the little actions and items I use to give myself a moment of reclusion from a frustrating/difficult circumstance. I’m always interested in other methods so leave your suggestions in the comments below! 

Love Yourself Loudly, Live Loudly.  

Jenn