Eating Al fresco and savouring my day in little ways...

Hellooo! How are you all doing today?!
Here the weather has been gorgeous for the past few days and I couldn't be happier!
On Saturday I got the opportunity to visit Huntsville Alabama and Sunday my husband and I went on a bike ride it was so pleasant! I will share the pictures with you very soon!
The week has started on a  pretty busy pace and today was another one of those very productive days!
I managed to squeeze a 20 minutes walk this morning. Better than nothing! I can't seem to function well unless I have exercised in the morning.  After my cup of coffee first thing in the morning I had to create 20 minutes to enjoy the outdoors after my morning stretch! No time for running today or going for an hour walk! I still savoured every seconds of this short walk!
On those busy days, even eating seem to be difficult to manage.I know that it's unhealthy to go hungry so I made sure to eat at least a yogurt for breakfast

and make some freshly squeeze citrus juice using one pink grapefruit, a lemon, and 4 tangerines.

Homemade fresh citrus juice

I had a very late lunch.  It was 3:00pm by the time I had the chance to enjoy something good to eat but it was worth the wait! I made it worthwhile by eating Al fresco! I love eating AL fresco each time the weather allows it!
My lunch consisted of a serving of lettuce with no dressings. I squeezed half a lemon on it and it was tasty enough for me! I also had a Southern Home Chicken & Wild Rice soup with a glass of water.

Al fresco healthy lunch lettuce and soup

Hummmm... finally...20 minutes of peace while eating on my deck! Enjoying the musical sounds of nature, having my cheeks kissed by a gentle breeze and smiling at the view of a bird perched on a branch,




Bird perched on a branch in the backyard while eating my late lunch!



an eagle flying over my head, he was too fast for me to capture him but he was gorgeous...I love days like those! Thank God for good weather!

Well I am sharing those pictures with you and I am off to my other tasks before the day end! Still have to make dinner! I just wanted to say before I leave...remember to pamper yourself and treat yourself even if you have a busy day! Make time for you even if it's only 20 minutes.  I don't care if you are eating lunch by yourself, with a friend, at home alone or in a public place, always find little ways to make your experience a treat!
 Learn to savour the moments in your days even if you only have 20 minutes to do it. Take a walk, stretch your body it needs it, massage your feet they serve you well or simply turn a meal into a pleasurable moment even if you are short on time!

If it's your first time on this blog I suggest that you read one of my most popular posts:
http://goodhealthdiva.blogspot.com/2011/01/pampering-yourself-is-good-for-your.html  and the following posts
http://goodhealthdiva.blogspot.com/2011/02/shrimp-soup-for-soul-and-good-night.html
http://goodhealthdiva.blogspot.com/2011/01/its-good-for-your-spirit-cest-bon-pour.html

This being said I am eager to hear from you...
When was the last time you took time to appreciate yourself and turn a mundane activity into a moment of pleasure? What small thing to you do to be good to yourself that turns out to have a big impact on the quality of you day and of your life?




N'na

Shrimp soup for the soul and a good night sleep

Hmmm

I slept soooo good last night!Woke up to another cold and rainy day though but I had a good night sleep and I am in a good mood! I love Saturdays so much!Don't you?! Be honest, yesterday you were probably going TGIF!!! I tend to put myself on a Sabbath come Friday evening. Last night I decided to unplug. No Internet, no TV. It has been a cold and rainy day and the week had been a  busy one but a very good one. All I wanted was as quiet night.
I got it by enjoying a warm bowl  of Shrimp bisque soup , talking on the phone to a new friend in Atlanta to get a recipe from her and spending an hour on a prayer conference line with over 3, 700 people on the line. After that I took 20 mns to write in my gratitude journal things I am grateful for.  I had so much to be grateful for, lot of good news, good things going on in my friends' lives, it always cheer me up!



Peaceful dinner with no TV and no Internet and soothing classical music.

   I then got ready for bed by starting my beauty sleep regimen after drinking my last cup of tea for the day.

