Self-Care is Never Selfish

Health & Lifestyle

“When you put your needs last, you’re like a plant without water that’s worried about providing enough shade for others.”

– Alexis Jones (activist and motivational speaker)

I’m sure we’ve all heard these words before: “You can’t pour from an empty cup”. In other words, if you aren’t taking good care of yourself, you can’t effectively take care of others. It’s so important that you find the time for self-care and attention.

Here are 7 ways you can practice self-care:

Stay Nourished 🥗

They say you are what you eat. Care for your body by fueling it with healthy and nourishing meals and snacks. Be mindful of certain foods that don’t make you feel good and consider eliminating them from your diet. Especially during warmer weather, remember to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water throughout the day and everyday.

Learn more: Brain-Gut Connection / 7 Ways to Practice Mindful Eating

Sleep Well 💤

This is not only about how many hours of sleep you get, but also about the quality of your sleep. You work hard throughout the day, so take the time needed to restore. While it’s ideal to get at least 7-9 hours of sleep, make sure you feel comfortable while you are and that you’re waking up feeling well-rested.

Learn more: Sleep & Stress Management / How to Sleep for Peak Mental Performance

Get and Stay Active 💪

Physical activity is great for your body and mind. Your brain releases endorphins, a feel-good brain chemical that helps to reduce stress. You deserve to feel good! Plus, it boosts your energy, immune system and improves sleep. So, strap on your running shoes. A nice 30-minute walk is all it takes.

Connect with Others 📞

Whether it’s a family member, friend or colleague, connect and spend time with people you know and trust. Know when to ask for help when you need it. That is a form of self-care.

Take a Pause ⏸

Stop, slow down, and make time for pause. Listen to calming music, journal, pray, meditate, go for a walk in nature, take a few deep breaths or stretch. Taking a pause is a great way to pace yourself and reset.

Learn more: Meditation Tools & Tips

Be Kind to Yourself 🥰

Never be so hard on yourself! Embrace yourself fully – all your mistakes and accomplishments. We are human after all. Know that you are doing the best you can. Try this: Look in the mirror and say something kind to yourself each day.

Stay Committed 📆

Build a self-care routine and try your very best to stay committed to it. Without a doubt, the demands of life can be stressful. Now more than ever, remember to first fill up your own cup. Find what feels good to you, stick to it, and keep going!

Learn more: Your Mental Health Matters: Extra Brain-Love During Times of Stress

What are other ways you practice self-care? Share them in the comments section! 👇

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This website is provided only for informational purposes and not intended to be used to replace professional advice, treatment or professional care. Always speak to your physician, healthcare provider or pediatrician if you have concerns about your own health or the health of a child.

Let’s Talk Adaptogens!

Health & Lifestyle

“All plants contain adaptogenic/tonic compounds, because plants have to contend with a good deal of stress themselves.” – James Duke

What are Adaptogens?

food on white background — Photo by Pixabay

Adaptogens have been around for thousands of years and have traditionally been used in Indian and Chinese medicine. They are a type of herb (or mushroom) that helps the body adapt to stress. Hence their name, adaptogens! They adapt according to what the body needs; whether that be mental (e.g., increased memory and focus), physical (e.g., energy boost) or emotional (e.g., anxiety relief). Adaptogens won’t take away stress, but help to regulate the body’s stress response system (adrenal glands) and bring it back into balance (homeostasis). They can be found in various forms such as powders, capsules, tinctures (herbal extracts), or in drinks and teas. Adaptogens can be a healthy alternative to prescribed medication and stimulants such as caffeine and sugar. Although their benefits can vary, (as with any supplement), they are most effective when taken over a period of time. They work best not in isolation, but as part of a holistic lifestyle that should include a healthy diet, sleep, exercise and personalized wellness practices. While research has shown how adaptogens can be used to prevent and treat various ailments, I can only speak to my personal experience using them.

