Hello Homegrown Yogis!
I used to think that self-care meant going away on a vacation or booking a day at a spa. Although I still love a nice vacation and a 90 minute massage (I mean I really really love those things!), I’ve come to realize that self-care can occur anywhere and within any window of time. And thank goodness for that – while balancing families, careers, community commitments and tight budgets, who would be able to afford self-care if it required us to go away to a beautiful destination or spend a bundle of money?
I’ve come to define self-care now as doing anything that feeds my soul. Spending 10 minutes in the morning reading and drinking coffee before anyone else in the house wakes up. Putting my phone away for an hour while running errands – yes, disconnecting alone is amazing self-care. Blaring Justin Bieber in the car on my way home from teaching a class – no judgment on musical taste, please! Or simply ending the day with my legs up the wall before climbing into bed. In other words, I’m making self-care a part of my daily life – not a special treat for someday when I’m away somewhere.
This month, we are offering a number of opportunities for you to practice self-care. Beginning April 11th, check out our new class schedule with new teachers and new classes guaranteed to fuel your body and soul. On April 24th we are holding our first-ever joint event with Lush Art and Just Tap’d – Paint, Pints and Poses. This event is currently sold out but sign up on the waitlist at www.paintwithlushart.com and look for future events coming very soon. And join us for our next Feel Good Friday on May 13th for 90 minutes of blissful restorative yoga.
Although I sincerely hope that you choose to practice self-care with us at Homegrown Yoga, I also challenge you to see how self-care can be something that you incorporate into every single day of your life. While sitting in the carpool lane at school, think of something or someone you are grateful for – the simple act of being grateful has immense mental and physical benefits. Move! Even if it is dancing in the shower – simply move your body every day. Say something nice to yourself or let go of something you have been holding onto that causes you unhappiness – it takes a split second and can be done anywhere at any time.
In other words, make self-care a priority and make it happen every single day. Just as you brush your teeth and shower, take care of the parts of you that are not so visible. “Self-care is a divine responsibility,” so let’s start treating it as one.
With love,
Rachel