I poured some almond oil in a small ramekin and started my beauty treatment by dipping my fingers in almond oil and rubbing it on my face in circular motion . I applied  some almond oil on my  hair before wearing my silk cap. I massaged my feet with almond oil before fitting them in my spa socks , and then massaged my hands with almond oil before heading for bed. I sprayed my sheets and pillows with some lavender linen spray and within minutes I was out for the count. 

My room was offering the right atmosphere since 8 pm. I had already dimmed all the lights, been playing some peaceful classical music in the living room to aid my children to fall at sleep and quiet my mind.  The air in my room was filled with the scent of chamomile and soothing my mind! Yeah to aromatherapy! (smiles)
 If you don't know it lavender and chamomile have relaxing  properties. Lavender and Chamomile teas are some of the best tea selection for times when you just need to relax regardless of the time of the day
Soooo.... if you need  a good night sleep, create a peaceful ritual and try aromatherapy, teas etc instead of relying on prescription drugs you see in TV commercials that have their ugly set of side effects. Try creating a sleep and relaxation inducing environment in your room, remove the clutter, have some nice light blocking curtains and blinds and treat yourself to simple things like soft music, a cup of soothing tea, the scent of a candle or room midst and a few moments to reflect quietly on your day and cast your cares. This is a cheaper and healthier alternative to running to prescription drugs as the only tool for improving your sleep. It's worth  trying!!!  Don't you think?!
Psalm 4:4 says  In peace I will lie down and sleep for You alone oh Lord will keep me safe.
I feel like connecting to God once again before bedtime gives me so much peace as I cast on Him my cares of the day and reset my mind for the day ahead.

My small bedtime basket. Keeping my goodies close by to remind me to pamper myself every night.

Well, this little ritual is my way of living, or sleeping I should say.  When I add all those ingredients like I did last night I am always guaranteed a peaceful night, sleeping tight like a baby (smiles).  I think we all deserve to spoil ourselves after a long day. That's my precious way of doing it. Work is important, so is a good night sleep, it's a reward and a necessity for a day well lived!
Well what about you? Do you have any problem sleeping at night? Do you have something that aid you relax and sleep more peacefully? What do you do to get your beauty sleep?

Pampering yourself is good for your health!

I am not writing here about going to a spa every week and spending money on yourself that will get your husband to remind you that it's time to save not splurge on 'uneccessary things'.
Here I am talking about learning to take care of yourself without breaking the bank and being creative if you do not have a lot of time on your hands.
As a mother of three children, I've learned the importance of taking care of myself. I am still in the learning process actually but in spite of the fact that I do not have any family around to help with the kids and that I lack a strong support system I have created small ways of pampering and loving myself.  I have learned that:
I can not give what I don't have. So I have learned to give to myself  some love throughout the day so that I can love my children and husband. I consider pampering myself an act of love to myself and a gift to those that surround me because taking care of myself in the best of my ability and resources help me to take care of others. You all know the scripture that ask us to love others as we love ourselves. Well, we have to have a healthy love for ourselves if we are to love others.                                  



Gift basket by Nnakodesigns.All rights reserved.



Gift basket by Nnakodesigns.All rights reserved.

                                                 
My first acts of love to myself every morning are:
Kneeling for prayer even if its just 5 mns. Aside from my daily prayer time I just kneel briefly in the morning as an act of gratitude and reverence for God.        

Stretching my body.  It's important to get the blood to flow and my body's energy 'reset' for the day. I will write later on the importance of stretching. 

Seating somewhere with a cup of Green tea and fresh mint preferrably from my garden. During the spring and summer time I sit on my front or back porch and enjoy the calmness of my surroundings before the kids are up and before the neighbors start leaving for work. 

Going on short walk with Cotton my maltese if time and the weather permit.
While on those walks I love to pay attention to the sound of the birds, and all my surroundings.
I consider those short and simple actions ways of pampering myself because they leave me feeling grounded and ready for my day .  

My bedtime ritual consists of :                 

Lighting only table lamps in the bedroom

Burning a vanilla or lavender soy candle

Spraying my pillows and sheets with lavender linen spray

Placing a glass of water by my bedside

Applying some oil or lavender lotion on my feet, rubbing them and putting on some spa socks for the night
Once in a while I do the same for my hands by rubbing and massaging them in oil before fitting them in my spa gloves for the night!

