We recently spent a morning with Christine Russell, the Zen master and owner of 889 Yoga in Toronto. Love, Mom invited a small group of mamas and enjoyed a morning together discovering how to take care of ourselves with the powered up scents of essential oils. As the summer kicks into full gear, we’re already forgetting to take care of ourselves the way that we did during those 2-hours in May (which seems so long ago already). So before we get too wrapped up in packing, unpacking, driving, parking, cleaning, entertaining, cooking and of course, parenting, let’s remember to hug it out with ourselves. Here are 5 easy ways to do it…
Power-up With Essential Oils Like Christine
This working yoga mama is also ambassador for doTerra essential oils and she’s got the know-how on how a drop of a little something will do you good. Need a mid-day pick-me up? Place a drop of peppermint oil on the palm of your hand, dip in your finger and rub the oil onto the roof of your mouth. You’ll freshen your breath while energizing your groove. Massage what’s left in the palm of your hand on the back of your neck for a feel-good tingle. Looking for a personalized selection of oils to help you sleep, chill out your PMS or help your little breathe easier during allergy season? Contact Christine for a one-on-one session that will wake up your soul.
Our personal doTerra essential oil picks: ClaryCalm with clary sage, lavender and more to iron out hormonal highs and lows; Console to help our littles (and ourselves) when we need a hand with turning our frowns upside down and we doubled up on peppermint so we have one for our purse and one for our office when we need a kick without caffeine.
Take Mini-Breaks Like Nova
“I need a work-life mentality. So in between changing diapers or being the person in the laundry room, I find the space to be the person I was before I had kids. I create small self-care buffers when I wake, eat, work and before I sleep, which is often meditation or simply taking a few breathes,” says the life coach and self-care pro who brings the skills she teaches into her own life with twin girls. “Sure I could try to do everything, but not well. Instead, I aim to be present 100%. This way when I’m in work mode, I don’t feel guilty about being away from the girls and vice versa. Do the world’s bleed together at times? Of course. When they do, I pause, take a moment to check myself and figure out what’s most important to deal with first—and it’s usually the girls.”
Nova teaches her clients the art of self-love. “The Courage to be Yourself is a fantastic book. I advise all the women in my life to read this. It explores self-acceptance and a big part of that is knowing what you’re not and the author helps you do that with grace.”
Pick A Card Like Pamela
This PR Boss starts her day picking an angel card (each has a word on it that conveys a spiritual message). “It’s a way to tune into that message I’ve drawn; I believe meaningful words provoke mindful thoughts.” Whether it’s courage, synthesis or trust (the cards we collectively chose during our visit with Pamela), you’ll rediscover a virtue that will help you make better decisions with purpose—instead of panic—as your day unfolds. So if the babe won’t stop crying or your road rage is in overdrive or you received disappointing news you really didn’t want to hear, find the courage to trust the process and synthesize your superpowers to overcome whatever is in your way.
Feed Your Soul Like Anastasia
“After I went through my divorce, I fell in love with my kitchen again,” says this mom who’s getting ready to launch a new and stylish start-up. “I started going to farmer’s markets and really started taking an interest in what I’m putting in my body. When you’re a mom, you have to look after yourself and when I became a single mom, I became even more mindful of being healthy and full of energy for my daughter.” Discovering the real food movement was admittedly a happy accident. “Years ago I had no energy and my strength coach asked me what I had for breakfast and I said Cheerios. And then he asked me, ‘Can you go to a field and pick a cheerio?’ And that’s who sparked my education about real food and that’s when I started to learn so much more about it.”Over time, changing her diet became a personal journey. “I’ve discovered through trial what foods fuel my body best.”
Anastasia served us her go-to breakfast: Water buffalo yogurt which is rich and dense (like buffalo mozzarella). A full-fat yogurt from her local and organic butcher, she tops it with raw almonds, olive oil, bee pollen and salt and pepper. Also on the menu: Her homemade bone broth that simmers for at least 10 hours on her stovetop.
Brush Up On Your Skills Like Heather
A recent study says 45-minutes of art can decrease cortisol, AKA your stress hormone. Whether the clinical subjects were newbies to exercising the right side of brain or not, 75% of the participants felt more relaxed, which probably explains why the CEO and founder of Cake Beauty, Heather Reier, takes a breather with her paint brushes. “I am a social person but I like to dial it back and find time on my own regularly. It’s even a joke—my husband calls it Heather time. It’s so therapeutic and it gives me the solace I need to re-energize and centre myself.”
2 comments
Defnitely, moms need this. Thanks for sharing.
We love that we could help. Thanks so much for reading along