Did it ever occur to you that the ‘special someone’ in your life is actually you? We’re going to make a bold and rather beautiful suggestion this Valentine’s Day: nourish yourself. Treat yourself like the dear friend you truly are.
Why? Because if you don’t show yourself love and compassion, you can’t radiate this love to others. It all begins with you, and you can’t pour from an empty cup, as the saying goes. So here are some simple and inexpensive ways to invest in your own wellbeing.
Read
We’re all loving the new bestseller Self Care for the Real World. Co-authors (and sisters) Nadia and Katia are adamant that taking care of yourself is not optional, but confess that ‘learning to feel good can feel weird if you’re not used to it.’ You can purchase your own copy here. Read it, and then pass it to your best friend.
Illustration by @mashakarpushina for 'Self care for the Real World.
A magazine we’re head-over-heels in love with is The Simple Things, whose mission is to share ‘the art of living well’. Each issue is a cosy cornucopia of recipes, projects, adventures and wisdom. Swap it for that toxic gossip mag immediately, curl up somewhere quiet, and drink in all the goodness. Bliss.
Image from The Simple Things
Stretch
The long and short-term benefits of yoga need no explanation really, but so many of us struggle to access this relaxing and strengthening practise because they cannot attend a regular class. We like to start our day with the wise and inspiring Adriene, whose YouTube channel guides us through daily yoga sessions from the comfort of our yoga mats on our living room floors… and sometimes the office!
Image from Yoga with Adriene
Listen
Whether it’s a podcast on de-stressing, a guided meditation CD or just a bit of Classic FM while you soak in the bath, curate for yourself a library of things to listen to when you need to carve out some time for stillness. Untangle is a weekly podcast worth checking out if you’re interested in how others have turned their lives around using meditation. Each episode is a personal and true story of how someone managed to banish their inner critic, eliminate stress, and create calm in their lives. We love listening to an audiobook at bedtime, too. There’s something ever so comforting about being told a story, isn’t there?
Follow (or Unfollow)
Whilst being mindful that you can have too much of a good thing (isn’t social media a double-edged sword?) there are some Instagrammers that we feel all the better for following. Go ahead and bask in their positive rays – then put your phone down and go for a walk.
We hope this is the beginning of a beautiful new relationship...
