Self Care Bucket List

First of all, Happy Valentine's Day!! I've always grown up associating this holiday with romantic love only. That means that people who are single, divorced, and widowed have a whole holiday rubbed in their faces, potentially leading to feelings of greater depression and loneliness. Today I'd like to propose a new approach to Valentine's Day. Whether you're single or in a relationship, may this Valentine's Day be an invitation to greater self care. This is an aspect of life I believe many don't make a high enough priority, myself included. My idea is to create a personal self care bucket list with items you'd like to do for yourself on a frequent basis (daily to weekly), semi frequent basis (monthly to quarterly), and on a beautiful rare occasion (quarterly to yearly). Know that some people may rank the frequency of these items with higher or lower priority and that is absolutely okay! Below I've included examples of items I'm putting on each of these lists and my invitation to you this Valentine's Day is to take some time to think of the things that feed your soul and create a bucket list that you feel excited to work through this year!!

Frequent Self Care (Daily to Weekly)

• Clear your mind through meditation

• Take your dog on a walk/ go for an evening walk

• Watch the sunrise and/or sunset

• Get enough sleep

• Buy lavender oil for baths and diffusing while falling asleep (read more benefits below)

• Find a new recipe to cook

• Make exercising a priority

• Get into the habit of drinking plenty of water

• Park further away and take the stairs

• Light candles

• Get into a deep philosophical talk with a friend

• Go on a date night with your partner

• Practice Yoga

• Take a long shower

• Keep a journal

• Get some sunshine

• Set aside a day to not go on to social media and/or the internet

• Cuddle a loved one or pet

• Play meditation sounds

• Practice self massage

• Make a cup of tea

Semi-Frequent Self Care (Monthly to Quarterly)

• Read a new book that you've been wanting to dive into

• Go on a hike or camping trip

• Get a massage or pedicure

• Go to the movies

• Connect with a friend you haven't seen in a while

• Deep clean the house

• Try a diamond painting

• Create a new Spotify playlist

• Do a random good deed

• Write something

• Order takeout

• Gaze at the stars

• Create art for your walls

• Do a facial mask

Beautiful Rare Self Care Occasions (Quarterly to Yearly)

• Find a retreat to go on or plan a special vacation

• Invest in self development

• Try a new hobby

• Plant a garden

• Go to a concert, play, or comedy show

• Buy new undergarments and socks

• Get rid of some clothes you don't wear in the closet

• Find a new podcast topic to listen to

• Take a mental health day

• Go for a drive just for the fun of it

• Change the layout of your home

• Create a Pinterest or physical vision board

Lavender Essential Oil to Support Your Self Care

Lavender oil is a calming essential oil that is well known for how it helps promote a relaxing environment. I consider this oil an absolute must have in your kit. A few of the ways I love to use lavender include:

• Placing a drop on my hands and then bringing my cupped hands around my nose to breathe it in. I'll do this in those moments where it feels like stress levels are rising uncontrollably and I need something to help calm me immediately.

• Place a drop of the oil on my pillow or diffuse it when I'm about to go to sleep to help my mind relax

• Use in cooking to soften citrus flavors and add a flavorful twist to marinades, baked goods, and desserts. Make sure to use a trusted brand with rigorous testing for purity if you are going to use essential oils internally such as with cooking. I personally only trust doTERRA brand for its integrity and purity!

• Use a drop in bath water, make a bath bomb with this oil, or make a sugar scrub with this oil

• Lavender is also very good at helping soothe occasional skin irritations. I'll keep it around in the summer for itchy bug bites or helping skin heal after I've gotten the heat out of a sunburn.

If you're interested in purchasing lavender essential oil to help with your calming routines, use this direct link to our doTERRA shop to make the purchase: https://www.doterra.com/US/en/site/yogaartspace

Enjoy our Valentine's Day Channeled Message of Love on YouTube

This is a special Valentine's Day Channeled Message of Love from the higher version of myself.