So, I’ve been doing yoga. This is a massive first for me, made interesting by the fact that I’m not the most active of people.

I bought the yoga mat last year and signed up for a class with a friend, but then 2020 did its thing and we never made it to class. As my anxiety worsened, I became less and less active. Even my daily walks were a thing of the past and who even has energy for the treadmill?

Still, I needed to do something and I figured the breathing and calming part of yoga would be as beneficial to me as the workout part.

Which brings us to this post. Self-care is important. Unfortunately, self-care is one of the first things that goes when mental health declines, but it’s so important to keep looking after ourselves even when we don’t feel like it.

Yoga is me looking after myself. So far, I’ve learned to breathe deeper. Downward facing dog might be the end of me, but I can already stretch farther than I could last week. Making the exercise a part of my daily routine has been simpler than I thought it would, and I get double the wins by starting off my day with something I can cross off my planner as soon as I reach my desk.

I’m also trying to look after myself in other ways. I used to be a makeup artist and makeup has always been one of my favourite art media. It’s a way to express myself, a confidence booster, and something that I’ve always had loads of fun with. Only, I haven’t even applied makeup at all in the last while, or just threw on something in a hurry when I felt I had to. I want to change that, and find the joy again. So, I’ve been taking time to explore colours and lines, and be mindful in where and how I apply makeup. Not only do I feel good, but I’m forcing a break from the computer and just connecting with myself again.

It’s a work in progress, but I’m trying. For the moment, that’s all that counts.

Yolandie