Second Morning

Selfcare Emergency Meter: Overhaul
Time Commitment: 1 hour

Do you ever have particularly stressful mornings that set your entire day up for disaster?  I do!  It's super distressing because morning is my favorite part of the day!  By no means is this selfcare tool only for morning people though--just ask my roomie!  "Second Morning" is about giving yourself a second chance to have a good day.

Procedure:  When work, a relationship, or life in general is stressing you out or taking every ounce of your energy all before noon, the rest of your day could look rather bleak.  When you notice this negative inner prediction arise--hold it!!  Recognize and acknowledge that this is a moment of choice!  Choose to have a Second Morning; a re-do, if I may.  Notice the stressors from your conventional first morning and let them go.  They already happened, so they don't need to affect your current mood in this new moment in time.  The stressors may take further deliberation, yes, but do not hold on to those spinning negative thoughts and feelings. You have a choice!  Restart the coffee pot (I usually switch to decaf at this point...).  Inhale that comforting aroma.  Take a little walk with your coffee: around the office, down the street, around your house.  Feel your footsteps on the ground.  Reconnect with your body.  Continue your day.

Believe in your Second Morning.  Have faith in this fresh start and it may surprise you with how well it works!

Why this is wonderful:  First, it uses multiple senses.  Engaging these senses allows you to reconnect with your body and bring your energy back inside, instead of spilling it all around you.  Second, this highlights an element of choice that we have in our lives.  You are not doomed to have a "bad day."  Rejoice! :)

**Thanks Twinkle Lights facebook page for the pictures I used in this post.  Good stuff! <3

Organize- in small doses

Selfcare Emergency Meter: Overhaul
Time Commitment: 30 min to 1 hr


Organizing in small doses.  Notice I did not say "clean."  Sometimes I have an aversion to the action of "cleaning," but calling it "organizing" turns it into a likable, rejuvenating experience.  In the end, my mind actually feels more organized and ready to take on the world! (or another pile of homework...)  Check out this interesting little article to understand what I mean: Home Relaxation: Why it Pays to Organize Your Home


Procedure: Turn on a chill, but invigorating album to listen to (optional, but I maintain that music makes almost all experience better!).  I was listening to Blonde Redhead's album "23."  Always good stuff.  Then, light a scented candle.  The candle seems to make the organizing experience more intimate and nourishing.  My current candle of choice is Pumpkin Spice scented, because I am a fanatic for fall!  After the music and candle are in place, now you can begin the organization!  I specified "small doses" because my house can get pretty messy during the semester and I will get overwhelmed and discouraged if I focus on the whole thing at once.  My focus generally revolves around laundry or dishes, although sometimes it might be about de-cluttering certain areas.  Today, I tackled the laundry.  I separated the clean from the dirty, and threw the dirty into the wash.  I put away the random shoes and art supplies that were originally hiding under the clothing on my floor.  I made my bed.  Then, I folded the 2 loads of clean laundry from last week, placing them in little piles on my bed, and put them away.  It's so nice to see large portions of floor in my bedroom!  Rejuvenation achieved!


Why this is wonderful:  It attends to 4 senses: sight, sound, smell, and movement.  The sound and smell aspects make the experience seem more like fun instead of work.   The sight element is really helpful reinforcement when you finish your small dose of organization; you can see your productivity, which is always helpful for me.  The movement part is the most important, and you may not have even realized it!  Being on your feet and walking from room to room or even closet to dresser gets your blood flowing.  It wakes you up and makes you more alert.  So, as your space becomes conducive to work, your mind does, too!

Cookies- selfcare to share

Selfcare Emergency Meter: Pick Me Up
Time Commitment: 1 hour (preparation and cook time)


I was thinking the other day, I have been living in my current apartment since February, and I hadn't baked anything from scratch the entire time.  Why not?  I like baking, actually I really like baking (every once in awhile).  But, I guess "I didn't have the time."  Well, yesterday morning, between onslaughts of homework, I made time!  I had grocery shopped the day before according to the perfect recipe I found online.  I was going to experiment with vegan baking by making Vegan Lemon Sugar Cookies. (click link for recipe!).