My Experience with Adaptogens

It wasn’t until I was introduced to adaptogens through Organika’s webinars (see: Your Hormones: Finding Balance for the Modern-Day Woman or Your Mental Health Matters: Extra Brain-Love During Times of Stress) that I gained a greater interest and understanding of them. These webinars almost always mentioned adaptogens, recipes that include the use of them, and their many benefits. After learning so much, I decided to try out one of their many adaptogen powders. The first one I decided to try was their Organic Chaga Mushroom Calm Powder. That, along with a few of my other favourite Organika products made it to My Wellness Kit! While I was only using this powder on and off shortly after I had purchased it, I started taking it more frequently over the past couple of months since being back to work. I would add roughly one teaspoon of it alongside SMOOV’s euphoric blend (which contains maca, an adaptogen that has hormone-balancing benefits; see below) when I made my oatmeal in the morning. Other times, I mixed it in with my tea or a smoothie. With consistent use, I have been experiencing its benefits. I have found that I’m able to remain quite relaxed throughout a very busy and stressful day, and that it has significantly helped to alleviate menstrual symptoms I have dealt with for many years. Since finishing the chaga mushroom powder, I decided to try Organika’s Organic Ashwagandha Mood Powder. The first two recipes I tried was Moon Milk and Chia & Ashwagandha Overnight Oats (see below). I highly recommend both powders and recipes!

Commonly Used Adaptogens & Their Benefits

Ashwagandha
- Regulates thyroid function which controls emotional hormones
- Balances and boosts mood and positive feelings
- Decreases the effects of stress by reducing cortisol levels
Chaga Mushroom
- High in antioxidant, vitamins and minerals
- Reduces the effects of stress, anxiety and regulates hormones
- Contains anti-inflammatory properties
Ginseng
- Helps to reduce inflammation and boost the immune system
- Reduces the effect of stressors
- Improves focus and memory
Holy Basil
- A source of antioxidant
- Boosts immune system and energy
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Supports healthy digestion
Lion’s Mane Mushroom
- Contains hericenones and erinacines which stimulate the growth of brain cells and protects brain tissue
- Improves memory and brain function
Moringa
- A multivitamin containing vitamin A, C, calcium, iron, protein, potassium
- A source of antioxidant
Maca Root
- A good source of vitamins and minerals (containing essential amino acids)
- Improves mood and energy
- Helps to balance hormones and supports the immune system
- Boosts libido in men and women
Reishi Mushroom
- Reduces stress by calming the mind (e.g., nerves) and body (e.g., muscle tension)
- Improves the quality of sleep through the regulation of stress hormones
- Boosts the functioning of the immune system in its defense against viruses and bacteria
Rhodiola rosea
- Helps to reduce stress
- Improve mental functioning by reducing fatigue
- Boosts physical energy

Things to Consider

As with any supplement, results can vary from person to person and over time. What may have worked a week ago may not be effective a year from now. It’s important to pay attention to your body and how you may be responding positively or negatively to certain supplements such as adaptogens. As previously mentioned, it may take some time before you notice the benefits of a supplement. Only after using adaptogens consistently for a few months was I able to experience its benefits. While they are generally safe, it’s important to note that adaptogens could interfere with certain medication. If you’re interested in trying them, it’s best to first talk with your physician and/or a naturopath, especially if you’re taking medication. As always, ensure you are following the recommended dosage identified on the packaging.

Where to Buy Adaptogens

Adaptogens can be found and purchased at health food stores. I have purchased mine at Healthy Planet, but they can also be found on websites such as well.ca.

Ready to get started?

See: Five Stress Healing Solutions for more ways to reduce stress!

Take care, and be well.

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Tips for Teachers Going Back to Work

Early Childhood, Health & Lifestyle, Self-Regulation

See my latest post: 5 Tips for Teachers to Start the School Year Grounded

I still can’t believe I’ve been out of the classroom for half a year. I say half a year because it’s actually really been that long. Since going on March Break, I have not been back to my school building since. In the last 6 months, I navigated and transitioned to online learning with preschoolers and then went straight into summer break. This has been an interesting year to say the least and I’m surprised at how quickly it has flown by, despite everything that has happened. I can’t help but say that I’m excited, (but mostly nervous) to go back to work, considering it’s been such an uncertain and scary time. That being said, I decided to put together a few tips for teachers who, like myself, will be heading back to the classroom (or maybe teaching online), very soon. Writing this and sharing these resources has given me some confidence, optimism and peace of mind about however this 2020-21 school year is meant to unfold, and my hope is that after reading this you will feel the same too.

self care isn t selfish signage — Photo by Madison Inouye

Find Your Calm – Explore Self-Reg and you will come to learn about Lending Your Calm. (I’m in the process of taking a second course with them.) However, I believe that in order for teachers (or anyone) to be able to lend their calm to their students and parents during this time, they first need to be able to find it. Stop and think to yourself, what exactly does calm feel like for me? What are some things that help me to feel calm? For me, it’s doing yoga, listening to music, working out, reading a book, and other times it’s meditating or taking a few deep breaths. Through these practices and activities, I’ve learned what calm feels like. When I’m not feeling it, I know exactly what helps me to get to that state. These past few months have been stressful on us all. This is why it’s so important to practice self-care and find what brings you calm so that you can bring that with you (as best as you can!) each day to work. We’ll surely need it!

