Turn off the lights

If you don’t remember biology class too well, you might not realize that our eyes are made up of cone cells and rod cells. These cells account for us seeing colour and us seeing light. When it is dark these cells shut down and this is why we feel tired and are able to fall asleep more easily. But if you always have bright lights on before going to sleep your eyes will struggle to relax. This is why switching off the lights and opting for candles or a lamp is much better and will allow you to get ready for a restful slumber.

Switch off the screens

Phone, TV, Tablet… it’s all great to have in the evenings. However the activity of looking at these screens all of the time is keeping our brain awake and it makes it hard for us to relax. Ideally, an hour before bed you will want to shut down all technology and have some reading time or a chat with your partner instead. This will give your body chance to relax and get ready for sleep.

Get better bedding

The bed and bedding you have will always have an impact on your sleep. Whether you have a firm or soft mattress, firm pillows and a thick duvet will determine how well you sleep because it will determine how comfortable you are. Think about looking for Chiropedic bedding to support your back in sleep and look for medium pillows which allow for comfort without your head sinking straight through it. All of these things will make a difference.

Use lavender oil

Essential oils have been used for hundreds of years and have helped with a number of health issues. One of the things it can really help with is your sleep. Lavender oil diluted with some water in a spray bottle can be just what you need to spray on your pillow before you go to sleep. It will help the body relax and allow you to sleep soundly.

Drink mint tea

Whether you like drinking before bed or not, there is a lot to be said for enjoying a refreshing cup of peppermint tea after a long day. Peppermint is a great way to make us feel more relaxed and it can be the perfect brew to enjoy before we go to bed for the night. Think about having a cup about an hour before bed to give your body the chance to soak up all that goodness.

Hope these help!

Yes, there are tons of other wholesome activities and practices that you can do to take care of yourself without the use of ANY products…but sometimes they do help. So here are my current favourites products that I’ve been incorporating into my self-care practice.

Lush Pink Bath Bomb

Pink is a fizzer, meaning when you drop it into your bath, it will fizz away and create dreamy pink streaks in your bath water. This pretty baby smells like… sweet candy with notes of vanilla. It. Is. Fabulous. Seriously amazing stuff.

Lush Twilight Bath Bomb

This pink bath bomb soaks away to streams of pink, purple, and blue and smells like a lavender dream. What more do I really have to say? It’s the PERFECT bath bomb for relaxation.

Lush Sleepy Body Cream & Twilight Body Spray

Am I currently a little Lush obsessed? Maybe just a little. Sleepy body cream and Twilight body spray have the same Lavender and Tonka scent as the Twilight bath bomb and seriously if you haven’t tried it yet, you need to. My favourite out of the three is definitely the sleepy body cream. That stuff has been like crack to me. The scent is heavenly and it leaves your skin feeling SO amazing.

To top it off, I’ll spritz Twilight over my sheets and the two together make the PERFECT bedtime combo.

Saje Diffuser in Stone

You can really replace this one with any diffuser, but the Saje Aroma-Ohm diffuser in Stone is my absolute favourite. Not because it works particularly better than any other diffuser I’ve used, but just because it is so aesthetically pleasing.

Saje Chill Out Essential Oil

This has got to be my favourite diffuser oil to date. The mix of Pine and Sandalwood is really my perfect scent. I would probably honestly wear this as a perfume if they made one. The great thing about any of their oils, is that you can do so much with it. Take a few drops in a spray bottle with water and you can spray it on your sheets/bed. Put some in scentless soap and you’ll have an amazing new soap. The possibilities are endless.

Lululemon Double Roller

I honestly thought the design of this roller was ingenious. I would usually recommend anyone to go and just get a cheap foam roller from Winners or Amazon, but this Lulu one is worth it. It’s essentially a 2-in-1 roller with the smaller side being great for your back and larger one great for your arms and legs. The grooves and textures are also different so they will massage you a little differently. Having a job where I am sitting all day has been TERRIBLE for my body so foam rolling has literally been saving my life.

These are all definitely little treats in my self-care routine, but sometimes it’s a little bit necessary.

Let me know if you’ve tried any of these products and what you thought.

The Right Ingredients For A Balanced Life

Your diet can play a major part in keeping you happy, full, and healthy. Not to mention, keeping certain health conditions at bay. A lack of vitamins, minerals, and fibre can lead to an array of things that you’ll have to speak to your doctor about, so it’s worth doing all you can to avoid getting sick. It’s not only the vitamins in fresh vegetables and fruit that can boost your inner health; you will benefit from the fibre in meals too. Fibre will help keep everything running smoothly, and ensure that any sugars or carbohydrates within the meal, or throughout the day, are absorbed steadily. It’s important to remember that there are still sugars in fruit, but they will be fat-free and full of vitamins and fibre, so fruit salad is far more nutritious than a pick-and-mix. It’s not about cutting out all carbohydrates and fats; you’ll need these for energy, and to help you all get through the day. Research into potential supplements you might need; reading up on the side effects of ginseng and various other vitamins will help you decide where and what to add to your food.

Switch Off And Rest When Needed

It’s pointless getting medical help, instructions, and medication only to continue on with your life as you did beforehand. It’s crucial that you take enough time away from work, socializing, and any parties, to put your feet up and relax, and get plenty of sleep. Try not to think about what you’re missing out on; look at it as though you are taking action to get back into the swing of things as soon as possible. Choose a night in with a bath, Netflix, and your cosy clothing over a night out for drinks or late night dinners with colleagues. It might not come naturally, especially for all your extroverts out there—but the more you take time to rest and sleep, the more you’ll begin to feel the benefits. And as a bonus, you’ll end up looking great when you do venture out to your next get-together. Filling up on the right stuff and allowing yourself to rest when needed are the best methods for great inner health and leading to a bright and happy future ahead.

