Hi darlings, we’ve covered some heavy topics in my last few blogs. I’m back with something a bit lighter this weekend; small self care habits to help you look and feel as good as you possibly can whilst dealing with everything that comes with your healing journey. We’ve talked about Why I shared my story and Why survivors stay silent and now its time to talk about you! These are not big, dramatic, over the top routines that will need their own journey, but more low effort self care habits that you can incorporate into your mornings or evening/weekends to add a bit of joy in your life. You deserve that. A small moment everyday that you can savour. Let’s begin.
Why small self care habits matter as you are healing
The best way to practice self care whilst you are healing is to establish small self care habits in your daily routine that can survive bad days and challenging mental health periods. Things like washing your face, moisturising your hair and skin might not take very long but slowly teach you that your needs matter, no matter how big or small. For many of us, self-neglect was part of surviving what we experienced, but when you practice self-care in tiny, consistent ways, its like you are defying survival mode each time and allowing yourself to escape that and truly live fully. Before we get into self care on your healing journey. here is a free guide I made to help you start your healing journey, its 5 simple steps anyone can do, just click below to get the PDF and make sure you sign up to join our healing community too.
STEP 1: A SIMPLE SKIN CARE ROUTINE
You do NOT need a complicated ten-step routine to start caring for your skin. You can literally build a bare minimum self care routine with 3 steps to begin. All you need is a cleanser, moisturiser and SPF for the day. And for the evening all you do is swap the SPF for a treatment/serum under your moisturiser depending on your skincare concerns. And thats it, thats the whole routine done! And on your worst days if all you can manage is a quick cleanse and moisturiser then thats enough. Below are some of my favourite products that have helped me maintain clear, glowing skin through the clouds, rain or storms of the healing journey.
*Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I don’t get paid to share my experience here, but I genuinely enjoy helping others feel less alone through my story. So don’t feel any pressure to click – I have tried and loved everything I recommend! Thank you for your support 💛
STEP 2: THE ONCE-A-WEEK EXTRA
One of my favourite things to help me feel like I have my life together (even when things are literally falling apart inside) is to do just one thing above the bare minimum ONCE a week. This low effort self care feels luxurious because I pick one day each week – my chosen day is Sunday and I normally do one or two of these things:
- A face mask whilst I sip on a my favourite drink – tea, freshly squeezed juice or a homemade smoothie
- A hair mask or deep conditioner – normally paired with a steamer or steaming cap
- A long relaxing hot bath – I use my favourite oils, light up some candles and grab my favourite exfoliating scrub
- An at home pedicure and foot scrub with some foot socks for extra moisture
- An everything shower – hang some herbs in the shower, put some good music on and a steamer tablet and pretend I’m in Fiji!
I also love to sit in the sun as much as possible during my pamper days. The vitamin D will do you a whole lot of good and is scientifically proven to improve your mood! Self care on your healing journey needs to be simple and straightforward but this weekly pick-me-up works so well because it gives you something to look forward to at the end of each week. Small self care habits like this turn something that could be a chore into a little treat for you. On a healing journey it’s very important to teach yourself how to anticipate good things because so much time is spent ruminating over the negative and what could go wrong. So pick one thing that you can do for you each week, and practice expecting and experiencing good, safe, moments you can savour.
STEP 3: BODY CARE THAT FEELS LUXURIOUS
When was the last time you showed your body some love? I know it’s not sustainable for many of us to pay for massage services each week, but there are still other ways to treat yourself with care and show your body love. It took me practicing mindfulness to realise that even applying lotion on my body could be a luxurious relaxing experience to appreciate my body, thank it for taking me through the day and praise God for every part that he has made (and sustained). It’s not just about rubbing lotion into your skin, its a low effort self care comforting moment you can treasure . It doesn’t have to break the bank either, this is how you do it:
- After your shower/bath, stand in-front of a mirror and grab your favourite body lotion/butter/cream
- Whilst your skin is still damp apply your body lotion and start to massage it slowly into one part of your body at a time whilst acknowledging that body part and the action (for example : I am rubbing this lotion into my chest, it feels great to show my chest some love, I’m grateful for my chest and how it protects my heart and other body parts, thank you God for keeping my chest healthy and safe).
- Immediately follow this up with a fragranced body oil (make sure this is a scent you enjoy)
- If you have a favourite fragrance for day/night then apply this to your pulse points
My favourite body care products are linked below with a caption on why I love each one!
I highly recommend you do this at least three times a week because scent and touch speak straight to your nervous system. If you suffer from panic attacks, a small whiff of your favourite scent might distract your from the panic and allow you to focus on something soothing. Self care on your healing journey is about reminding yourself that you are safe. And building small self care habits like smoothing on body cream with your own two hands tells your body that you are worth tending to. For those of us learning how to feel at home in our own skin, that message matters more than any product ever could.
BE KIND TO YOURSELF
Another great thing that has helped me on my healing journey is journalling and practicing daily affirmations. Every morning say one thing out loud that you are grateful for even before you get on your phone – and if you are a believer then use that time to Thank God for that thing and for your life. If you are struggling with journalling prompts to help reset your nervous system then I recommend The Purpose Journal which also has affirmations you can practice daily.
It’s important for me to remind you that there will be some days where even washing your face feels like TOO MUCH work. And that’s okay. It’s not a sign of failure if you can’t commit to a routine every day or night, it just means that you are carrying a lot and you need to be extra kind to yourself and have patience and compassion for your journey.
And if you’re at the very beginning of this journey and don’t know where to start, I made something just for you, my free guide: How to Start Your Healing Journey. It walks you through the first gentle steps, and it comes with a place in our healing community: monthly encouragement, tips and hope straight to your inbox. Just click the button below to get it all!
Tell me in the comments – whats your bare minimum self care routine? And whats your once-a-week extra? I love hearing from you!
Speak soon x
Love and light.
MC x