alphabet class conceptual cube — Photo by Pixabay

Lend Your Calm – Once you discover what brings you calm and what that feels like, create that in your classroom environment. Calm begets calm. Our body is an energy source, allowing us to feel the vibrations from others. This is also known as limbic resonance or emotional contagion. Children are also able to feel and feed off of the energy from the adults in their lives and from their peers. For example, have you ever noticed how sometimes it only takes one student to change the energy of the entire class? When you feel calm, you can create that same feeling in your students, simply by just feeling it yourself. The beginning of the school year is naturally always stressful for teachers, parents and students. Apart from being calm yourself, think about the many ways you can create a calm and inviting classroom, overall school environment, or virtual learning experience. Whether it’s having less things mounted on the walls, playing calming music, integrating mindfulness-based activities (by engaging your student’s senses), or simply asking your student’s how they’re doing and feeling; when kids are not stressed and feel a sense of safety and calm, they are ready and able to learn at their best.

woman applying hand sanitizer — Photo by Anna Shvets

Practice Consistency – The beginning of this school year will certainly be like no other. With new policies, guidelines and routines put into place, I imagine it will feel very different and new for us. If you’re physically back at school, it may take time to remember all the new rules and best practices such as washing or sanitizing your hands before and after removing your mask, but with consistency, you will naturally build up the habit of doing so. I’ve already started doing this when I go out so that it won’t all feel entirely new when I go back to work. It’s also important to build these practices with your students. It’ll all be new for them too and it’s much easier to build a routine and habit at the very start of a school year rather than later or halfway through it. Keep in mind that these procedures are in place to ensure the health, safety and well-being of both the school and external community. If you’re unsure about something regarding any of the new changes, don’t hesitate to ask and find out the right answers.

A Clean Hands Kit by Toronto Public Health

woman in white long sleeve shirt holding white smartphone — Photo by cottonbro

Stay Connected – Whether it’s with your family, friends or colleagues, stay connected with the people in your life. Maybe it’s catching up with a friend over the phone or sending an email to a fellow colleague to see how they’re doing. At the end of the day, we are social beings with a desire to connect, and simply having a chat with someone important in your life may be all it takes to turn your own or someone else’s day around. Lean on your support system when needed and make opportunities for connection with others a part of your daily routine. You’ll truly notice the difference it makes in your attitude, the way you feel, the way you go about each day, and it’s also a great way to boost your immune system!

anonymous ethnic tutor helping little multiracial students with task in classroom — Photo by Katerina Holmes

Take It Slow – Regardless if you’ve been teaching for 20 years or are a new teacher starting your first year, this school year will be new for all of us. New students, families, routines, schedules, procedures, guidelines, expectations, and much more. If you’re finding that you’re already beginning to feel overwhelmed, go back to Finding Your Calm. Notice what you’re feeling and find what feels good and what brings you a sense of calm. One thing I always practice is mindfulness and living in the present moment. I can’t worry and be anxious about the first day of school because I don’t know what to expect. I’m only in control of the here and now so that’s what I choose to focus on. As each day comes and goes, take it slow, ask the questions you need answers to, build relationships and connections, and most importantly, be kind and do your best. And remember, you are the expert in pedagogy and curriculum. Be confident in your abilities, strengths and everything you already know. We got this!

Got more tips for teachers going back to school? Share them in the comments below!

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Self-Care Begins With You

Self-Regulation

I’m grateful to share with you this inspiring “everything self-care” article, written by my best friend who I’ve had the pleasure of knowing for many years. If you haven’t begun your own self-care routine and are thinking about getting started, in this article, Kaitlin shares with you how she came to discover self-care, a complete insight into her own routine, along with suggestions and tips to get started. Thank you, Kaitlin, for taking the time to share with others your own experience on such an important topic!

Written by Kaitlin Findlay

“Honour yourself to love others.” – Paul Colaianni

Self-care is not selfish. It is a practice of self-love, respect, and appreciation for ourselves so that we can love, respect, and appreciate others. Before I began my self-love journey in March of this year, my typical morning during the week would look like this: wake up at the latest time possible, hop out of bed to get ready, pack my lunch, and off to work I went. My typical morning routine on the weekends would look like this: sleep in, grab my phone to scroll on social media for at least an hour, and then slowly get out of bed to get ready for the day. I realize now, looking back, that both routines were toxic to my mental health as I focused my attention and awareness on other people, and as a result, neglected myself.

