florapothecarie is declaring February to be #SelfLoveMonth. To celebrate, we've asked a few of our natural beauty friends to share their self-care routines. We hope they will inspire you to take time to care for and love yourself this month and every month. See all self-care routines here.
Our eighth self-care routine comes from content coach Erica Midkiff:
Self-love has been on my mind recently in a big way, and for me it’s all coming down to one idea: paying attention.
More specifically, if I’m paying attention, I can give myself what I need in the moment.
If I notice that my body feels stiff, I can stretch for a few minutes…or take a bath (with florapothecarie's Calm Floral Bath Salt Soak)… or walk around the block.
If I notice that I’m feeling a little down, I can do some intentional writing and explore what’s going on…or take a break to do something that makes me happy, like read a book…or reach out to ask for help or support or just a moment of connection.
If I notice that I’m feeling a little sluggish, I can take a nap…or eat something that makes my body feel good, like an apple with almond butter…or do some jumping jacks (yes, I really do this!).
Whether I’m going through a tough time or things are humming along like usual, I know tough moments will come up. So I’ve cultivated the habit of paying attention as an act of self-love, and goes a long way toward not letting that stiffness turn into pain, that low moment escalate, or that sluggishness turn into exhaustion.
But of course, all of those items are reactive—things I turn to when I need to show myself some love because something is wrong. I also aim for proactive self-care, to help me stay happy and healthy and hopefully prevent some of those moments of struggle.
This kind of self-care is also about paying attention.
Part of this is about being prepared for my reactive needs. I always have a few fiction books by my bed. I keep my favorite bath salts on hand, ordering before I run out. I always have a notebook and pen nearby for writing down what’s on my mind (or use my phone in a pinch). I pay attention to make sure these things are in place, so I can turn to them when needed.
But paying attention to my patterns is just as important. I know, for example, that if I eat certain things, I’ll feel sluggish and tired. If I work more than a certain amount, I’ll feel burned out. If I go too long without stretching and moving my body, my back will hurt. If I go too long without doing some intentional writing, my mind will feel way too full. If I use products that aren’t natural, I’ll be frustrated and feel like I’m not doing the right thing for my body. If I don’t sleep well, I’ll have a hard time being present the next day.
So I take steps to eat things that make me feel good, keep my work hours under control, stretch and move my body, turn often to intentional writing, keep my bathroom stocked with the natural products that make me feel good (florapothecarie's Deodorant Cream is the best I've ever used), and keep oils and a diffuser in the bedroom to help me relax and sleep well.
Self-love is really a daily practice. It’s not just about the big moments—the massages and the vacations and the breakthroughs that help you make a positive change in your life. It’s also about doing what you can to move through everyday life in a way that makes you feel good. And I’m all about feeling good as often as possible!
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Erica Midkiff believes we have the most to give when we’re happy and healthy. So she helps conscious creatives use tools like intentional writing and accountability to bring positive change into their ordinary lives...which creates space for bringing positive change into the world!
When she’s not working (and sometimes when she is!), Erica wrangles three unruly kitties and an almost-two-year-old. She loves learning new things, and is currently exploring yoga and the philosophies behind it, along with Brené Brown’s work on wholehearted living.
To join her ongoing #strongermonthbymonth experiment and get free accountability and support around making positive change happen in your life, head to ericamidkiff.com. She’d love to cheer you on! You can also follow her on Instagram @ericatmidkiff
