Ten days shy of a year from when the bottom fell out, I'm sitting here reflecting, and I am still in shock. I'm sure many of you are as well. While I am still deeply uncertain about the future, near and distant, some things have become very clear.
that we are vulnerable and need certain conditions to be met for well being to be maintained
that identity and well-being are a fine balance and are tied up in many little pieces
that we need other people and only thrive when connected
that physical touch keeps us healthier and happier
that no matter what walk of life, there is no escaping the consequences of loneliness, fear, anxiety, depression, addiction, abuse, no material objects can resolve this
that we all fall apart without certain basic requirements
that we too easily take things for granted and this is a major contributor to life dissatisfaction
the things that really matter are the things that money, influence, power can never provide
Having lived in a world that has not fostered happiness and well being for the last year, it is more important than ever to set an intention to bring some of this stuff back into our lives. Our health, happiness and well-being are dependent on it. we are not meant to stay in states of stress for long periods of time and actions need to be taken to preserve our physical and mental health from long term stress. When stress becomes chronic, it becomes a disease. Our bodies reaction to stress is amazing and necessary, but it is meant to be temporary and life saving. when we get stuck in fight/flight/freeze, our body believes that we are in danger and fires up systems that are meant to get you out of the situation, this is destructive chemically to our bodies, not least of which to our hearts and brains. in fact this contributes to almost all ailments.
Coming in to the salon or spa for a service is a sure fire way of boosting your mood and making you feel good. That being said, I know that the current situation is scary and many people don't feel comfortable going out and about right now. At Kurly's Studio, we are open for business and doing the utmost to keep our community safe and healthy and are following all of the recommendtions for good practice set forth from the Renfrew County District Health Unit, so please rest assured that we take public safety extremely seriously.
Touch actually activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is involved in digestion, metabolism, relaxation to name a few (tip, gently touching your lips is a very effective way to activate, as there are many parasympathetic nerve fibers in the area). Touch also boosts your immune system and lowers blood pressure. In studies, massage has been proven to help your body produce more "killer" cells( ones which attack disease). The exciting thing is that your body doesn't know what or why or how it is being delivered, it just responds to touch. You can count on your body to respond to warm and loving touch by default. Touch gets your body to release oxytocin, which is a hormone that controls some human behaviors and social interaction, sense of well being and a host of other positive effects. When you feel stressed or overwhelmed, self-touch should be seen as part of your remedy.
So, if you aren't comfortable going in to local establishments right now, there are other things that you can do to implement touch, self-care and ways to calm our overwhelmed nervous systems.
get outside into nature, walk breath, sit, just take it in.
bath
facial massage with hands, jade roller, gua sha stone
finding a simple skincare routine and taking time to apply it lovingly and with the intention to love yourself
meditation
sitting quietly with a notebook to jot down ideas and solutions as they come
yoga, tai chi, stretching, pilates and exercise, keeping in mind that you are loving yourself and taking good care of yourself
find an online therapist to talk to, even just a few sessions
write in a journal
practice gratitude daily
call a friend or family member that you haven't spoke to in a long time
bake or cook something and make a double batch (one for you one to give away) and drop it off to someone you know who isn't sick or desperate(can be those as well, just don't require it to extend this loving act)
make a simple body scrub with oil, sugar, salt and rub down your entire body, rinse off in shower and then apply a rich moisturizer to your entire body afterwards.
take time to visualize what you want in your life, who you want to be, what does it look like, maybe create a vision board
put on music and dance your heart out
light a special candle
make a perfect cup of tea
be nice to yourself and others, be mindful to be nice in thoughts as well
take one step at a time
be quick to forgive yourself and others
-Tricia❤️
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