After a long winter, which may have included social distancing, life-changing career and personal decisions, spring has finally arrived!
You know what that means?
Warmer weather, longer days, and the season of reconnecting with ourselves and others. Self-care is an essential part of maintaining not only your physical health, but also your emotional and mental well-being during this time of rejuvenation and renewal.
Though self-care is important to incorporate, far too many of us put it off and take it for granted due to a lack of time and feelings of "guilt". We find ways to persuade ourselves that there are things on our never-ending to-do list that seem more important.
Can you relate?
Remember, when we don’t take time to care for ourselves, there’s simply no way that we can give 100% to others just like how you can’t pour tea from an empty cup.
So here are four of our ever favorite self-care tips for Spring:
1. Bathleisure
Bathleisure time includes treating oneself to a pleasant and full-fledged bath ritual. It's all about choosing a comfy robe, sipping a bottle of champagne, and gathering all of the spa goods you'll need to pamper yourself with in the tub. Here’s an idea for a relaxing herbal bath ritual to help ease your muscles and relax your mind before you tuck into bed.
Ingredients
A handful of Epsom salt
5 drops of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oil
1 ounce of carrier oil (i.e. olive oil, coconut oil, or grapeseed oil)
1 quart of Bedtime Bath Tea (1 tbsp valerian (Valeriana officinalis) root, 1 tbsp chamomile (Matricaria recutita) flowers, and 1 tbsp passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) aerial parts)
Directions
- Prepare the bath tea one of two ways. You can either place 3 tablespoons of herbs in a quart-sized canning jar filled with freshly boiled water and allow them to steep for thirty minutes up to several hours, or you can place 3 tablespoons of herbs in a reusable tea bag or clean sock tied tightly and steep them in your bath as the water fills the tub.
- Add the essential oil to the carrier oil, stirring to combine thoroughly.
- Add the tea into your warm bath water along with a handful of Epsom salt and your carrier oil/essential oil mixture.
- Light a candle or two, turn down the lights, and set the mood. You can add relaxing sounds or music, customizing your bedtime bath ritual to suit your personal style.
- To enhance the relaxing effect of your bath ritual, sip on a calming tea while relaxing in the bath.
Pampering yourself has several benefits such as stress reduction. Stress is a killer and has been connected to a range of diseases and pathological disorders, therefore including a soothing self-care routine like herbal bath leisure is essential.
Source: theherbalacademy.com
2. Sit Spot: A Way to Connect with Nature
A Sit Spot is a peaceful spot, preferably in nature, although it may be anywhere quiet. Set a 15-minute timer and make yourself at peace. You have the option of closing your eyes or keeping them open while you sit in silence for 15 minutes. There is no prayer or mantra, just solitude. Try to calm your thoughts to avoid an internal discussion and concentrate on your breathing. Spending time at your sit-spot regularly is a sort of active meditation that allows you to connect internally, to yourself, and externally, to nature. It's a mindfulness exercise that will help you be relaxed, joyful, and healthy in both mind and body, as well as a great source of inspiration for your nature journaling.
Source: Land of Verse
3. Set Limits (On Social Media and at Work) to Protect Your Time
"Spring is a terrific time to evaluate and determine where you might need a limit in your life, and then create that boundary," says Sarah Harmon, a certified mental health counselor and mindfulness instructor and founder of The School of Mom. Our patterns and daily activities change with the seasons, she explains, so setting limits for the next season is beneficial.
She suggests paying attention to your social media usage and minimizing the amount of time you spend browsing on your phone. She also advocates setting aside "no work" time and space in your home; it may be difficult to create boundaries around work hours, which leads to burnout. How will you start protecting your time today?
4. Stock-up on Spring Teas
Spring is more than welcome after a long, cold winter. The warmth, the blossoms, and bright sun never gets old. The only frustrating part of this season is how swiftly it goes! Fortunately, there are ways to catch spring blossoms and keep them with us all year. Photographs, artwork, pressed petals...and our personal favorite: tea! Here are five well-known floral teas, which are best sipped when wandering through a luscious garden or at a table with fresh flowers to gaze at.
- Chamomile - When these delicate tiny blooms are dried and steeped in water, they produce a delightful cup of tea that's light and buttery with overtones of apple. Try our Nightcap herbal tea infused with chamomile flowers for a more relaxing experience.
- Jasmine - Jasmine is well-known for its sweet, seductive scent—so gentle and uplifting! We can't seem to get enough of it. Indulge in our At the root blend and find your center with a light bloom of jasmine and ginger zing.
- Hibiscus - Hibiscus is a flowering plant genus in the Malvaceae family. It is well-known for its rich red color and tart, cranberry-like flavor, which is refreshing both hot and cold. Recharge your energy with our Afternoon Reset blend with hibiscus petals to support your liver and digestive systems. Get that minty fresh breath feeling before your next engagement.
At INA Botanicals & Tea we have thoughtful selections of herbal teas to help you appreciate the beauty of spring. If you can't decide on a tea, try our daily steep set which includes: 9AM Agenda, Afternoon Reset and Nightcap to get the herbal support you need throughout the day. Enjoy!
The Takeaway:
So as we begin this spring season filled with growth and change, we urge you to incorporate these self-care routines on into your wellness journey. And we don’t just mean to do it every once in a while…we mean every. single. day.
Remember that you can change your Spring Self-Care list as often as you want. We know it's tempting to count down the days until the hot summer arrives, but let's make the most of every day of this lovely blooming season while it lasts; Happy Spring!