How are you doing?

When the world seems to be beset by a hurricane of anxiety, it’s time to bust out the emergency toolkit of self care ideas to manage our mental and physical well-being.

These self care ideas are my personal go-tos when I need to cope with a wave of anxiety or a sense of disease that I just can’t seem to shake.

The best part about these ideas is that they are all (mostly) free or lost-cost and can be done safely at home during this time of sheltering.

This is a two-part series, in which each post contains some self care tips. This will give you time to absorb the content, look into the resources and implement a practice that feels good to you. 

Self Care Ideas

1) Breathwork

Breathwork is a powerful tool that allows us to calm our mind through controlling the flow and direction of our breath.

David Elliot is a well-known breathwork instructor who I highly recommend  — he has a gentle approach that is easy to follow for beginners, as well as those who practice breathwork regularly.

You can find some of his content for free on Spotify by clicking here. This is a great starting point.

If you resonate with his style and would like something more in-depth, I recommend his CD where he offers sessions in 7 minute increments –  7, 14, 21, or 28 minute tracks.

The shorter tracks make it easy to practice breathwork when you do not have much time, or when you simply want to ease into your practice. 

I often think I can only handle 7 minutes, but once I get going I find myself wanting to do more. Sometimes, the hardest part is getting started. If you can push past the resistance, you may be pleasantly surprised by what your session has to offer you.

2) Epsom Salt Baths.

Epsom salt baths are known to ease muscle tension, but they are also a wonderful way to release anxiety and reconnect with yourself; oftentimes by doing so we are able to slow down, get some headspace, and access our inner guidance.

You can do this at home by purchasing an all-natural epsom salt to use in your bathtub. I recommend using 2-3 cups of salt at a time and staying in the tub for as long as what feels comfortable to you (I typically do 15-30 minutes). You can combine the epsom salt bath with the breathwork, meditation, podcasts, or soothing music for increased relaxation.

I enjoy using this San Francisco Salt Company epsom salt – it is a high-quality, GMO free salt that comes in a few different calming scents (or unscented if you have sensitive skin). The bulk size in particular lasts a long time and is available to order on Amazon here.

3) David Hawkins Surrender Practice

David Hawkins is an international spiritual teacher (among many other titles) and known for his research in the field of consciousness. 

In his book Letting Go: The Pathway To Surrender, David offers an in-depth look at our emotions – tackling one emotion in each chapter; ultimately providing a pathway to overcome negativity and experience enlightenment.

This book can be a great resource for learning how to release any heavy emotions that you may be experiencing right now. I like to pick out a chapter based on what I’m struggling with or am curious about in the moment and use that as my starting point.

David’s technique of “letting go” is incredibly powerful and each chapter is full of insight. This is a book I come back to time and time again, especially when hard emotions surface. Oftentimes I notice that I begin to feel better after reading just a few pages.

Alright, I hope you find some peace from one of the self care tips above! If you would like, we also have a free self-care checklist that you can download below and use to track your rituals:

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Keep it safe and healthy out there.

❤️????????❤️

Jon