Twenty Six Ways Practice Restfulness
Each year, the Winter Solstice shows us how the earth uses shorter days and lower temperatures to store new growth energy for spring. Downtime is essential in life cycles and we, too, need periods of rest in order to allow our bodies, minds, and spirits to renew, recharge, and evolve.
But in our busy modernity, the concept of rest can at times feel far-fetched. The lines between work and downtime can get so blurry they’re near impossible to discern and we wind up crashing exhausted into bed each night. Resting is so essential and theoretically easy to do, but it’s perhaps even easier to neglect. How do we avoid this?
Slowing down doesn’t need to be complicated. It is a practice, and in many ways, a mindset. Lingering during a stretch, meditating with music, enjoying a meal, and working through the steps of a skincare routine are examples of small things that make a restful impact simply with their sensorial and self-caring qualities.
The key is noticing how little acts make you feel, and how restful they can be. Tap the below list of ideas to help tease out these kinds of touchable, meditative, delicious, and self-nurturing moments of rest this solstice and during months to come.
- Start your day with something warm, like a hot cup of cocoa or water with lemon, and look out the window or sit outside while sipping.
- Make a long list of small accomplishments (I ate breakfast today, I took my dog out, I called my mom last week, etc.) to stimulate positive energy.
- Take ten slow, deep breaths, mentally noticing the small shifts in your mood before and after.
- Make moon and sun water for your skincare rituals.
- Play an instrument, focusing on soothing tunes.
- Go for a slow walk somewhere quiet.
- Rub your own feet, or get a foot rub. Notice the tender spots and give them extra love.
- Read a physical book, or, if using a device, turn off your notifications so you can read in peace.
- Go outside and breathe fresh air, just for the heck of it.
- Doodle or paint something casually creative.
- Knit or crochet.
- Journal by hand.
- Luxuriate in the sensorial magic that is your skincare routine. Cleanse your face with something that honors the earth as well as your skin, such as our Pink Cloud Creamy Jelly Cleanser, formulated with nature-derived ingredients and minimal foam.
- Watch your binge queue on TV with your phone in the other room so that you can enjoy the show without the urge to multitask.
- Spend dedicated time away from screens. For example, plug your phone in to charge at 7 PM each night. Wait to use it again until the next morning.
- Bathe with Detox Bath Salts, formulated with eucalyptus to clear your sinuses.
- Apply an at-home facial, a practice that teaches us the power of patience—even if just for fifteen minutes.
- Do some deep muscle-releasing yin yoga as you allow the mask time to work its magic.
- Chill with our Calm Bath Salts and juicy reading material before bed.
- Listen to a meditation while using a facial roller. Try our soothing Amethyst version.
- Apply a few drops of our Emerald CBD Glow Oil to your face, a nourishing and grounding choice for nights when the earth is making powerful shifts.
- Eat something rich in fungi and root veggies, pausing to enjoy and notice the nourishment in each bite. Allow these earthy foods to soothe your soul.
- Indulge in a quick spritz of Rose Hibiscus Facial Spray to rehydrate your skin and bring a sense of calm.
- Make a list of the good moments in 2020 to remind you that the year was not a monolith.
- Light a candle or build a fire. Gaze at the flame and notice how your ideas for the coming months appear much more easily when you give yourself time to think.
- Put up the blackout curtains and sleep in.
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