Hello, Friends! As we close out August we're smelling amazing and thinking all things empowerment (as always!). This month our theme has been Embracing Confidence and, as we close out the month (how is August over already?!), in our final post on this theme, we're focusing on empowering through self-care.
Now, this isn't just grab-some-alone-time-and-take-a-bath-self-care. This is whole body self-care focusing on your mental health, your physical health, and your emotional health. This holistic approach to a self-care routine plays a vital role in changing habits, allowing you to embrace your confidence and be empowered to believe in yourself and all you can do, which is our mission here at Ilsa Fragrances and why we are Perfume With A Purpose. Now, let's get started!
Empowering self-care step 1
Your mind is powerful. Think about the physical reactions you have to stress or anxiety like quickened heartrate or rapid breathing. And what about emotional responses to stress and anxiety? Anger, fear, frustration, unhappiness, depression. Because our minds can play with us physically and emotionally, to get an effective self-care routine going, we've got to first focus on mental well-being.
We are firm believers in the power of mantras and affirmations (we've experience their power in our own lives, but also #science), yet there is no need to be intimidated by this powerful tool if you've never used it before!
Our mantra for our empowering self-care routine is I Prioritize Self-Care and Flourish. Read the mantra, say the mantra, repeat the mantra, and then add it to your daily routine. When? Some great times to say your mantra on repeat are . . . any time! The power of mantra is in the repetition of the strong, purposeful statement, so the more you say it the more you believe it, the more intuitive it becomes and the easier it replaces negative self-talk and releases mental stress and anxiety. We like to say our mantra when we first wake up, driving in the car, at any given moment in the day when we're feeling stressed or overwhelmed, and especially when we look at ourselves in the mirror—saying and repeating it out loud so that we feel the vibration of the words on our throats, hear the rhythm of the words in our ears, see our body strengthen because of the power in the words, and know, understand and believe the words in our mind.
Empowering self-care step 2
After our mental health, creating an empowering self-care system for our emotional well-being comes next. The mantra I Prioritize Self-Care and Flourish is a powerful tool not just mentally, but emotionally as well. When we're faced with stress, anxiety, and being overwhelmed, we can fight these feelings and focus on building emotional resilience by taking a deep breath (or 4!) and repeating I Prioritize Self-Care and Flourish. This mantra says to us, I give myself grace. I set healthy boundaries. I prioritize me, and I prioritize my own health. When we do this it has an immediate and positive impact: it helps calm our rapid breathing and racing heart; it helps release any anger, frustration or unhappiness we have in that moment, which plays a huge role in recognizing and engaging our true self and believing whole-heartedly in her!
Empowering self-care step 3
Now that we've got a self-care plan for our mental health, it's time to look at our physical health. We've got to move.
Physical activity holds a central role in any empowered self-care routine because doing physical activities "can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities." (CDC) Regular exercise reduces stress, anxiety, helps us to feel good mentally, physically, and emotionally—all things that are super important on our self-care journey toward embracing confidence, being empowered, and believing in ourselves and all the fabulous things we are, and can do.
Want more? Add in your mantra practice while you're moving your body. When you're taking a walk or doing yoga or cycling or hiking or dancing or however and whichever way you are exercising, repeat the mantra in time with your movement and watch as your mental health and physical health blossom together.
Of course, we also have to mention the mental, physical, and emotional benefits of spritzing a fragrance on that brings you joy! Again, #science has shown that when you surround yourself with a fragrance you find pleasing, this boosts your mood. A scent you love will pull your inner-happiness and self-confidence out from within, so that you have a scent-filled aura of inner-confidence around you as you head out. It's one of the easiest self-care behaviors to add to your daily routine!
The 5-minute Empowering Self-Care Routine
Now, speaking of daily routines! We hope you aren't feeling these three steps are all a bit much to add into your busy day, and if so, not to worry! We've got a 5-minute practice that will take little time to incorporate into your daily routine, and maybe help improve your work-life balance because self-care will now be added to every day! Here it is:
When you wake up, take 1 minute to stretch, 1 minute for deep breathing and mantra repetition, and 3 minutes to think or write 3 things you're grateful for from yesterday, for that day, or just your life in general.
And that's it! We're all about doing what feels right for you, so you can chop and change this 5 minutes or combine it all! We love stretching, breathing, and mantra repetition combined with gratitude for the full 5 minutes. Whichever way you organize your five minutes it's a healthy habit that will tip the self-care scales in your favor!
Have the best day!
Much love from the Ilsa Fragrances Team