self care

INVEST IN YOURSELF

Posted on by rosie
Exploring the night market in Hoi An, Vietnam

Not until just recently, it was almost a little taboo to do things for yourself. To take time to meditate in the morning or time the time and money to pamper yourself. Did mental health days even exist?! I think self care is so important and here are some of my key items I think are worth investing your time and money into when caring for yourself.

Gym Membership or Gym Equipment

Whether you’re into yoga, spin, prefer to workout at home, or enjoy a variety of fitness activities (check out ClassPass), you are investing in yourself and your health. So own it and go on with your bad self!

Supplements

I’m talking adaptogens, collagen, probiotics, etc. These are all things that will benefit you in the long run. I’m personally taking a multivitamin to supplement my plant based diet and they’re not the cheapest, but they are worth every penny.

Skincare

My skincare regimen is so sacred to me and I’m not mad about it. I choose to invest in locally made and nontoxic serums and my skin has never looked or felt better. I highly recommend @herbivorebotanicals to anyone looking to switch things up! I would also recommend looking into nontoxic makeup. It can be pricey, but chemicals in makeup and nail polish can be very damaging to your body over time.

Hobbies

Whatever it is that sets your soul on fire, do that. Love cooking? Take a cooking class! Enjoy trail running? Make the time for it! You are so deserving of fun things.

A Good Walking Shoe

Honestly though. Think about your poor feet and how far they’ve taken you thus far. It’s time we take care of em. New Balance makes some great ones and I can always find them at the Rack for a great deal. But it’s definitely worth the splurge to get a style that suits you.

Therapy

Not only is it worth the money, but it’s worth your TIME. I am a bit of a hypocrite here though, because going to therapy is something that has been on my back burner to do list for far too long. Let’s be accountability buddies and make it a goal to meet with one next year. 

Cocofloss

THIS IS NOT A JOKE. Perhaps this is my personal opinion because oral hygiene is so important to me. So aside from an electric toothbrush (also an essential), I think investing in a good floss is also something to consider. This is going to sound gross, but just think of all the plaque lingering on and in between your teeth. My teeth have never been so clean after using Cocofloss and I will never go back.

Closet Essentials

Think timeless pieces and also items that you wear often. For me, that’s a pair of black Chelsea boots. A travel friendly backpack. A pair of blue jeans so comfortable you can also wear them as as a non-revenue passenger. Workout pants. It’ll be different for you, but just consider investing in quality pieces. Not only is it more sustainable, but it will actually save you money and time in the long run too.

Travel

So I am totally biased here but I truly believe that so much growth (and honestly LIFE) happens in traveling, especially alone. It’s not always affordable to travel, so I recommend setting financial goals to keep yourself on track with saving to make the trip. It’s also not a bad idea to start with a smaller trip. One of my favorite U.S. cities worth visiting is Austin, TX and it is pretty affordable! Keep your eyes peeled for flash deals on flights and hotel too. Hotel Tonight is also a great resource for more affordable last minute accommodations.

This is my own personal list. Honorable mentions: dirty dozen six organic foods, your living space and what goes in it to bring you peace and joy, and BOOKS! What’s on yours? All the love.

POST FLIGHT SELF CARE

Posted on by rosie

Traveling is probably my most favorite thing to do in the world, but flying is EXHAUSTING. As a flight attendant, I fly more than the average person and after years of doing this, I’ve finally figured out what works for me. I am also going to be sharing ideas via my Instagram friends too!

