Tag healthy living

We are in the last quarter of 2022 and it is time to make the right shift for staying healthy and living your best life! If You’re not there yet, that’s okay because its never too late to improve your life. That being said, there are so many cheap fall and winter selfcare ideas that I’m about to share today. First of all, selfcare is not optional especially with everything that it is happening on the global front.

More on selfcare

It took me a long time to appreciate the true importance and impact of selfcare on every aspect of life. It took tragedy and my on health care issues to realize that I needed to break the cycle of self-neglect and socio-cultural conditioning. That is the same conditioning (and control) that made me believe it was selfish to honor my own needs, desires, etc. This is especially true for women because from the cradle we’re basically taught that our lives, desires, wants, positioning, etc are not of equal value. Women are taught (largely by society and culture) that our worth and validation is tied to “something” outside of ourselves.

A brief reminder

For the average woman, especially non-eroupean, selfcare is something of a luxury even now! Not only that, many folks are struggling to financially and need affordable ideas and tips. Today’s cheap winter selfcare ideas are ones that can also be adapted to other seasons of the year too.

Selfcare is a radical life saving practice that empowers, nurtures, heals, and renews our beings. It literally forces us to do the internal work (i.e. healing, renewing, self-development, etc) necessary for wholeness and autonomy. This is also why, selfcare is often demonized and restricted to cute memes and hashtags in social media. The reality is that most societies and cultures don’t view selfcare as a necessity, especially when it comes to women. 

Just a few fall and winter selfcare ideas to get you started

1. yoga – yes I said it! Yoga, regardless of the variety is a great self care practice. It helps not only with your physical health, it’s also great for your mental and emotional health (i.e. stress reduction, managing anxiety, depression, etc).
2. Hot herbal tisanes for am detox and boosting immunity.
3. Herbal foot detox bath (with herbs, essential oils and Epsom salt).
4. Detox body bath soak (with herbs and essential oils- please consult your physician prior to preparation).
5. Bone broth and psyllium husk soups and stews (boosts immune system and psyllium is a probiotic for gut health as well).
6. Personal growth activities – reading books on personal growth, mindset, spiritual guidance, etc.

More selfcare ideas that are great for the fall and winter months

1. Doing a weekly personal needs checklist or assessment; using a journal or notebook on paper or in the notes app, etc.
2. 5-10 min daily mediation practice / quiet time. These routines can done be first thing in the morning, during your exercise routine, going for a walk, etc.
3. Do a seasonal cleaning and clearing session-a play on spring cleaning. Fall clearing is removing and discarding the clutter in your home that you’ve built up since the beginning of the year. It also includes all of those things you struggled to release during your spring cleaning. Meaning, stuff that kept you from moving forward, emotional baggage, etc. You’ll realise you never really needed that stuff but kept it out of fear of change, the unknown, habit, etc.
4. Create or revamp your meditation space to reflect the new season of fall. I can’t over emphasise how important it is to have and or create, a space that is yours alone and is specially crafted for you to decompress and meditate. Over the last few years, I’ve learned that each season is naturally powerful and that power is further amplified when you create a space that not only reflects your own personality and aesthetic, but also the season as well. You are essentially creating a power amplifier that is uniquely tailored to your own energy.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

Let’s not forget that the fall and winter seasons are typically the times when people become affected by SAD. Seasonal affective disorder is a form of depression that is related to changes in seasons. So, a good selfcare routine means that you’ll have the tools you need in order to help you get through these tough times. Bottom line, there are many cheap and creative selfcare ideas out there. They are out there if you really want to change your life before the new year!

For many more selfcare strategies, tips and ideas check out my other posts on selfcare 365 days a year! Plus, don’t forget to comment and follow my blog for more life changing tips!

Economic hardships

We’re in a recession folks and that means tightening our belts. It also means being resourceful and finding creative ways to self care on a tight budget.  That also means, getting recession proof self care strategies to help you weather the storm! While no one wants to get down in the dumps over the economy, the truth is that we need to adapt. A recession, economic hardship, etc means finding creative ways to stay healthy and keep your household in order.

Adaptation and resourcefulness is the key

I get it. Who wants to think about trying to workout or maintain a gym membership when we’re in the middle of a recession? Let’s not even add in the cost of transportation, fuel to keep our homes warm, etc? Well, when you understand that selfcare is critical to you staying healthy and getting through the tough times, your mindset shifts. Having recession proof self care strategies in place are like, having a “Go bag” during a crisis, national emergency etc. I know. It sounds dramatic but it’s so true! If you suffer from anxiety, PTSD, etc, you know how important it is to have the right tools in place to help you make it through your crisis.

In the case of recession proof self care strategies, these are crucial for both the short and long term. While humans are extremely adaptable, recent happenings around the globe have left many people struggling to cope. It’s a fight for them to address their physical, mental, and physical health. According to the WHO (world health Organization) and  US News & World Report, things a pretty grim for a lot of folks.

