21 Self Care Rituals For Winter | Divya Toshniwal |
I have always advocated for self-care. I strongly believe that we can only take care of our loved ones if we take care of ourselves first. But unfortunately, this concept of self-care is still looked down upon when it comes to Indian Women. Self-care is said to be selfish. So though I have written enough on the importance of self-care and what self-care is and what it is not, I would like to remind you of a few pointers before we start our today's topic- Self Care in Winter Months.
1. Self-care is not selfish.
2. Self Care does not only mean a day at the spa/or shopping.
3. Self-care is not a luxury.
4. Self-care is affordable.
5. Self-care is the nourishment you need to flourish.
6. Self-care is for mind, body, and spirit.
7. Self-care is not always time-consuming.
8. Self-care is not a one time experience, you can practice it daily(in fact you should)
That being said we should now proceed to How to practice Self-care in the winter months. But if you are interested to read more on self-care, here are a few more articles.
5 Affordable Self-Care Habits To Practice Daily
21 Self-Care Rituals For Winter
4. Be physically active. Although winter is a time when you feel the laziest and you would just not want to get out of your bed, it is very important to maintain and in fact increase your activity levels physically. Not only will it help you beat the winter blues but also help you reduce that extra winter weight you gain.
5. Drink enough water. In summers you feel the thirst and automatically your water intake is balanced. In winters however you do not feel much thirsty and this results in lower water intake. This can be very harmful to your body. So set reminders for having water or other water-based warm drinks (Eg. Chamomile tea ).
6. Light a scented candle. Soothing all your senses is an important part of self-care and smell is a major component. Lighting up scented candles of your favorite fragrances would uplift your mood in the times of winter.
7. Sip some hot chocolate. Chocolate is a mood booster and drinking hot chocolate in winter snuggled in a cozy blanket is an amazing feeling in itself. Spend some quiet time with yourself sipping that hot chocolate.
8. Make your home a little cozy. Use warmer colors, throwaway blankets on your sofas, and line up cushions. Make your home a little more cozy and welcoming. Using warmer colors instead of cold ones will give it a welcoming and soothing appearance to keep you in a good mood.
9. Recap your year. This time of the year is the transition phase when you can recap what happened in the entire year, the good the bad, the challenges, and the success. Recap and journal everything. This would help you to analyze your progress as well as set goals for the upcoming year.
10. Spend time with your loved ones. No matter how busy you are, find some time for your loved ones, this holiday season. Spending time with loves ones is the best way to beat the winter blues.
11. Give yourself time for a full breakfast. In spending those extra 15 minutes in bed under the warm blanket what suffers the most is our breakfast time. To be on time all we do is skip breakfast which is the most important meal of the day. So make sure that you practice self-care in this small easy way by just having a full breakfast.
12. Visualize Warmth. Meditation should be the core part of your daily self-care routine. For winters especially you can use creative visualization or guided imagery meditations with visualizations related to warmth.
13. Clean up your room. Create space for the winter specials and keep away the summer decorations. Indulge in some self-pampering in form of room decorations of winter and holiday themes.
14. Have Fresh Juices. No, I am not talking about the packaged juice but fresh homemade juices. take a combination of fresh fruits and vegetables and have a glass of juice every morning. My mom makes a mixed juice with oranges, beetroot, gooseberry, and carrots. One of the best juices I have ever had. Even your skin would start glowing within 10 days.
15. Bake. Bake your favorite cookies, brownies, and cakes. The smell of freshly baked cookies on a cold winter evening is just amazing.
16. Organize your cupboard. Do not just pile up your winter clothes along with the summer clothes already in your cupboard. Put away the summer clothes and organise your winter clothes. This would make your space look clean and settled and reduce the stress that generates from accumulated clutter.
17. Watch your favorite holiday movies. Starting from Halloween to Christmas , this season watch your favorite holiday movies and spend some time in the fantasy world.
18. Take a walk outside. Take a walk in the cold winter evening layered up in warm clothes . It doesn't seen much to do nor does it seen important , but trust me it will boost your mood and make you appreciate winter in a whole different light.
19. Share a hug. We always underestimate the power of human warmth and intimacy . It is not something to be shared only with your life partners but with your entire family and friends. Share a hug with someone and you ' ll realise how good it feels to be close to people.
20. Read. Create a personal cozy space for yourself . Somewhere with natural light . Sit with a soft blanket and your favorite books. Indulge into spending quality time, reading a good book.
21. Take care of your feet. Probably the most neglected part of our body is our feet. So this winter take a little more care of your feet. Soak them in warm water. Clean them and moisturize. Wear warm socks and then go take a nap .
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