Everyone struggles with their self-image at on point or another. I, myself, have moments still where my confidence falters and self-esteem decreases. It’s important to remember that even those that we look up to—the models, actresses, influencers, vloggers…whoever they may be—have moments of self-doubt and battle their insecurities. 

In this article, I want to share a few tips on improving your self-esteem. Hopefully next time you’re feeling down and in the dumps, you’ll remember these tips and it’ll help you feel better!

1. Be Mindful

Be aware of the moments you have your self-doubt. Whether it’s your thoughts, actions, or negative self-talk—identify these moments. It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing our self-limiting talk, especially when we don’t realize we’re doing it. 

If you can become aware of all the moments you are putting yourself down, you can begin to gently remind yourself to do the opposite. 

2. Avoid Comparison At All Costs

As I mentioned earlier, our hyper-connectivity to the world through social media is a huge enabler when it comes to comparison. It’s hard to practice acceptance when everywhere you look there is another woman more successful, more confident, and fitter than you. But you have to remember, that just because someone appears happy, confident, or even content on social media—does not mean they’re truly happy in real life. Everyone puts their best face forward on social, nobody ever shows the bad side. 

The sooner you realize that EVERYONE has their insecurities and NOBODY is perfect, the easier it will be for you to avoid comparison. If you HAVE to compare, use your comparisons as motivation rather than self-deprecation. Shift your energy into you bettering yourself rather than bashing yourself. 

3. Excercise!

This seems like the most redundant solution but it’s one that’s been tried and true. There are many studies that link exercise and higher self-esteem. Whether it’s working up a sweat doing cardio, or making your body a lean, mean, strong machine by weight-training—exercise will help with the release of dopamine in your brain (also known as the happy chemical) which in-turn will make you happier and get you feeling better about yourself. 

For me personally, whenever I stop working out consistently, I notice a huge difference in my mood and how I view myself. Even though my weight and body shape doesn’t fluctuate that much between when I am working out and when I’m not, I generally find myself a lot happier and confident when I am consistently gymming. 

Start With These But Continue Your Search!

There are tons of articles and resources out there that provide even more tips to boosting your self-esteem and improving your self-image. Start with these 3 tips but don’t stop there! Self-esteem is an ongoing battle that you’ll probably find yourself struggling with in more moments than one. As long as you can be aware of these moments and consciously make the effort to remove yourself from that sense of negativity and re-shift your focus and energy to a more positive, self-improving mindset, you’re well on your way to having less and less moments of self-doubt. 

Until next time, 

Learn to Fail

Success, and pressure to achieve it at any cost is pushed on us all from a very young age, and the effects are still felt well into our lives. One thing that is not taught enough, is how to deal with failure. If you want to achieve anything in your life, you have to try, and with trying comes the possibility of failing. Learning to deal with it is the best way to ensure you remain positive, and you can dust yourself off, ready to try something else.

Few people are successful from the outset, and if you’re doing it off your own back, then you have to be okay with failing. This is the only thing that will put you on the path to achieving what you want. Then success will be that much sweeter, knowing you have worked for it.

Use that Body of Yours

This is the prime time of your life, and the best your body is ever going to be. Making the most of it is a must, and there is something out there to suit everyone. Achieving physical feats whether that’s being able to run 1km without stopping or a triathlon, will show you how much you are capable of achieving.

Using your body will make you realize how much is mind over matter, and that you can achieve so much with hard work and willpower. Not to mention, looking better, feeling better, and all that dopamine you will experience when you get some exercise!

Try Another Career Path

Many people talk about the current market, that it is harder to get jobs and harder to keep them. So, why not take advantage of that? This is the best time to try a different career path and challenge yourself. You could consult with companies like https://www.gobear.com/my/travel-insurance, and go try and find a career abroad, or in a different part of the country. There are so many opportunities out there, waiting for you to try them.

Knowing what to do with your life is one thing, but making sure you make the most of it along the way is a good place to start. Wherever you go, and wherever you end up, at least you will have had a blast along the way. Now isn’t a time to worry about the future, and get stressed about the pressures of life, it’s a time to try out new things, and learn how to get back up after failures. 

Until next time, 

I am so excited to finally be able to share this amazing campaign with everyone… 

Back story :

Recently I was contacted by the beautiful and sweet Taylor Hui to be a part of a campaign with an amazing message. BeaYOUtiful is a not-for-profit organization that she started to support and promote confidence and self-love within young girls. The campaign, “The Roster”, is a gathering of some of Vancouver’s top influencers to stand together in redefining society’s idea of what “beautiful” means. This weekend will be the official launch of their black and white t-shirts! 10% of the proceeds will be going toward the BeaYOUtiful organization. 

I am absolutely in love with the simple and clean cut of these t-shirts.

“Two shirts, one goal. The Roster strives to break the boundaries of what media defines as “beautiful”. We are crossing boarders to exemplify that self-confidence and respect among men and women, is what a beautified world should look like. “

I’ve included some pictures below from the shoot for The Roster’s t-shirts. 

I just want to say I’m super thankful Taylor contacted me to be a part of this movement. I strongly believe in the importance of encouraging young girls and boys to love themselves for who they are rather than to compare themselves to society’s idea of “perfect”. We are all unique and beautiful in our own way. I think a lot of people would be much happier if they could realize and understand that. 

Join us in supporting this cause and shop the limited edition t-shirts at BeTheRoster.com now ! 

OR check out their links here : 

The Roster Instagram

BeaYOUtiful Instagram

Noah’s (Photographer) Instagram