“I have to be alone very often. I'd be quite happy if I spent from Saturday night until Monday morning alone in my apartment. That's how I refuel."

Audrey Hepburn

Hello Self-Care,

I think it’s me you’re looking for.

I’ll work hard, end up in some kind of physical or mental distress, and come back to you.

I admit, I have a love/hate relationship with you.

And you? You have a deep relationship with our capitalist society. The more social issues, insecurities, burned out, and unhealthy we are (#covid19) , the more you surge in popularity.

You can fool me once, but I see you for what you are: An excuse. A reflection of failed policies. An exploitation by smart industries.

So what is a bride-to-be to do?

Redefine self-care to mean self-love. Make it about your health and happiness, and not about overindulgences “because you deserve it”.

I don’t exactly have the perfect track record when it comes to taking care of myself, BUT here’s what it looks like when I try!

WTF Bride’s Self-Care Day

5:40AM - Rise and Shine, Sunshine!

Waking up to darkness gets a bit depressing, so I remedy that with a sunlamp.

Then I catch up on my gaming!

6AM - Shower + Get dressed + Skincare & Makeup

Shopping my closet is one of my favourite parts of the day! My go-to outfit for a self-care day is either very comfy or leather leggings.

Then I go all out on my Kbeauty 10-step routine.

“WTF Bride, WHO HAS TIME FOR THAT?!”

You do!

Do it often enough, and your groggy self will do it automatically in the AM.

7AM - Meditate Your Way!

I join my kitty at the kitchen window, cappuccino in hand. We hang out and watch the sunrise together.

Cute, right?!

Meditation apps are popular, but I prefer getting lost in my own thoughts.

7:15AM - Journal

Advice - If you get a journal that’s too pretty, you won’t use it. You’ll either want to save it.

Or worse, police whatever thoughts you write down to make sure they’re articulate and witty.

Most of the thoughts that float across my mind are chaotic and vulgar. If I had a pretty journal, I would be constantly stuck with these intrusive thoughts all day!

Your journal is supposed to be a safe space for YOUR verbal vomit. No one sees it, and u can spell lyke dis if you want to!

8AM - Eat + Take Your Damn Adult Vitamins

Whether I’m having a slice of coffee cake or crustless quiche, I never skip breakfast.

A hangry bride is not a cute bride.

I take my gummy vitamins to make sure those nutritional bases are covered. It also helps me feel zero guilt when I inhale my desserts later on in the day hahahaha.

All Day - Catch Up With Friends

I’m so happy that I got to see my friends last week for pumpkin carving!

From now on, it will be Zoom dates and videos of my friend’s new place instead of the housewarming we thought we’d have.

8:30AM - Girl, Put Your Records On (Tell Me Your Favourite Song!)

This R&B Mix or old songs but make it lo-fi playlist are my current jam!

The Power of Scent

Anyone else stuck with a lot of perfume samples? Might as well use them!

Light a candle or plug in that diffuser. Choose a scent that matches your mood and get down to work.

This is your time to create the atmosphere you want to spend time in.

9AM - Seize The Day!

Visit your (Bridal) planner or calendar and set your intentions for the day.

It’s so easy for me to overcommit. Sometimes the easiest thing to do is ignore the ever-growing list of commitments and huddle underneath the blankets.

That is not self-care!

1. What tasks have to get done? Do them instead of just thinking about them.

2. What tasks can you drop or say no to?

3. What tasks do you need help with? Asking for help has always been a challenge for me. Over the years, I am so lucky to have a great group of friends who will step in when I need them.

9:30AM - Get to Work

Teaching and writing brings me joy! I used to take this for granted, until I talked to people who didn’t enjoy what they do for a living. It made me feel sad.

Things can always change, right?

11PM - Seek Professional Help When Needed

If you’re feeling tense or overly anxious, many of the self-care tips out there aren’t going to cut it. That’s because they don’t address the root cause of your problems.

Seeking out the services of your GP, dentist, RMT, counsellor, naturopath, etcetera is a good idea.

2PM - Read or Go Out For A Change of Scenery

2PM is the magical hour when the sun hits my reading nook on the deck.

If I’ve been sitting on my butt all day, I’ll go out with WTF Hubby for a walk. We’ll grab a coffee and talk about everything and nothing.

Before COVID, I would head downtown to walk the seawall, drop into the Central Branch of the library, or grab a bite with my girlfriends.

4PM - Yoga

Bending is hard… but I do it anyway.

My favourite app for yoga is Sworkit! There are so many ways you can get exercise without going to the gym. How about this ballerina workout routine with Alexa Chung?

4:30PM - The Pensive Bake

In P.S. I Still Love You, Peter Kavinsky refers to Lara Jean Covey’s stress baking as the #pensivebake.

Didn’t most of us drain the grocery stores of flour, butter, and yeast when COVID started?

It’s hard to turn down an opportunity for edible, kitchen chemistry when you have nothing else to do.

7PM - Bath + Do Nails + Go All Out on your Beauty Products

I used to save all my fancy bath products from Christmas. It doesn’t make sense to save things that are meant to be used.

I try to have one of these at-home spa days because the Willow Stream Spa and JW Spa are no longer viable options :(

8PM - Connect with Your Hubby

Whether we’re looking at photos of the trips we’ve taken together, having an art night, or watching Brooklyn 99, I love spending this time with WTF Hubby.

9PM - Cozy Up With a Book

Can you tell that I love books?! I’m in my reading socks with either Curl Up Club’s monthly book pick or a horror novel.

Anyone else reading way more since COVID started?

10PM - Sleep

Nothing like working graveyard shifts before it sank in how much I needed to sleep during the vampire hours.

Thanks for spending this self-care day with me!

Comment below and let me know what you like to do to relax on your self-care day. Remember, “If you don't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?”

Yours,

WTF Bride