If you have been wearing your shoulders like earrings for the last few weeks, then here is LIST SIX: Jayne’s Top 5 Things / Self Care Tips, To Help De-Stress.
Jayne – Brewer Bird / Resident Yogi
1: Going for a walk
Get outside. Find some nature, if you can. Breathe some fresh air and get some Vitamin D.
Dogs are optional, but highly recommended. I like taking Tilly to the beach, it’s her favourite place in the world and nothing makes me happier than seeing her having a blast in the water.
2: Writing
I find writing just for the sake of it is a great way of emptying my brain of anything that’s worrying me or taking up unnecessary space.
You can try just sitting in front of a blank piece of paper and seeing what happens or you can try some prompts. Maybe try writing about a couple of things that you’re grateful for.
Today I’m grateful for:
The incredible team that we work with, who are dealing with adversity like bosses
Our community who are taking steps to support us, like visiting the drive-thru
They don’t have to be big things. Often, I am grateful for small things like my morning cup of tea, taking a walk in the sun, snugs from my cat or a lovely interaction with a stranger.
3: Doing yoga
Yoga changed my life both physically and mentally.
From a physical perspective, I have scoliosis and had lived my whole life with lower back pain and required regular visits to the osteopath just to keep me upright. Until I started yoga. After a relatively short period of regular yoga, I experienced significantly reduced pain and my osteo visits went from monthly to twice a year. It has such a positive physical impact on me.
Mentally, I came to yoga when I was burnt out and overwhelmed. It gave me brain space and an opportunity to think about something other than the business. I love that it’s not something that you can be “good” or “bad” at and there is no end point, you just keep practicing.
Most weekends, I spend my mornings at yoga class and my Saturday morning class feels like putting the full-stop on my working week and allows me to transition into “my time”.
If you want to give it a go, check out https://www.doyou.com/ – lots of good free content, broken down in easy to understand categories so you can find the type of yoga that suits your mood. I like the instructor Jess Rose, I find her really calming.
Ok, you get the drift. I love yoga.
4: Watching animal videos
Nothing makes me feel better about the world than a video of an animal doing something cute / stupid / hilarious.
My go-to’s are pandas (my spirit animal), dogs, mini pigs, goats and otters. I am obsessed with otters and am still not over the fact that I’ve had to cancel my trip to swim with them next month.
Here’s a few vids that always bring a smile to my face…
Husky puppies – https://youtu.be/LAO6-rkpYCY
Crazy goats – https://youtu.be/q9BAHM8KTWE
Sloth bath day – https://youtu.be/q1mAGQAw3Oc
Mischievous pandas – https://youtu.be/I-ovzUNno7g
Cuddly otter – https://www.instagram.com/p/B9eVGgjFtRI/?igshid=66k1gv9y8r4k
5: Dancing
I don’t subscribe to the theory of dancing like no-one’s watching. I believe in dancing like the world needs to be cheered up by your sick moves.
Get on the d-floor and bust a move. Cut a rug. Krump. Slut drop. Whatever makes you happy. Whatever makes someone laugh.
Bad vibes CAN NOT last through a good dance session. Trust me.
I used to think self-care was bullshit, but we put so much energy into the world and into other people, it’s important to keep some just for you. Self-care may look completely different for you, but I can’t recommend highly enough understanding and putting effort into the things that make you happy.
Namaslay mother fuckers.
Read back on the flock’s Top Fives here…