I have found that creating and practicing self-care every morning to start my day has given me two things:

Motivation: My morning self-care routine has motivated me to be the best person I can be everyday. When I take the time in the morning to reflect on my feelings and thoughts and to praise myself for the beautiful human I am, it literally hypes up my soul to start my day off with positive energy. This allows me to regulate my emotions and thoughts for the remainder of the day so that I can have the best day possible.
Self-esteem and Self-confidence: The second thing my morning self-care routine has given me is self-esteem and self-confidence. Before this, I lacked these two things as I would self-sabotage myself throughout most of my day. Now, loving myself for the first few hours of my day has allowed me to accept that I am beautiful, worthy and therefore, I view myself differently now than before and it feels incredible.

So, what does my morning self-care routine look like?

I have tried many different things and have perfected what I do now to suit what lifts me up every morning. My routine takes me around three hours to do, but this is simply because I have the time to do it for that long.

My Morning Self-Care Routine

Drink a litre of water
Filling my body with water at the very beginning of the day helps me to rehydrate and refresh from my beauty sleep.

Listen to a podcast
I lie in bed while I listen to a podcast to help wake me up. I usually pick podcasts that will strengthen my self-love as this is something I am currently working on.

What I’m currently listening to:

Read a daily affirmation
Affirmations are powerful as they help bring truth to light. They allow us to appreciate ourselves for the beautiful humans we all are.

What I’m currently reading:

How to Love Yourself Cards – Louise Hay

Engage in a guided meditation
This is an art that I am still practicing. My end goal is to be able to meditate on my own, but for now, I do guided meditations to help clear my thoughts and emotions.

What I’m currently practicing:

Mindful in Minutes – Kelly Smith

Write in a journal
I have a love for journalism as I’ve been doing it since I was 12. I have kept all of my journals and when I look back, I used to write everyday and write every small detail! In university, it started to become less frequent and I tended to only write when I was at a low. Once I started working with my life coach (shoutout to Hillary Flinn!) she suggested I journal when I was happy too and told me to get a writing-prompt journal for the days I didn’t know what to write about. I have been journaling everyday since! The art of journalism helps me to organize and clear my thoughts and emotions. It’s one thing to always be reflecting in your brain, but another to write those reflections down.

What I’m currently journaling in:

Writing Prompts Journal

Kick my own butt with some exercise
I have recognized the benefits of working out at the start of my day rather than anytime afterwards because it gives me the energy to continue the rest of my day on a high. My current workouts entail cardio (running) and then weight training (a different muscle each day).

Here are some other suggestions of what you can add to your own morning self-care ritual:

Stretch
Make the bed
Clean room
Take an Epsom salt bath
Yoga
Morning devotion
Pray
Singing bowl
Skin care routine
Shower
Listen to music
Go outside
Read
Do a puzzle
Write down daily achievable goals
Talk to self in the mirror
Visualization of where you want to be

Tips to get you started:

Start off small
If you’re just beginning your morning self-care routine journey, it can feel intimidating and overwhelming. I suggest you start off small! Set aside five-to-ten minutes of your time for self-care and do something simple. Become comfortable with that small routine and then you will naturally want to add to it.
Be consistent
There were times in the beginning of my journey that I felt like giving up. I couldn’t stay mentally focused on the tasks and I felt like I wasn’t getting better. The famous saying, “practice makes perfect” stays true to a morning self-care routine (although perfect looks different for everyone). I’m only feeling good about it now, after six months of practicing, with way more room for growth. With time comes progress and I promise it gets easier.
Say no to your phone
Do you wake up and look at your phone right away? Scroll through social media and check who messaged you? I used to! It set me back not only time wise, but mentally too. Waking up and immediately looking at my phone affected my self-esteem and self-worth as I was comparing myself to others, right at the beginning of the day. I have made it a rule to not look at anything on my phone (other than my podcasts and meditation) until I have completed my self-care routine. It allows me to focus on myself so that I have enough energy to engage with others.

I can’t even begin to explain how rewarding waking up every morning to work on myself has felt. Although Covid-19 has brought us a lot of sorrow, I appreciate the time it has given me to work on myself, as I would not be where I am right now. It takes a lot of self-discipline, time, and effort, so I am thankful this pandemic has given me the opportunity to fully engage in this process. Now that I am more comfortable with my routine, I will be able to modify it for when I do have to return back to work as I will not have as much time. I now understand that if you put yourself first and if you make your happiness a priority, then you will naturally want to make the effort to practice self-care, no matter how much earlier you have to wake up. You will want to practice self-care because you love and care for yourself and your well-being. So, ask yourself, how much do you love yourself?