Reading something inspiring or writing in my journal things I am grateful for and

Saying a last prayer of gratitude for the day

                                                              

                                                          


Another way of pampering myself that is dear to me is my eating ritual.
Unless we are eating dinner as a family, I prefer to eat all my meals peacefully and quietly with or without the sound of music in the background.  I also drink my water in a very nice glass and always use my nicest dishes and a nice cloth napkin.
I know that most people reserve their best dishes for their guests. I do not reserve any 'special' dishes for my guests. I use it for myself too. 
                                         

                                     
Once a week, generally Fridays, I take a block of time to soak in the tub, give myself a  manicure and pedicure and just take it easy
 I do no housekeeping on that day and limit my activities. Well, simply put its my Me Time (smiles). Come 6pm I consider myself on a Sabbath. Every chores will have to wait Saturday evening or Monday.

                                            

Of course, I love the benefits of a professional massage but I do not get to indulge as frequently as I want.
The one thing I indulge into weekly is getting my hair done. I am picky about getting my hair done at the end of the week.
 However, I am not picky on who does my manicure and pedicure and I actually love doing this myself.  My reason for it  is that it gives me the flexibility to choose the music I want to listen to, I am not waiting to be helped, I can read a book or watch any TV channel I want while I am doing my manicure and pedicure. I am very picky about the kind of music that's played in public places. At home, I can enjoy pampering myself and enjoy the silence or the music I choose to listen to.
                                                            
 In addition to that, I make my own beauty treats, even throw some of my dried rose petals in the water and instead of soaking my feet in commercial products I simply boil my own herbs, add some oil of my choosing and soak my feet as long as I want to.
Once in a while I get myself pampered from head to feet at a Salon. But for days when it's not convenient to do it professionally I can pamper myself from the comfort of my own home without spending any extra money.
The other thing I love to do which I consider is pampering myself is dressing myself nicely, putting some perfume and a few jewelries on even if I am staying at home most of the day.
My theory is that I want to inspire myself when I pass by the mirror even when I am in comfortable 'home clothes'. I want to see something pretty every time I step in the bathroom and it's important because it keeps me in a good mood.
I do not keep nor wear any piece of clothing that has a hole or a stain on or that looks worn out. Comfort to me means that comfortable clothes are also nice clothes.

Another creative way I pamper myself is to display my dish soap in a nice soap dispenser,

                                                                                                      

 keep a scented hand lotion and hand soap by the kitchen sink                                                   and                             some nice hand towels around versus old raggedy kitchen towels. Next to it stand a small vase of fresh flowers.  Considering all the time we spend in a kitchen I think it's important to add small things that will bring us pleasure. Pampering myself is surrounding myself with cute things in every room and keeping every room very orderly.

Order and cleanliness throughout the house from bathroom counter to living room sofa is for me a way of pampering myself because chaos create stress but order is restful. 
And rest is what we want when we pamper ourselves. Pampering is not just something to be done in an expensive spa facility it's something that can be done daily in small increments that add up to a healthy life


                                            

So to people who do not have time or money to go regularly to the salon, get a professional manicure and pedicure, know that you can pamper yourself even when you feel like it's a luxury. Get the best cosmetic product you can afford, get yourself some new towels, replace your pillows or bed sheets, get a fancy glass cloth napkin and plate set, keep your favorite things around, take a shower or bath light some tea candles and turn some soft music on and start treating yourself even if it's just 15 mns a day. Turn a daily routine into a special ritual . You deserve to value and treat yourself after a long hard day. 

Treat yourself by offering yourself a clean and clutter free home ( and car)  and add little touches of beauty around you. I am confident that it will improve your emotional/mental health and impact other areas of your life.
Taking good care of yourself is a necessity and it's okay to indulge yourself daily. You just have to be creative about it, but it starts just where you are.
Please let me know how you pamper yourself on a daily/weekly basis and if any of those suggestions worked for you let me know which one are now part of your daily routine.