Practicing Self Care During Lockdown 2.0 | Ad Gifted

Happy Friday, friends. 

I hope you are looking after yourself this week.

Damn. 2020's been a rough year... and it's still going. Now, not only is it SAD season, but a second lockdown is just on the horizon where I live in Scotland. I know how tough it's been for a lot of people, so for today's post I've decided to partner with Femme Luxe Finery to bring you some amazing self-care tips for the Autumn & Winter months. 

I hope this helps.

"Breathe in, Breathe out"

Last week, my friend asked her Instagram audience for some tips on how to practice self-care during SAD season. Although she has made some major moves in changing her lifestyle and adopting some healthy coping mechanisms into her life, I know that she has struggled significantly with the prospect of going into lockdown in the Autumn/Winter months. 

And she's not the only one.

I too have battled with this. 

The difference is, I've dealt with seasonal affective disorder for over 5 years... and while I don't think it's going anywhere, I have learned how to minimise the effect it has on my life over the years. So while I still struggle, I know which warning signs to look out for... and I know how to deal with them. 

The thing about having a long term mental illness is that while you may never get rid of it, you can learn how to make your life slightly more livable.

But this isn't a post about Seasonal Affective Disorder.

This is meant to be a post about self-care.

(For those of you who don't know what SAD season is, click here to be taken to a post where I explain it in slightly more detail)

01. GET TO KNOW YOURSELF - if you haven't already

With all the time we've had to spend by ourselves in 2020, I'd be really surprised if someone told me that they haven't had the chance to get to know themselves. However, if you haven't- there's almost nothing I'd recommend more. Things like writing, bullet journaling, and talking to friends are all things that have really helped me get to know myself that little bit better this year, although earlier on in the year I did have the help of my therapist to give me some much-needed insights. 

If you can access therapy or counseling, I would highly recommend looking into it if you are someone who struggles with poor mental health.

02. KNOW WHEN TO TAKE A BREAK - and get away from the screen

This one follows right on from getting to know yourself. This year I learned that most of the time when I think people are annoyed at me (or seem to be acting as though they dislike me), it's just my tired brain tricking me. 

Sometimes, when you start to think that the whole world is going against you, it's really you who's going against yourself. And in these times it is more important than ever to just breathe deep, relax, and know that you are loved and valued.

03. COMFORT IS KEY

As I said at the start of this post, we are all spending a lot more time at home than we usually would- whether we are still working away from home or not (which I currently am, by the way). Now, bearing this in mind, it has become more important than ever to ensure that our homes are set up in a way that maximises comfort. I talked a little bit about how I did this when I wrote this post.

Now, comfort isn't just key when it comes to our homeware; it's important that we are dressing for comfort as well. Loungewear has become a must-have staple for all of us this year, but I have to say that Femme Luxe are absolutely killing it with their 2020 loungewear collection. 

The grey off-the-shoulder loungewear piece I'm wearing in today's photos came straight from the Femme Luxe website, but honestly they have so many beautiful items up for sale. There really is something for everyone there. 

SARA LOUISA'S TOP 10 SELF-CARE ACTIVITIES

1. Run a big, hot, bubble bath

2. Wear loungewear all-day

3. Keep a gratitude journal and reflect on it when you're feeling down

4. Pray, meditate, or read the bible
(Psalm 34 is one of my favourite bible verses to read when I'm feeling low)

5. Call a friend

6. Get a cuppa and read an inspiring book
(I've been reading 'It's not supposed to be this way' by Lysa Terkeurst)

7. Treat yourself to some new clothes

8. Go for a walk/run/cycle

9. Drink a sleep-enhancing herbal tea half an hour before bed

10. Make sure you have at least one day a week with zero work (and preferably zero plans)

I wore this grey ribbed off-the-shoulder loungewear jumpsuit in a size 10.

You can purchase it yourself by clicking this link here. 

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Until next time...

Adios,

Sara Louisa xo