How much do you actually “In-Joy” taking care of your body, your soul case? Do you spend time loving on yourself, cleansing yourself with care and intention, rubbing yourself down with beautiful oils? If this is sounding sensual, well, it is and luxurious and just pure LovEliness!
For years, I’ve rushed through my self care/beauty routine, not wanting to look at myself in the mirror. A byproduct of the trauma from years of painful psoriasis and the critic in my head, constantly picking myself apart. I haven’t touched my body with gratitude and affection, only with halfheartedness and at some moments, even with hatefulness. Applying lotion was a chore, something I did to calm the dis-ease of my itchy, inflamed skin. And baths… don’t get me started on baths. In the past, baths were reserved for oatmeal or coaI tar baths (yes, the kind they put on streets)! Those baths SUCKED! Given my past history with bathing, needless to say, I didn’t view baths as relaxing and I had ZERO time and patience for sitting still for twenty or so minutes.
Recently, that is all changing! I decided to invest in delicious products for the bath, the shower… actually, every part of my self care experience and something is shifting! I’ve slowed down my life a tiny bit, and have created extra time for my daily self care rituals. I’m no longer rushing through getting dressed, afraid to look in the mirror (well, sometimes still) I am “IN-JOYING” IT! I’m anointing myself, appreciating every inch of me and feeling more grounded and connected to my soul case. I’m bathing… with rose petals, and heavenly bath soaks. As my friend Desiree once told me “make yourself the altar.” For the first time, I am slowing down and showing LovE and care for the parts of me I have rejected. When I see a spot or 10 of psoriasis, I may freak out for a moment, but then, as I’m covering my body with oil, and sometimes medicine, I gently tell each spot “I LovE you.” If there’s a part of my body I am judging harshly, I do the same ritual… “I LovE you.” The confidence that has flooded back into my body and spirit has been so needed. I feel better in and out of my clothes, which is always a plus! I feel more sensual and connected than I have…. ever felt!
I HIGHLY recommend investing in a few luxurious self care items and giving yourself even an extra 10 minutes in the morning and the evening, more if you have the time, to really slow yourself down and witness how you treat yourself when you are caring for YOU. What stories are you telling yourself? Are you speeding up through a certain part of your routine because you are judging a piece of you too harshly and wanting to move past that piece as fast as possible? See if you can stay with that piece and show it appreciation and acceptance. Notice what emotions come up for you and if the tears flow, let them flow. EVERY PIECE OF YOU DESERVES LOVE! It’s time to come home to ourselves, to the beautiful soul cases we have been blessed with while we roam this Earth plane. It’s time to take our power back and dispose all of the lies we’ve been fed about how we “should” look and be like and come back home to being healthy and whole….however that looks and feels best FOR YOU! I still have a ways to go on this journey back to my body, where it feels safe and like home, but I wanted to encourage you to begin coming home to your body and share a few products and ways that have helped jumpstart my journey in the most delicious way. During this month of LovE, let’s sink back into our bodies. Let’s make ourselves the altar. Let’s get sensual, sexy, free! Let’s make ourselves irresistible, not only to our LovEr, but to US! When we can’t resist ourself…. talk about unstoppable! We ALL deserve this kind of LovE and care from our own hearts and hands. I LovE you!
SOE Self Care Picks
Because our lady landscape needs extra special care for proper PH balance… DeoDoc Daily Intimate Wash
Because we want smooth skin… all over… Fur Ingrown Concentrate
Because there’s nothing better than soft, supple skin and smelling like heaven… Jiva Apoha Body Oil
Because this is the closest shave and most luxurious, beautiful razor that you’ll ever find… Oai Shave
Because clean, exfoliated skin and revitalized limbs are always a plus… Summer Solace Exfoliating Coffee Soap
Because you won’t find a better bath soak that actually does what it claims to do… Goop Bath Soaks
Because you could use a delicious addition to your shower routine… Goop Salt Scrub
Because we all could benefit from a little lymphatic stimulation and smoother skin… Mio Dry Brush
I am so sorry what you have gone through and assume living with. It sounds awful. It is very important for us to love our bodies even when we want to kick them out the door, stomp on them, etc. I agree with you Le, slow down and take care of yourself.