50+ ways to nourish your mind, body, and spirit while social distancing
written by Jasmine Irven
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to cause changes and uncertainty in our daily lives, I thought I’d share some of the practises I’m continuing to focus on to nourish my mind, body, and spirit amidst the chaos.
I hope these are helpful for navigating any changes in your life while staying grounded, connected to yourself and the world around you (despite social distancing!!).
clear and expand your mind
When I say clear your mind, I’m not talking about thinking about absolutely nothing. What I’m referring to here is the importance of removing the clutter, determining what’s important to you, and giving your mind a break from constant worry and anxiety.
Disconnect. Stay informed with what’s going on, but set limits on the amount of time you spend sourcing out news updates. Set boundaries so you can give your head & your heart a break.
Journal. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, try implementing a journal practise where you allow yourself to free-write whatever comes to the surface.
Review your worries. Make a list of everything that’s on your mind. Then ask yourself: “is it likely I can do something about this?” If the answer is yes, make an action plan! Ask yourself what you can do today to focus in on the issue and make some progress on relieving it. If the answer is no, you can’t change it, use intention and visualization to think of a more positive outcome. Put your energy into the positive intention. Whether it changes the outcome (depending on the level of which you believe in the power of manifestation), or not, you instantly will become less stressed. If you’re looking for more info on this, check out this YouTube video on how your brain can turn anxiety into calmness.
Listen to a podcast. I love the Lavendaire Lifestyle and Almost 30!
Read a new book. View our 2020 reading list here for some inspiration.
Make a playlist of all the songs that bring you joy. Dance and sing along to it!
Download an audiobook. Not a fan of reading? Allow yourself to explore new concepts via a platform like Audible or Libby.
Explore some TED Talks. I love this one on self-image and goal setting.
Watch a documentary. I’d suggest Heal or Minimalism!
Find a focus. Ask yourself: what’s important today? Give yourself tasks to focus on, whether they’re rituals and routines to keep you grounded, or they’re bigger projects related to your life’s goals.
Review your goals. Right now is a great time to find more clarity on what’s important to you moving forward: both big picture and day-to-day. Reflect, redefine, and move forward with greater intention. Unsure where to start? Check out this blog post for the ultimate goal-setting guide.
Try a visualization practise. Make a vision board (either on Pinterest or a physical one) that addresses all areas of life that are important to you: finances, relationships, physical and mental health, education, etc. Intentionally place photos or quotes on the vision board that are in alignment with your bigger goals and dreams for your life and spend some time looking at this every day if you can, meditating or journaling on these things, allowing yourself to truly connect to them. be open to what the universe has to offer.
Change up your space. Consider rearranging a room, implementing some of the tools & suggestions of feng shui to shift the energy of the space.
Clean your space. Set a timer for 20 minutes and tidy your space! Make your bed, throw in a load of laundry, wipe the counters, sweep or vacuum - do whatever you can in the set time to bring some order to your space.
Go through your belongings. Sort your clothes, books, and other belongings and determine which you no longer need. Ask yourself if you truly enjoy/need the product. When was the last time you used it? Would you repurchase it? Create a donation bin.
Organize. Go through your paperwork, photos, desktop, phone, and clear out any old files/photos/apps.
Social media detox. Unfollow accounts that don’t bring you joy.
Unsubscribe from emails. Use a tool like Unroll Me to unsubscribe from any junk emails, and clean up the remainder of your inbox.
Complete a financial audit. Gain a clearer picture of money in vs. money out. File your taxes. Create a budget. Set savings goals and create automatic transfers to help reach those goals. Go over your investments. Adjust where necessary.
Learn something new. Consider learning a new language or another new skill via an online course! I’d definitely suggest checking out the Herbal Self-Care for Stress Management Course by Herbal Academy!
Take up a new hobby. Learn more about something you’ve always wanted to do.
Start a side hustle. Always dreamed of starting a blog? A YouTube channel or Podcast? Launching a physical product? Use this time to actually start!
take care of your body
Being inside doesn’t mean your physical body needs to suffer! The beauty of our digitally connected world means we have access to an incredible number of online resources for health. Whether that’s recipes, workout videos, or online yoga classes. 💫
Go on a walk in nature. Walk outside. Breathe fresh air. Feel the sunshine on your skin and the ground beneath your feet (which can also help you embrace a grounding energy). Let your mind wander.
Open the windows. This is a great way to bring nature inside and cleanse the air in your space. Try to have them open for at least 10 minutes to allow air to circulate!
Exercise. Try an at-home workout video like this one which doesn’t require any equipment!
Yoga. Begin and end your day with some yoga to bring you into your body. Check out Yoga with Adriene for some amazing free yoga videos.
Stretch. Connect with your body and relieve tension with a guided online stretch like this.
Breathwork. Breathwork is a powerful exercise for getting the energy in your body flowing. Try following along with an online video like this one. Warning you now - emotions are likely to come to the surface!! If it’s too much, don’t push yourself.
