New Year, New Habits.

Self care has become such a pivotal part of our lives, and rightfully so.

Here are some of our self care tips to add on to this year’s resolutions:

Sleep.

“Early to Sleep, Early to Rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” The old saying still holds TRUE. allow your body to rest and re-energize to tackle the next day at its best.

Watch your Gut.

Often FEELING sick or fatigued? the issue might lie in your gut. your immune system and the microbes in your intestines are strongly related; therefore, Taking care of your digestive health is an effective way to stay healthy. here’s how:

• Take probiotics or foods with probiotics in them, like yogurt. (Ask your doctor for suggested brands.)

• decrease your sugars or carbs.

• try weaning off gluten.

• Avoid processed foods.

• add greens to your regular diet. (Spinach, kale, and blue-green algae are also good for your eye health!)

Exercise Daily.

Whether it’s a trip to the gym, a brisk 20-minute walk, or a quick dumbbells routine, get your muscles going. your body will thank you and your newfound energy will be proof of that.

Learn to Say “No”.

do you feel the anxiety of obligation to attend every event in the name of friendship / family? we get it. you’re a popular one. here’s the thing. your loved ones will understand when you have to take care of you. invite yourself to a party of 1. You deserve it.

Go Outside.

Life gets rough. leave it behind for a bit and take A walk. a nice breath of fresh air to immerse yourself in and let it go for awhile. go ahead. you owe it to yourself.

Organize Yourself.

Get It Together by keeping it tidy. de-cluttering your space helps de-clutter the mind.

Cook at Home.

expand your palate and your talents. you might also save yourself a few hundred calories in the process.

Start a Side Hustle.

bring your passions to life by doing what you love in your spare time. P.S. It’s a great Stress reliever.

Try Something New.

Maybe a new restaurant? parasailing? a trip to A new City? Country? Let’s go! (Don’t forget to pack your sunglasses!)

Read a Book.

and we mean the old beloved page-turning paper-backs. unwind by escaping to a world of fiction or history, whatever your flavor of genre. (For all our Far-sighted or multi-focal wearers, remember to use your reading correction to keep your brain at ease.)

Schedule your Self-Care Time…

…and guard that time with everything you have. 

with all pride and no shame. make time for A massage. A face mask (remember cucumber for its hydrating effects on your eyelids!). Light a candle and settle in.

Meditate.

according to research, meditating counteracts the damaging effects of stress and calms our fight-or-flight response. try 5 minutes of your day. put it on a timer.

Practice Session: Close your eyes. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4, breathe out for 5... Repeat.

Disconnect to Reconnect.

turn off your social media and outside-world devices to reconnect with your inner self. it might feel strange at first, but trust us when we say, it’s liberating. (not to mention, it frees your eyes from the blue light radiation for a moment.)

Eat a Healthy Snack.

Gain the right kind of calories as you fuel up with some carrots and hummus, celery and peanut butter, and unsalted saltine crackers/grapes/cream cheese platter. maybe a handful of blueberries and cottage cheese too? (berries = antioxidants, which builds our bodies’ natural defenses, including our eyes.)

Pay it Forward.

There’s a lot of hate in this world, but there’s just as much good. add light to the good by giving back. Donate to a charity of your choice. give away your old clothes, books, and unused furniture. take part in a blood drive. small acts of kindness spread like wildfire. give back and you shall receive a sense of fulfillment of a selfless kind.

Start the new year with you in mind.