Do you feel overwhelmed, stressed or depleted? Are the people around you telling you that you need to take care of You? Or, maybe it’s the little voice inside your head that is nudging you to take some time for You. It is time to listen to these wise sentiments?
In this week’s article I am going to give you 1 Simple Solution to help you find calm in the midst of chaos while simultaneously having the additional benefit of detoxing your body which has the bonus effect of making you feel more vibrant and allow you to shed some weight. (This is one of the little secrets that I share with my Fresh Start seminar participants & I am going to let you in on it.)
Even though I am the “Guardian of Harmony” I know what stress feels like! I think that we experience stressful times so that we can fully see the contrast of what we want or don’t want to experience in our life. The contrast also gives us appreciation for the moments that are flowing with ease & grace. That being said, moving back into graceful flow from moments of stress & overwhelm is key for harmony, peace and joy. Arming yourself with techniques that can help you shift from a state of anxiety to one of calm is important in today’s world that can exacerbate feelings of pressure, strain and discomfort.
I can relate! For months my husband has been advocating the idea that I take some time for me, add in more yoga and go get massages. It has been a busy year running around with the 4 kids and all they do, fitting in time for business projects and dealing with our primary home that was destroyed in the winter of 2015. The stress has definitely taken its toll. Unfortunately, I didn’t heed his insight quite as much as I should have. While working on a staging project 3 weeks ago I attempted to move a large mirror and inadvertently injured my back. Well, as I often tell my clients, the Universe will begin to whisper in your ear messages that it hopes you will hear. If you are not listening the messages will get stronger, louder and harder to ignore. So, in my case, initially it was my own inner GPS that began to nudge at me to take care of me. Have you heard your own inner GPS whisper in your ear? I didn’t listen and the voice became louder and my husband would gently urge me to take care of me. I only half-heartedly listened by saying all of the right things but not actually taking action. “I did go to yoga a couple of weeks ago, I’m too busy this week.” Well, the Universe wanted me to hear the message loud and clear. And, I eventually understood the wisdom when I was unable to get out of bed. Ok, I will slow down and start making it a priority to take care of myself. Do you hear the whisper?
Well, the main thing I began to incorporate back into my daily life was taking a bath. Why you ask? First of all it soothed the soreness in my back. But, that wasn’t the only reason that I turned to this self-care habit. I knew it would be a great way to decrease stress, detox the body of unwanted chemicals and rev up the metabolism so that I wouldn’t feel so disappointed for missing my daily workout routines while I recovered.
Taking a bath is a relaxation technique that is beneficial in so many ways. It decreases cortisol levels that can be brought on by stressful situations. This is helpful on many levels. First, cortisol causes fat to be stored around your middle. Second, cortisol increases inflammation. It is important to include things in your daily routine to reduce cortisol. This is especially important because we live in a culture that induces cortisol just by participating in daily life. Taking a bath also decreases fatigue and benefits your nervous system. Baths increase your circulation and lowers blood pressure. For optimum benefit this is what I recommend (although, always ask your doctor if this is a good idea for you).
Harmony Bath(20 minutes each day in a hot bath)
Ingredients:
-2 Cups Epsom Salts
-1 Cup Baking Soda
-10 Drops Organic Lavender Oil
There are many benefits to the Harmony Bath. First the Lavender relaxes the nervous system and lowers cortisol levels. The Epsom Salt enhances the effects of the detox. The baking soda promotes a balanced pH for optimum healing and detox benefits.
Of course, it goes without saying that the bathroom environment should be supportive and nurturing. That is, take some time to make it pretty and inviting. Your experience will be less beneficial if you are looking at piles of laundry in the corner and are reminded of your to-do list instead of enjoying the blissful 20-minute restorative experience.
Are you going to listen to the whisper that is telling you to take time for you?
I included a picture of a bathtub from our recent trip to The One & Only Resort in the Bahamas. The ocean vistas complimented this serene setting. I would love to see pictures of your serene setting or your ideal vision of your dream bathroom. Come over to Home in Harmony on Facebook and share your pictures!
Happy Soaring!
XOXO
Image Credit: Nickolas Sargent