Jodie Bissett on Self Care

Written by Jodie Bissett

It’s February, and love is in the air, my friends. Prepare to be inundated by heart-shaped everything this month as Valentine’s Day approaches, and people declare their love and appreciation for those they care about the most.  We will openly be declaring our love for food, people, pets, places, and things without hesitation.

With all this love being so candidly and generously dished out, the love that is most often forgotten is self-love. And sadly, most of us don’t even fully appreciate the concept. Self-love and self-care do not necessarily mean a trip to the spa or a new pair of shoes, nor does it equate to vanity and conceitedness. Self-love falls into the same basket as self-awareness, self-appreciation, and positive affirmation.

We can hear it every time we get on an airplane. “In case of a cabin pressure emergency, put on your own mask first before assisting others.” A simple concept, yet often we metaphorically go on assisting others with their oxygen supply, giving little thought to our own risk or preservation. It can seem counterintuitive, but taking care of yourself first has the knock-on benefit of leaving you with more energy, a more positive outlook, and, ultimately, allowing you to be more present with others.

This February, take some time to think about how you can nurture yourself for a change. Consider adopting some self-nourishing practices that will allow you to shift your habits and mindset, fostering spiritual, emotional, and psychological growth.

Reflecting on what you need for yourself, you should consider both physical and mental practices that you can incorporate into your self-care routine. Your internal dialogue and attitude toward yourself matter and can affect every facet of your life. Thoughts and emotions are mercurial in nature, so make the choice to embrace the ones that make you feel happy, healthy, and proud, and dismiss the ones that don’t. Similarly, you should set aside the time for activities that bring you joy and add value to your life.

You do not have to reinvent the wheel. 

Here are a few proven  products and practices I’ve started incorporating into my self-care routine:

CLEANSE + RESET.

Replacing bad habits with good: I’ve been replacing my morning coffee and nightly glass of wine with Organifi superfood juices and  Equitea tea blends, and I feel incredible. No more sluggish mornings!

I also invested in a portable sauna, and it’s a game-changer. It forces me to slow down and feels incredibly healing and nurturing.

GET INTO NATURE.

Exercising in nature as much as possible. Being outdoors and breathing in fresh air shifts my entire mindset. I absolutely love hiking! Nature calms my spirit and allows me to relax into the present moment, which is usually when I am at my most creative.

CALGON, TAKE ME AWAY

A warm candle-lit bath with added Lavender oil + Epson salts is my number one go-to when I need to decompress or relieve stress and anxiety; I love Dr.Teal’s bath products. This is also my favorite time to listen to an inspirational podcast, meditation, or audiobook. I highly recommend Kris Carr’s  Self-Care for Busy People meditation album and all of the books offered at The School of Life.

ROUTINE FOR OPTIMAL RELAXATION AND SLEEP

One of my goals this year is to optimize my sleep routine. Getting 8 (or at the very least 6) hours of solid sleep each night makes a world of difference to both your physical and mental energy levels. I am a night owl by nature, and that doesn’t work in normal society. I recently came across a podcast about optimizing sleep  with Author Tim Farris and  Dr. Andrew Huberman, who outline some great sleep routine tips. Dr Andrew Huberman, a tenured professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford, has also released a tool kit for sleep which I have been implementing to help me relax and unwind.

And if you’re as committed to getting a good night’s sleep as I am, another great resource is this podcast by Dr. Matt Walker, Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology; who is also the Founder & Director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California, Berkeley.

Self-love is the nourishment that allows you to grow and pay it forward in the love and care you give to others. So hopefully this February you will be inspired to love yourself a little more.