  • Going outside for some fresh air. I always feel so much better going outside after a long flight! Think about that recycled air – yikes!
  • Grounding. This is a new concept for me, but I am loving it! Grounding means to walk around outside BARE FOOT. Sounds weird, but it’s seriously the coolest and most relaxing feeling.
  • Hydrate. I like to stay hydrated while I fly, and luckily enough, being stuck in the middle or window seat is not an issue. Just remember to continue drinking water post flight because flying is super wearing on your body! The best way to “detox” is to hydrate. You don’t need fancy wellness shots, I swear.
  • Stay active while still listening to my body. After flying, most days I crave a walk or a good sweaty workout in the gym. Other days, I just want to crawl into bed. I try my best to honor my body.
  • Eating a nourishing meal and anti-inflammatory foods. Flying can mean snacking on things you don’t usually eat, and THAT’S OKAY. But after flying, I like to try and make sure that I am taking care of my body by consuming foods that make me FEEL GOOD. For me, that’s hydrating foods (cucumber, tomatoes, watermelon) and anti-inflammatory foods (greens, veggies cooked with turmeric and black pepper, nuts). I also love having smoothies after flights because it’s easier to digest.
  • Gua sha! I love to gua sha every morning but lately I’ve been using my gua sha after flights as well. It gives me a good reason to wash my face, apply nourishing skin serums and oils, then giving my face a little TLC. Gua sha is known to relieve pain, tension, and puffiness!

Other suggestions via IG friends:

  • “I drink a lot of coconut water to replenish electrolytes lost from working! And take a hot shower and relax with essential oils”
  • “Go to the gym and sweat it all out!”
  • “Throw on a face and hair mask, dance it out, journal, and hot shower”
  • “Epsom salt bath and legs up on the wall. Non negotiable”
  • “Shower and then read a good book”
  • “HYDRATE. And shower”
  • “Put on fresh sheets if I’m going home!!”
  • “Go for a long walk outdoors”
  • “I drink sooo much water when I get home after my trips and try to do yoga or exercise!”
  • “Wine. Lots of it.” (same)
  • “Shower!! I always feel so greasy after flights especially long ones”
  • “Thinking about what’s good to eat there!!” (also same)
  • “Drink loads of water and use rose toner spray. Eeeeks dry skin”
  • “Cryotherapy- esp helps with jet lag”
  • “Shower and skin care routine!”
  • “Sleep. I also like journaling and meditating, and skincare”
  • “Immediately unpack, do laundry, and get things put back where they belong”
  • “Take a nap! Because I probs needed 2 Xanax and a wine to get on the plane in the first place” (lol you go brave little toaster!)
  • “Def get fresh air, try to put my toes in the sand/ocean”

Hope this helps, my little gypsies! Safe travels and all the love.

GETTING OVER FOMO AND FINDING BALANCE 

Posted on by rosie

Oh FOMO. 

I’ve spent so many years saying “yes” and piling so much on my plate because I was afraid to say “no.” I was afraid to miss out. Afraid of missed opportunities. Afraid of feeling left out. A lot of this stemmed from my lack of confidence and thankfully, growing up has helped me a lot in that department. Traveling alone is something that has really pushed me out of my comfort zone and gain that confidence and independence I was missing. It made me realize growing up really isn’t so bad.

When I first became a flight attendant, I would spread myself so thin and got very little rest. I put myself second. Coming to realize that has been one of the most life changing thing. Self care is so important, especially with a big life change, for me being my career. I no longer sat in a cubicle working a 9 to 5. Instead, I was getting called at 3am to work a flight at 5am to Alaska when I was packed for Hawaii. I learned a lot and I’ve grown a lot. My layovers (aka rest time) were spent out adventuring. Some of my highlights being: visiting a bald eagle wildlife sanctuary in Sitka, running 8.5 miles around all of Central Park, seeing the White House, visiting ground zero, watching Aladdin on Broadway, going to Disneyland, going to a hot springs in Fairbanks, the list goes on. I am SO incredibly lucky to experience these things and I’m grateful for the memories I’ve made. However, waking up at 2am PST to workout before spending an entire day in DC wandering aimlessly? It’s unlikely I’ll do that again. Balance is so important in every day life, especially when your job is taxing on your body and your sleep schedule is whack. Sometimes you have to learn how to be selfish and care for yourself so you can be your best self.

