I have to admit, the first few weeks of the year I hit a wall and fell into a slump. Things just feel so far off sometimes in January and this year was no exception. When feelings like this hit home, I go back to my toolbox of habits that usually tend to help pull myself out of my funk and back on track. I figured I’m probably not the only one who’s been going through this lately, so I’m here to share 5 things I do on the weekends to ensure I feel my best, come Monday.
These are little habits, the tiniest of things really, that I find make the biggest difference to my mood, my focus and overall wellbeing.
+ WASH HAIR: I only wash my hair once a week. Mainly because my hair stylist (Kayla of Brush Salon) told me it’s not healthy to wash your hair too much because it can strip the oil from your scalp, causing hair to damage and become brittle. But also because – unless I’m working out heavily – I can manage with only one good wash a week. Good news for me because that also means I don’t have to spend time (damaging) drying it either.
SO, when I do wash it, I like to make it a whole experience. I normally reserve this for Sundays, when I can take a ‘hollywood shower’ and take my sweet time. I lather my hair in non toxic products like Dae haircare and Shu uemura hair masks and let air dry. I normally like to quickly do a light dry with my blow dryer – just so it’s not soaking – then let air dry. I’ve also be using Dae’s hair oil to lock in moisture post wash. While we’re on the topic of showering, I’m currently using Nécessaire’s Eucalyptus body wash (also non toxic).
It might not seem like much, but doing these small acts of self-care makes me feel human again. It’s almost like hitting a reset button.
+ FACIAL STEAM: also reserved for Sundays, I like to do a facial steam right after the shower. It helps to open up the pores for a deep clean, which I then follow with skincare to lock in moisture and hydration. Doing this always helps clean my skin and reset it for the week ahead.
+ PAINT NAILS: I very recently started getting manicures again, but during the pandemic I went back to basics and started painting my nails once a week. Doing so just made me feel more put together and knowing that all the little thing are taken care of just aids in your overall confidence and how you feel about tackling your week. Truth be told, I think I’m just too hard on my nails for them NOT to chip from painting them myself. I clean too often and can only seem to go two-ish days before chipping something, which I absolute can’t stand – IMO, there’s nothing worse than an unkept manicure. Either have one or just remove the polish.
+ TAN / BODY CARE: this one might sound superficial, but I strongly believe that you project how/what you feel, and when I have a bit of a glow – as opposed to a pasty, sickly color tone – I feel much more confident. At this point, you’ve probably gathered that I take most of the day Sunday to dedicate to self-care. I’ve come to learn, I need my time alone and Sunday serves me as the greatest way to just shut off and reset. Taking good care of myself has and always will be a priority for me, no matter what shifts in my life. You can read all about the non-toxic brands and products I love and use regularly, here.
+ READ: I might as well start a damn bookclub at this point, it’s no secret I love to read. Definitely wasn’t always the case, but I’d say the last 10ish years I have set aside a pretty substantial amount of time to reading when I can. Just ask my husband, I literally will find any 10-15 min stretch to read a few pages from whatever I’m reading – I read in bed, I read on vacation, I read in the shower… I think when people say that they don’t have time for something it just means that haven’t found a window to prioritize it. In case you missed it, you can find my master reading list, here.
Just a little insight into what helps me move past anything tripping me up. Hope it helps! XX
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