Recession proofing your self care

Focusing on the recession and other local and global crisis won’t offer solutions or make us feel any better. To borrow a quote from Tony Robins, “it’s not a lack of resources, but a lack of resourcefulness”, that’s the problem. To get beyond the paralysis of an economic or personal crisis, means getting out of that “headspace” that keeps you bound. Using your self care practice gives you the ability to weather storms in your life. Not only that, with these strategies you develop solution-based ways of thinking. This will help you to handle stress, anxiety, etc in healthy and productive ways. Also, It will help you stick to healthy activities (i.e. workout routines, etc). The mindful aspect of self care, helps sustain and support your health and overall well being.

After all, if you’re sick, stressed out and overwhelmed, your chances of navigating and surviving current happenings (both local and global), are slim! I’m not trying to freak you out, but depending on where you live in the world and your “resources” things are going to be very tough for a while.

Here a few tips

1. Manage your stress (i.e. EFT, meditation, breathing exercises, etc). You’d be amazed at how much better you’ll feel when you are able to control your stress level. Not only that, stress negatively impacts your immune system, mental health, etc.

2. Eat foods that support your immune system and energize the body). The quality of your food choices can not be over emphasized here. Realize that healthy food is both energy and medicine for your body.

3. Organize your physical and mental space. Get rid of overwhelm by pouring out your thoughts, feelings, etc, down on paper. A good brain dump gives you clarity and improves focus.

4. Create a weekly and monthly budget to keep track of, and organize,  your expenses to avoid overwhelm and anxiety

5. Set aside time (i.e. 30 mins, etc) each day to attend to your personal self care needs. This is separate from to-do lists and daily maintenance activities.

Final thoughts

Recession proof self care strategies will give you the endurance and mindset to make it though. Also, these strategies don’t work in a bubble. You have to consider your environment and prioritise your health and safety first. Then, in that context of self care, plug in these strategies so that you have a sustained plan of action. As always, you can read some more posts for budget friendly selfcare tips right here  and free resources too! Also, share this post with your community and be sure to subscribe.

Creating your happy place

There’s nothing that screams relaxation when it comes to summer, more than my own DIY Outdoor meditation space. Having another place to unwind just adds more options. Not only is it a reflection of my own tastes, creating this DIY space is a great opportunity to get some light exercise! In case you’re wondering, it’s easy to customize such a space to both your wallet and your taste. Your only limitation is your imagination.

Note: This post may contain some Amazon links and as an affiliate, I do receive a small percentage from any sales generated

What you need to get started

For my outdoor nature spot, I used a combination of recycled household items, goodwill finds, and some cheap outdoor pillows and throws from amazon and Walmart. For the outdoors, I like to use items that will hold up to the elements. Since I’m somewhat lazy, I also like to use materials that are low maintenance too!

These days, everyone is looking for ways to add style and pazazz without breaking the bank! So for my space, I found an adorable storage bench from my local goodwill store. I also found some boho outdoor cushion covers on amazon and stuffed them. When I pulled it all together, my DIY outdoor meditation space had just the right atmosphere for a relaxing retreat.

Items I found on Amazon

1. Bohemian outdoor cushion covers from amazon ($18.99 for a set of 4)
2. Light-weight summer throw
3. Outdoor mini fountain

Items I found at Walmart

1. Pillow stuffing (I got the firm stuffing from the craft section at Walmart: $20.00 total)
2. Assorted low maintenance plants and herbs (I got the herbs for my container garden section)
3. Assorted all-weather small planters
4. Citronella tea lights ($0.97)

You don’t have to be an interior designer in order to get that “Pinterest” look. All you need is a little creativity, intention, and some focal elements. I use a combination of seasonal plants and herbs to create a garden balcony that’s both serene and colorful. For all of this, I spent less than $200 dollars total and, that includes the faux grass, seating, cushions, etc.

What’s your style?

So how do you pull all of this together and how do you avoid feeling overwhelmed? I always say, start with what you like! For colors, I use earth tones and pull in some tropical elements because that reminds me of home. Also, I love an eclectic mix of boho, tropical, and a dash of North African influences to really set the atmosphere and vibe.

So, start with the elements of color that you’re drawn to, select some “anchor” pieces (i.e. furniture, etc) to frame your space. Next, add your touches of nature, water features, potted plants, cushions, etc, to create an awesome relaxation zone.

Here’s one outdoor garden mood board I created to help me set the mood and atmosphere of what I wanted my meditation space to feel like:

DIY meditation garden inspiration mood board

As you can see, I didn’t make my space an exact copy of my inspiration board. Instead, I pulled in some of the elements and incorporated them into my final design. I still haven’t found a small outdoor fountain that really fits my space but I’ll update this post when I do! Check out some of my other posts for more selfcare tips and hacks!

Final thoughts

I can’t say enough about how important it is to have a separate place to just relax and release the stress of the day and or week. Stress reduction is one of those aspects of selfcare, that gets overlooked. But the truth is, stress makes a huge impact on our physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Stress is one of the leading contributors to poor health and chronic illness. So, when you find creative ways to reduce stress, you’re doing delivering a huge punch in the face of bad health! Something as simple and cheap as a DIY meditation space can save you a lot of money in the long run by keeping you out of the hospital or paying for expensive medications! Let me know your ideas for creating your very own DIY meditation space and I’ll share them in another post!