Additional Resources

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My Wellness Kit

Health & Lifestyle

Wellness and healthy well-being is so important to me and I hope it is for you too!

Here I share with you the brands, products and items that are apart of my wellness kit.

SMOOV Superfood Blends

SMOOV is a Canadian brand of all-natural superfood blends. I have been using these blends since last winter and let me tell you, they are amazing! These blends are organic, come in a wide variety and contains the cleanest ingredients such as alfalfa grass, goji berry, maca, spirulina and many others. If you’re looking to boost energy, mood or immunity, satisfy a sweet tooth craving (as I’m always doing), detox and get your intake of greens, manage stress… there’s a blend for you. Best of all, they’re a convenient way to get your vitamins and nutrients, are easy to use and most are great for kids too. I’ve made smoothie bowls, protein balls and added it to my oats. I honestly love them all (including the berry exotic blend captured in the photo), but I have to say, my top 2 favourite SMOOV Superfood Blends are: green blend and euphoric blend. I haven’t gone a week without using one or the other. See: Kid-friendly Superfoods for Health and Immunity to learn more about the green blend and Kid-friendly Superfoods for that Sweet Tooth to learn more about the euphoric blend.

Saje Natural Wellness

Saje Natural Wellness is a Canadian brand of essential oils, skin care and household products. I have been using this brand for a few years now. The first item I owned by them was their travel-size Pocket Farmacy Remedy Kit which includes a set of roll-on oils for stress, pain, indigestion, headaches and colds. This brand carries a variety of all-natural wellness products such as essential oils and diffusers, body and skin care products, household cleaning products and more. Essential oils are extracted from plants and go through an extensive process to become an oil. They have many healing benefits such as alleviating pain, relieving stress by aiding in calm and relaxation, soothing stomach and digestion issues, improving skin conditions and so much more. Some of my many favourite Saje products are: Echinacea Throat Spray, After the Rain Diffuser Blend, Fortify Cough & Cold Nasal Inhaler, Goddess Natural Deodorant Spray, and Muscle Melt.

DAVIDsTEA

DAVIDsTEA is one of the largest Canadian-based specialty tea and tea accessories brand. I still remember one of the first orders of loose-leaf teas I made from them. One of their travel mugs that was gifted to me a few years ago was one of the only mugs that kept my tea hot for many hours throughout the day. I brought it everywhere – to work, morning classes and on trips out of the city. My favourite DAVIDsTEA products are: Organic North African Mint tea, lock top travel mug, perfect infuser and tea filters. Unfortunately, they have recently announced that they will be closing a number of their stores across Canada as part of a reconstructuring plan. Thankfully, they are available online!

Mind Platter by Najwa Zebian

Mind Platter is a book written by a Lebanese-Canadian author by the name of Najwa Zebian. This book is food for the soul, containing a collection of single-page reflections on topics such as love, motivation, friendship, inspiration and more. What I love about these reflections is that they are entirely up to your interpretation. I came across this book randomly while browsing around at Eaton Centre’s Indigo. I instantly fell in love with the artistic book cover and the message on the back. It reads:

“At the end of the day, no one will walk your journey for you.

You have to do that.

At the end of the day, no one will dream from you.

You have to do that.”

After reading through a few of the reflections, I knew I had to own it.

Organika

Organika is a Canadian-based company of quality vitamins, supplements and functional food products. While I’ve known of this brand for some time, I’ve only started using their products this year. This is mainly due to the informative webinars they have hosted over the past few months. In these webinars they promote many of their products such as their line of collagen, adaptogens and various other supplements. My most recent and favourite Organika products are: Enhanced Collagen, Probiotic + Prebiotic Powder and Calm – Organic Chaga Mushroom Powder.

Below you will find a collection of notes I’ve taken on a number of Organika’s free webinars:

Gut Health 101

Strengthening Your Immune System

Sleep & Stress Management

Your Mental Health Matters: Extra Brain-Love During Times of Stress

Beyond Skin Deep: Holistic Health for Glowing Skin

What are your favourite wellness and health brands, products or items? Share in the comments below!

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the calm educator

Sharing keys to a calm brain and body.

self-care

Self-Care is Never Selfish

Let’s Talk Adaptogens!

Tips for Teachers Going Back to Work

Self-Care Begins With You

Additional Resources

Courtesy The Good Trade

Podcast Suggestions

Affirmation Cards Suggestions

My Wellness Kit