Reprogram your sleep patterns. Try waking up with the sunrise and going to bed when you’re tired to adjust your circadian rhythm with the rhythms of nature. Getting enough good quality sleep is so important for your immune system and overall health!! If you’re struggling to sleep check out this blog post on our ideal night routine, or this one on 10 things to consider buying if you want great sleep.
Reinvigorate your routines. Work on finding a balance between allowing for flow + flexibility in your daily life while still having some key rituals and routines you can rely on to bring you structure, bring you back into the moment, or bring you back into yourself. If you’re looking to upgrade your morning routine, check out this post on 6 simple rituals to add to your morning routine. Or, If you’re struggling to sleep check out this blog post on our ideal night routine.
Cook a nourishing meal. Remember that cookbook you bought that you swore you’d use? Pull it out and try a recipe or two from it. (p.s. i know grocery stores are running out of a lot of foods. just because you don’t have everything in the recipe doesn’t mean you can’t make it! get creative and search substitutions)!
Bake. Try searching recipes that are vegan and free from refined sugar.
Focus on whole foods. Whole foods are those that are as close to their natural form as possible - foods that come from the earth rather than factories. Foods that have one ingredient - not 15+. fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
Avoid inflammatory foods. Replace animal products with plant foods as much as possible (studies continue to show the benefits of a plant-based diet when it comes to our health), and cut down on refined grains and sugars, caffeine, and alcohol.
Drink water!! Cut down on sugary drinks, sodas, and alcohol, and focus on consuming more water and herbal teas.
Supplements. Talk with a healthcare professional about if you should be taking any additional supplements, which may be especially important if you’re unable to get as many fresh fruits & veggies as you’d like! vitamin C, vitamin D (especially if you’re living in a colder climate), vitamin A, zinc, deep immune, and/or green tea extract may be beneficial (after, of course, trying to get as many nutrients as possible from whole foods).
Focus on your skincare. Try a few days without makeup, try washing your face for a full minute, do a face mask, etc.
Take a bath. Light a candle to set the mood, consider putting essential oils and/or epsom salts in for a more luxurious experience, grab a book & a cold glass of water and enjoy a warm bath.
connect with your soul
I want to clarify for this section, that the concept of spirituality is not synonymous with religion. It does not have to be defined by any single belief, practice, deity, or worship. It is simply about giving one’s life meaning and perspective, to help with stress relief, understanding one’s purpose, and creating better health.
Set an intention. A great intention for the morning is simply, “I am open.” Rather than setting unrealistic expectations this intention is simply open awareness to whatever comes your way.
Try a guided meditation. Use a guided meditation focused on letting go, releasing tension and stress, or sending love.
Be of service. Check on family, friends, or neighbours who may need help during these uncertain times. Is there anything you can do to (safely) help them out?
Call a friend. Or, arrange a group video chat to connect with your friends and family.
Send love. Text 3 people telling them you love them and are thinking of them.
Light a (non-toxic) candle or some incense.
Write a gratitude list. Don’t just write what you’re grateful for but why you’re grateful!
Sip coffee or tea slowly.
Have some alone time. Whether that’s disconnecting an hour before bed so you can read, or getting up early to journal and set an intention, finding alone time can be super powerful.
Pull a tarot card. Tarot cards can help you tap into your higher self and connect with your deepest longings and greatest potential. Try starting with a beginner deck like this one.
Write a letter to your future self. Include your current struggles, what you’re proud of yourself for, what you’re grateful for, and what your goals for the future are. Then seal it with a date you can open it on!
Plant a garden. If you’re in warm weather and able to start a garden, now is the perfect time! If not, consider giving your indoor plants some love.
Connect with nature. Sit outside and just listen to the sounds of nature. If you can, physically walk on the earth in bare feet to further ground yourself.
Get creative. Paint. Colour. Scrapbook. Knit. Write. Allow yourself to explore multiple creative outlets and get lost in the flow of it all.
Complete a puzzle. Start with a small number of pieces and work your way up.
Play cards or have a board game night. You can do this virtually too if you’re home alone!
I think it’s important to clarify, that I by no means am doing all of these, and I don’t want you to become stressed feeling like you need to either!
What I have done, however, is gotten clear on what my goals are for the next few weeks, What projects are a priority for me, and what rituals and routines I want to cultivate more of in my time at home.
Take what resonates and leave the rest. Maybe try picking one item from each category a week to try. Or, consider picking one thing a day to work on. Alternatively, if none of these resonate with you, that’s also totally okay! In that case I’d suggest making your own list of rituals and practises, you can lean on for support and tasks you want to complete during this time.
Reflect on what’s worked in the past, focus in on what’s important, and then move forward with intention.
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about the author
Hey there! I’m Jasmine, founder of the Sustainable Bliss Collective, a Certified Meditation Teacher, and lover of all things self-care, slow-living, and personal development.
I believe that ambition and self-care can coexist, and as such I hope to encourage and inspire you to take care of yourself, breathe deeply, connect with who you are, manifest your dreams, enjoy the blissful moments of each day, and make an impact in this beautiful world we call home.
Connect with me on Instagram here!
