Meditation:
At the beginning of the year, I was invited to an event hosted by Shoppers Drug Mart with a focus on “getting a routine that gets you”, during which we got to do a couple of workshops focused on self care. It was the perfect way to start the New Year, but I’m usually terrible with resolutions, so I only started applying some of these valuable lessons in the past couple of weeks. Better late then never, and never too late to start ;) So I decided to finally take the time to pass on the wisdom that was bestowed upon me!
We kicked off the event with a meditation session for 15 mins. I have a hard time with meditating because my mind has a hard time quieting down. It’s constantly thinking of a million things at at the same time: “Tomorrow at work I need to get started on that big presentation that’s happening next week”; “I should take down that Christmas tree or else it will stay there until March (which it did…lol, I took it down yesterday)”; “I have to work on 3 new blog posts this week”; “What should I eat this week, trying to be healthy”, and so on…
It gets exhausting and I never find myself capable of just being in the moment. During those 15 mins, I really tried hard to shut all those thoughts off. As soon as one popped into my mind, I tried to suppress it and focus on nothing. I’m not 100% sure if I actually meditated for the full 15 mins, but I definitely decluttered my mind for at least a few minutes and I felt a lot less stressed out. It was an amazing reminder that sometimes I just try to do too much and I end up not taking care of myself as a result. It not only made me realize that I should mediate more, but that I should take care of myself on a daily basis – creating healthy work/life balance, taking time to recharge, and be more present in the moment. Hence why I decided to write this blog post, to remind you ladies (and myself to be honest) to practice self care!
Customized skin routine
The next workshop was a consultation with a skincare professional who evaluated my skincare needs to help with my self care quest. This winter, my skin has been extremely dry, and if you read my recent post about my adult acne problem, you know that I have been getting quite a few out outbreaks, so the main focus was on those two problem areas. It was recommended that I give a try to the Vichy Aqualia Thermal light cream. After a couple of days using this cream for daytime (alongside an SPF cream), my skin’s thirst was quenched! I still kelp using my Reversa cream during nighttime to control the acne situation (which is now finally under control, but I do not wish it to resurface).
As a blogger, I get to try out a lot of different products, but I only end up talking about the ones I like and tend to stick to them. This Vichy cream is a keeper, and I highly recommend that you ladies experiment with skincare products to find the ones that truly work for you & your skin type. Having well maintained and hydrated skin is the secret to looking radiant and youthful!
Beauty form the inside
Now, we always talk about what’s on the outside, and although that is extremely important, what is on the inside counts just as much! I’m sure you already heard the term “collagen” thrown around, but did you ever really look into its meaning? I started using SPROOS, as it truly educated me about the meaning of the word and how this product is so important for the health of my skin and my very very thin hair! In short, “Collagen is the protein that holds us together! It’s found throughout our connective tissue, including our skin, muscles, bones, blood vessels, digestive system and tendons. As we age our body’s natural collagen production begins to slow down (by about 1.5% per year from our mid-20s on wards) making us feel and look older”.
Now, SPROOS has a nice range of products, but the one that I tried is the Skin & Hair one! The product contains a combination of collagen and active ingredients designed to work from within. The main benefits are: improved skin elasticity & skin tone, reduction in fine lines, as well as hair hydration. I’ve been using this for 2 weeks about now, and I already see shinier hair & smoother skin. Now, some of that has to do with the creams I’ve been using (as mentioned above), and washing my hair less often (I used to wash it everyday, now I’m down to 2-3 times a week), but that’s why it’s important to treat yourself from the inside out, and from the outside in! SPROOS is easy to digest and it only takes 1 scoop that you can dissolve in hot or cold beverage of your choice (I’ve been putting it into a smoothy). 1 scoop contains 7 grams of protein, so it helps controlling hunger. It has no GMOs, it’s gluten free & has no addd sugar! Love love love!
Strength, power, resistance, consistency
Aside from all of the above, I’ve also been trying to eat smaller portions and healthier foods (with the occasional bag of chips or cookies), and I’ve been working out 5 times a week for the past 3 months. It’s incredible how much stronger & powerful the body becomes when you consistently push it to its limits. The most important thing with food and exercise is to stay consistent. Even if you fall off the wagon and you go to town one night eating a combination of pizza, chips & cookies (true story), the important thing is to get back on that wagon the next day and forget the past! More on that on a full recap of my food/exercise journey in the coming months- stay tuned!
To finish off, ladies no matter how busy you get with work, kids, house chores, or chasing adventures, don’t forget that you are worth it and deserving of taking the time to practice self care. It’s not for nothing that they tell you to put your oxygen mask on 1st on the plane if the cabin pressure changes, before assisting anyone. When you take care of yourself, you’re better equipped to take care of others. Don’t fight it, it’s science! ;)
Kisses,
WCX