**If you want to experiment with vegan cooking yourself, check out this link: Vegan Substitutions and Converting Any Recipe to Vegan  I found it really helpful because not all people may have access to things like "vegan margarine" that was required for my recipe.  Luckily there are a million Whole Foods stores in Boulder, so I was able to find the darn vegan margarine.  :)


Procedure: Turn on your favorite album of the moment (optional, but fun); I had Foster The People's album "Torches" playing.  Gather your ingredients, measuring cups and spoons, and mixing bowls.  Start preparing according to your recipe of choice, but use awareness.  Note the colors, textures, and scents of the ingredients.  How do they change as you add something else?  What happens to the texture when you mix it with the mixer?  Use curiosity.  When rolling the dough into balls in preparation for the cookie sheet, notice the stickiness of the dough.  Sample a bit of the dough (remember, there are no eggs, so this is OK!), what does it taste like?  Do you like it?  Does it remind you of anything?  Anyone?  Bake the cookies according to the recipe.  Be careful not to burn them!  When all the cookies are done, share them with your friends, family, and/or co-workers.  This is an opportunity for you to be the Selfcare Fairy for the day, sharing little bits of hope and happiness with the world!


Why this is wonderful: It attends to 4 main senses: sight, smell, touch, taste.  Paying attention to the little things and the details as you move through the recipe helps you to enjoy the process more and brings you into the current moment.  The stress in your life seems smaller and more manageable.  Also, I like taking breaks from homework to cook because I still feel productive- You gotta eat, right? :)

Coffee- a snuggly blanket for your insides

Selfcare Emergency Meter: Get Me Through the Day
Time Commitment: ~5 min. for preparation (varies depending on how you like to brew yours)


This is definitely an old favorite, but it deserves a post because it makes me so happy (and keeps me sane) everyday.  I enjoy my ritual of coffee, especially on Sundays when it holds my hand through an overwhelming pile of school work. I have such an appreciation for my ritual that I will spend a little extra money at the store to get the good stuff.  Yes, the situation is exactly as described in the "Jimmy" scene in Pulp Fiction:

My favorite is Peet's Coffee brand in the House Blend. I also like to pick a flavored creamer that sounds comforting.  Currently, I have liquid Coffee-Mate creamer in Coconut Creme flavor, yessss.
I drink coffee everyday, but in this post I will only describe the Sunday experience because it is the most nurturing and most helpful to this blog.


Procedure: Brew coffee in whatever way you enjoy.  I use an instant coffee maker because I can set it up super quick, then do other things while it brews.  When the coffee is ready, pour it into your favorite mug.  This step is super important.  To me, the mug makes all the difference.  All the mugs I use are large, fit in my hand(s) nicely, and have nostalgic value.  I usually use a mug that I made in a pottery class in undergrad, but I have others that friends have given me, so those are nice too!  After poured, add creamer, mix, sniff, and gulp at your leisure while doing whatever you need to do that day!


Why this is wonderful: It attends to 3 senses: touch, smell, and taste.  You feel the warmth and weight of the mug.  You smell the enveloping aroma of the coffee.  You taste its full bodied flavor and hints of sweetness.  The procedure may also appeal to your sense of sight if you find your coffee mug visually pleasing. Each sip snuggles you into the moment, whether you are at work, cleaning your house, or writing papers. It is a gentle way of helping you through potentially stressful events.


**Note: If you are not fond of coffee, hot tea or other favorite drinks of yours may work as well!

LUSH- topical selfcare

Selfcare Emergency Meter:  Preparatory Measures
Time Commitment: 2 min (after shower is best)


My favorite selfcare treat at this moment is a combination of LUSH products:  Each Peach scented lotion/massage bar with Coconut scented deodorant powder on top.


Procedure: After you get out of the shower and have toweled off, take out the massage bar and rub it all over your body.  Put the bar down and rub the lotion into your skin.  Then, shake some deodorant powder onto your hand and rub it everywhere the lotion is.  The result leaves a clean, matte finish, and YOU smelling (and feeling) great!


Why this is wonderful:  It attends to two senses: touch and smell.  The action of rubbing all of this onto your skin really helps to reconnect your mind with your body.  I don't know about you, but I get lost in my mind and thoughts while I am in the shower.  I organize my day, plan my meals, make mental notes of things to remember...  This ritual pulls my awareness back into my body so I can start my day in a more connected state.  When one is more connected, they are less vulnerable to stress :) Yay!