Self Care in Seclusion

 

It goes without saying that we are in the midst of unprecedented and chaotic times. With the recent quarantining efforts and everyone suddenly finding themselves living in close quarters, nerves are bound to fray. We here at Bella B want to help you stay cool, calm and relaxed… despite the chaos. To help, we’ve gathered up a few of our favorite self care strategies so you can survive seclusion. 

 

 Self Care in Your Home

Americans (or actually, humans in general) were recently informed that we can all expect to spend a lot of time at home. We don’t know about you, but there is nothing that stresses us out faster than a dirty house. And the fact that the rest of our families are going to be staying home with us, means that keeping our houses clean is going to be a bit of a struggle. 

 

•  A 15 minute Tidy Session
• Give each person in your family a specific area or room to tidy and declutter. Ask someone to straighten out the shoes by the front door, give your kid the dust buster and set them loose on the kitchen floors, scoop the legos into a bucket and fold that load of towels that’s been sitting in the basket since who knows when. If everyone works together, these fifteen minutes can really make a big impact. If you involve everyone in the tidy session, they’ll be less likely to leave a mess that needs cleaning later on. 

 

• Write Affirmations on Your Mirror
• Give yourself a little pep talk by writing a message on your bathroom mirror with a dry erase marker. Or better yet, print out these cards and hang them in a space you see daily. Place them on your dresser where you keep your watch, the inside of the spice door cupboard in the kitchen, on your sock drawer, taped to the coffee pot. It’s okay to admit that these are hard times, especially when we find ourselves physically removed from our support network of friends, co-workers and family members. Those people are no longer present in your daily life to affirm that you are doing your best, so these little notes are going to step in and do the job. 

                  

 

 

•  Finish a House Project You’ve Been Thinking About FOR-EV-ER
• Switch the kids’ wardrobes from winter to spring. Clean out the front hall closet. Replace the kitchen sink. Paint the guest bedroom. Right now, we’ve got a lot of free time. Why not use it to tackle a project that’s been bugging you? Not only will you improve your home space, you’ll improve your mental space too. Won’t it be great to have something to show for your time when this is all done and your friends come over? 

 

Self Care for Your Body

Taking a few minutes each day to pamper yourself can go a long way in surviving seclusion. And Bella B has the perfect products to help you feel pampered and rejuvenated. Here are a few ways to put these products into action. Give them a try and watch your stress float away faster than the cruise ship industry is sinking. (Too soon? Sorry. Too soon.)

 

1. Clay Mask Mini Facial

• Scoop out a tablespoon of our Rose Clay Face Mask into a small bowl.  Add a few drops of water and mix with your fingers to make a paste and then gently massage onto your face and neck.  Leave this on for 5-10 minutes. Grab a book or do a short meditation while you wait. Make the most of this relaxing time! Then, wash the mask off to reveal polish and exfoliated skin. 

 

     2. Take a Candle Lit Bath

• We’d recommend waiting until everyone under a certain age is in bed before enjoying this luxurious self care. It’s pretty hard to relax when someone’s knocking on the door and calling for you, am I right? Once you are alone, light the candle, run the water and then ease into the lovely aromas of lavender and vanilla while you soak away your stress. If you'd like to kick this up a notch add in some epsom salt or magnesium flakes, for the ultimate relaxation.

 

 

    3. Induce a Deep Sleep with CBD Slave

• If the worries are keeping you awake, rub a little of Bella Botanicals’ CBD Salve on the bottoms of your feet, chest, and/or temples.  You’ll find a soothing relief that’ll help get you into that beauty slumber we all need. https://www.mybellabotanicals.com/products/soothing-organic-hemp-salve-with-cbd.   

 

 

 

  

Self Care for Your Mind

Everything starts with mindset. There's a lot of buzz around this practice, but at its core it simply means slowing down and paying attention.  With everything else going on, it could be really easy to neglect your mental health, but we don’t want that for you. These simple self care tips can be the make or break X factors that help you survive the seclusion.

 

Here are three simple ways that, even with a housefull, you can face the uncertain times with a clear mind and positive vibes. 

 

• Gratitude Journaling or Send a Thank You Note 
• Even in these chaotic times, there is much to be thankful for. Honestly, there is maybe even more to be thankful for. So many people, individuals and organizations alike, are going out of their way to be helpful, kind and good. Take a few minutes each day to list what has you feeling grateful. If something doesn’t come to you right away, don’t worry. Sit and think a little longer. Finding joy in life is a skill and if you aren’t used to flexing this muscle… it can be a challenge. But once you do get into the gratitude habit, you’ll increase your own joy by paying attention to small blessings in your life. Take this one step further by writing a thank you note to someone who shows up on your list!

 

• Facetime with a Friend or Family Member 
• Some introverts are loving this solo time, but that doesn’t apply to everyone. If you are a people person and are feeling a little blue, try Facetiming with a friend or family member. Just because you can’t be physically with the people you love, doesn’t mean you can’t still be in contact with them. 

 

• Give Yourself Some Grace
• Skip a workout. Take a nap. Let the kids watch (another) movie. As we navigate these uncharted waters, seeking perfection will be the enemy of sanity. It’s good to have goals and hopes for what we will accomplish/do/become during these days at home, but it’s also good to cut ourselves some slack if everything doesn’t go according to plan. 

 

The most important thing I want you to take away from this post is that last tip. Give yourself some grace. This post is not a checklist you must complete. These are suggestions from one friend to another, in an effort to make this crazy time a little easier. If you know another friend who could use a few words of calm and kindness, feel free to pass it on.