The One Where I Share My Self-Care Must Haves

So, like almost everyone else on planet earth, I've only gone and joined the Hygge movement. Hygge is, of course, the Danish concept of "comfort" (a very loose translation) that has lots of people rethinking their stressful lives and how they can destress and "live well".

Of course, Hygge has got me thinking about my own self-care routine and the things I do at home to destress and unwind. I thought I would give a little shout to self-care and share the things that I do to minimize stress.

Organizing 

I'm a compulsive organizer and, instead of stressing me out, organizing and tidying up actually help me relax. My label-maker is my best friend and making lists is one very practical way I put together my thoughts and prioritize stuff in my life. I work long hours most days so making my lists, scheduling, and planning are super relaxing ways of recalibrating after a day at work.

Candles 

I think humans are weirdly obsessed with fire. Why else would we find the concept of an open flame indoors so inviting? If you open up my bedside table you will find a lifetime supply of candles of every side, shape, and burning time. I have some candles that are just to look at, some to burn on a whim, some I'm saving for when I really need to be relaxed. I take candles very seriously. I find them most relaxing when my room is tidy, I've just had a shower, and I'm getting ready to wind down for the night. 

Trash television

I love trash TV. Teen dramas, reality television, bad movies. You name it, I'm there. Someone once asked me why "such a smart person" would waste their time watching The Only Way Is Essex and I just had to be real. We spend so much of our day trying to be serious and thoughtful and adult. I love knowing that I'm done with work for the day, have no chores to do, and can sit down and binge watch The Real Housewives of Atlanta. 

Podcasts

Podcast are SUCH a huge part of my day. I have a pretty set routine of waking up, listening to my news podcasts and then diving into my culture podcasts as I go about my day. These days, If I've got headphones in, it's 100% certain that I'm listening to a podcast. I feel weirdly grounded when I stick to my scheduled rotation of podcasts. This makes my self-care list because it's a super simple daily thing I do that allows me to access news/culture in a non-taxing, relaxing way.

Fresh flowers and plants 

I have a lot of fresh flowers and plants in my home. Getting fresh flowers is a reflexive thing I do once a week (I prefer tulips) and then I have succulents and peppers that I'm growing (it's winter so this is a very tricky endeavor. It's another thing I can't explain but life seems so much better when I'm surrounded by green things.

Coffee 

Coffee is a big part of my life. I've been drinking coffee since I was 4 years old and I can vividly remember the first time my dad let me finish off his afternoon espresso on the way home from pre-school. I like my coffee strong, no sugar, no milk and, as you can tell, I'm pretty emotional about coffee. I've been drinking so much for so many years that it no longer keeps me up at night. SO, my idea of unwinding and relaxing at home is firing up the coffee machine (usually at 9 pm or some ridiculous hour), brewing a massive pot, and getting up close and personal with some 5 strength coffee.