Disconnect to reconnect

It’s been a big year for different reasons for all of us. I’m sure many of you are feeling the fatigue of this year. So in light of that, this is a loving reminder for you to take some time to give yourself some authentic self-care and make the most of the break you will get during Christmas and New Year, to wind down, let out a deep exhale and take some time to ‘fill your cup’

Here are some actions for self-care that is high in priority in my books and are vital for me to do, for a quality break.

Disconnect to reconnect

For me specifically this means disconnecting from social media, work mode, or anything that would encourage my mind to stay busy! My intention for a quality break is to help my body and mind to slow right down so that they can both have the breathing space and be filled up with activities that encourage a sense of calm, peace and well-being. We do not need to always be plugged in, always be 'on' our game. We can unplug, switch off and reset.

Some of these activities include mindful walks where my body and mind stay present. Often we can go for walks and our minds are not where we are, they are back at our desk, at our laptop or thinking of our to do list or somewhere near the future or even in the past. Nature and bush walks with your family can be a great way of disconnecting from the worries and pace of the world and reconnecting with each other in a more relaxed setting. Have some picnic lunches at a nice park where everyone can just sit, relax and chat, play some games, eat some delicious food together so the focus is on something positive and light = CONNECTION.

We can also spend some quality time with each other indoors – absolutely nothing wrong with this. It’s just we have been indoors so much this year, in lockdown in our houses and it is so good for our energy and our mental health and well-being to get a change of scenery. What better way to do this, than outdoors enjoying some of the beautiful areas around us and getting some Vitamin D, fresh air and some ‘forest bathing’! If you have the blessing of being able to go away for a few days to get a change of scenery, this is wonderful, but if not, it is still possible to have a wonderful and restful staycation and get that quality break you need.

Holidays are a great way of allowing a ‘reset’.

Resetting our minds, our bodies, our routines, our habits. As the year comes to a close, what activities or actions will help give your mind and body that reset you need?

Here’s what ideally a day of self-care may look like for me. I need to consider my family around this, so I’ll usually communicate with them and organize anything in advance to help me get a break.

It begins the night before with an earlier night, maybe an early bath or shower and I’ll devote more time to a longer skin-care routine to give my skin a good cleanse, some exfoliation, maybe adding an extra serum. The night will involve, a hot drink, maybe reading a book or playing some music and spending some time with the family. This night routine before the following day is key for me to feel like I've been able to get a good rest. Whatever fills your cup and what works for you, do this as what works for me may not resonate with you at all. Sleeping earlier means I wake up refreshed and it’s much easier to wake up earlier in the morning and it enables me to make the most of my day. Are you a morning or a night person? I think I can be both, but it all depends on the habit I've created.

I’ll start the day with a meditation and prayer and positive affirmations while everyone else is asleep, this helps to create the right mindset I want for the day, followed by my morning coffee. The quietness is bliss and it helps me feel like my time is my own before the day gets busy. If the weather allows I will go for a short walk. I’ll then fill the day with activities that help me feel like I’ve accomplished something but also fills my cup. Self-care can look like cleaning up the bedroom and picking up clothes on the floor, folding that laundry in the basket, tidying up here and there, or sorting out that pile or decluttering a certain area of your house. This comes with a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction and is also self-care. Gardening is an activity that I enjoy especially if it involves growing vegetables or beautiful flowers and plants. Doing my nails, maybe get a cut and colour for my hair or a massage! Massages are amazing for tired achy muscles and to help with that lymphatic drainage in our body.

It’s been a full on year for so many and we have a chance to take stock and get some rest and relaxation before 2022 begins as we don’t know what challenges the year will hold. So take time to fill your cup, get that reset we so need for our minds and body, spend some quality time with family, friends and connect once again with yourself and God, if you have a faith or spiritual belief.

Have a safe, wonderful, restful, peace and love filled Christmas

Cath xoxo

P.S I have a new podcast called Beautiful minds with Cath if you are interested in listening or following, it's all about holding space for women in business so they can share their stories and we can chat about topics we love about business and life and have a good laugh and natter while we're at it!

Link above!

P.P.S An interesting article about the impact of email can have on our mental health and what to do about it. This was shared with me by someone who read one of my blog posts - Beating the winter blues for a more peaceful mind. So it was an interesting read and something we may not think too much about either due to how much emails are part of our daily lives. Some food for thought.