After months on the road, we are enjoying a few quiet weeks in a small town in Iowa. Justin’s family is from here and we have a free and unoccupied place to stay. It is absolute perfection for a little relaxation. Our only goal while here is to do healthy things and be quiet and slow for a few weeks.
Over the last few years, self care has become a hot topic for everyone. I love listening to podcasts and conversations about the different ways that people participate in self care. Because I love hearing what other people do, I figured I’d put together a list of things I do when I need to give myself a little extra attention.
A Library Line Up
I consistently keep the maximum number of books on my hold list because some of them have really long waiting lists. The max is 15 so it isn’t too crazy. Knowing that I was going to have a few quiet weeks, I thought I might need to find a back up plan. I hit the jackpot when seven books came in within a week of each other so I have lots to choose from now. This book is next up on my list.
Slow Skin Care
I am super happy with this skincare regimen, this overnight peel and this anti-aging cream. It’s been pretty easy to stay consistent on the routine on the road. The beauty of being in one place is the speed that I am able to go through all the steps. Everything is laid out nicely on the counter and I don’t have to rush in the morning or before bed. I’m able to do masks and use up some of the products that didn’t make the global journey with us. It feels extra indulgent without having to buy anything new.
Puzzles
There is nothing better than a quiet afternoon with a table full of tiny, colorful pieces waiting to be pieced together. I have a couple like this one in the game drawer here. I realize that this makes me sound like an 80 year old woman, but I can’t deny the things that make me happiest.
Clean Paper Planner & Journal
While traveling abroad, I opted to not carry a planner and got a journal instead. For as long as I can remember, I have used a paper planner to organize to-do lists, remember important dates and set priorities for myself. Without it, I felt a little less organized, but found other ways to track all of our travel details. The benefit was getting into the habit of journaling more often. Now that I have a little more space to work with, I have a brand new 2020 planner AND a journal that still has open spaces. Plus, I treated myself to three brand new pens – my favorite kind.
Exercise
I have not been lacking in activity this past year. The amount of steps I’ve walked have outdone any years in my past (even living in New York City) because our feet were our main mode of transportation while traveling. I snuck in some yoga sessions at least a few times a month, but not once did I do any sort of intentional strength training or cardio just for cardio’s sake. Three weeks of peace and quiet sounds nice and relaxing, but I know that if I don’t move my body while here – I will regret it.
Cooking New Recipes
There have been kitchens at a lot of the places we have temporarily set up shop in the last year. The problem we faced with cooking was sticking to ingredients that we could use up during our short stays and not have to travel with or waste any food. That meant that any condiments or spices were usually skipped over. Now, we have a full kitchen and enough time to make any food we want. I have a whole Pinterest board of “recipes to try” that I have been adding to for the last year. We’ve already cooked three brand new recipes and it feels so good to be eating home cooked meals.
Some Healthy Swaps
Last, but not least, I have made a few simple swaps while down here. Instead of drinking wine at night, I usually make some tea. I have set my phone down in the evenings to turn off all the lights and actually watch some television that we’ve been wanting to see. We are currently catching up on Succession and The Crown. And lastly, I am swapping quick mindless Twitter scrolling for good old fashioned blog reading. I miss reading full articles and slowly looking through pictures.
Just writing this list out makes me feel calm and excited about the remaining time here. Let me know if you have any favorite blogs I should check out or good television I might be missing.