PRACTICE LISTENING TO YOUR BODY

Being mindful and listening to your body is not an easy thing to do! For some people it might be, but for someone like me who’s always on the go, I had to learn how to take it a step at a time. I started practicing listening to my body after tuning into several podcasts discussing exercise. I felt so burnt out with my HIIT workouts. Not only that, but I was bored of the routine. So I practiced listening to my body by incorporating yoga and allowing myself to practice whenever I felt burnt out. Along with mindful exercise, I also started practicing mindful eating. How many times do you catch yourself snacking just to snack? That was me! I couldn’t stop. I needed a snack if I was bored or if I was watching something on Netflix. It was ridiculous. I’ve noticed a drastic difference in my health since I’ve started mindful eating. I literally ask myself if I’m hungry before I reach for a snack. It’s helped a lot and it’s honestly a mental game most of the time. Love yourself. Rest when you need to. Eat when you’re hungry. Treat yourself how you treat your best friend.

MAKE A LIST

Organizing your thoughts and prioritizing tasks will help you come up with a loose game plan. Keyword: LOOSE. Having a game plan will save you so much time. No zig zagging around town or wandering around aimlessly – unless, of course, that’s what you want to do! It’s really important when making this list to not hold yourself accountable for crossing it all off. I used to do this and it would lead to disappointment. Instead, change your mindset. Allow yourself to change things up and to be spontaneous if that’s how the day goes. Think of how grateful you are to be there in the first place. Enjoy living in the moment and take it all in. Know that quality time is so much more meaningful than the quantity of things you’ve done or seen. Plus, there’s always a next time! If you want to make it happen, it will happen.

TAKE BREAKS

When I was in Stockholm, I learned of a term called “fika.” It means taking a break, usually a snack or coffee break. This was a pretty common thing in Sweden. The coffeeshops were always packed with people and I felt so inspired by it. Now when I travel, I always fit in some time for fika. Whenever I feel myself feeling exhausted, I let myself drop into a coffeeshop and sit with a coffee or tea in hand and just relax. It’s a little reset for the mind, body, and soul. Now, I find myself finding the importance in taking time for myself to take breaks – even if it’s just to breathe deep and slow down.

BE PRESENT

When you’re tackling a long list of things (fun or not), it’s hard to be present. My best friend Abby and I shared the same experience whenever we went on our Disney trips. We’d come back to our hotel and feel like the day just flew by and we felt in a daze. Like we weren’t even there. The next day, I decided we would take “moments.” In these moments, we’d hold hands (optional but also necessary as she’s the yin to my yang), take a deep breath, and do a 360 turn around, absorbing the moment and letting it all sink in. After practicing being present, we noticed a drastic change at the end of the day. Our hearts were so full. We felt present and our memories were more vivid. Don’t forget to take moments for yourself, to take a deep breath, and absorb it all.

STOP MULTITASKING

If you think about it, multitasking requires a lot of attention and effort. It’s extremely difficult to give every task your all versus working on things one at a time. When you’re able to give something your full attention, you’ll be surprised at the result. You might find that you’ll enjoy the movie more or that the cupcakes turned out better than they did last time. Slowing down is not always a bad thing!

BE OKAY WITH SAYING “NO”

Saying “no” isn’t always easy. It took me years to be okay with the thought of disappointing people (BTW – YOU’RE NOT). It’s common flight crews will go out to dinner and drinks together after a long flight and my immediate response was always “yes.” Partly because I didn’t want them to think I didn’t like them and also because I didn’t want to feel like I missed out the next day when it clearly seemed like they had a fun night of bonding. Also because it wasn’t in my nature to say no, I was a “yes girl!” If that’s what you’re thinking too, stop that. Do not hold yourself accountable for saying “yes” ALL THE TIME. It is so important to give your body what it needs. If you don’t feel like socializing after a hard day, don’t force yourself to. You don’t owe it to anybody, you don’t even owe it to yourself. Happiness is listening to your body and being confident in your own decisions.

In the most recent bonus episode of the Soul on Fire podcast, Jordan and Kelly Leveque brush on the topic of FOMO. It’s a really good listen and I found it so relatable. If you’re wanting more FOMO talk, go check it out! Until next time, loves.