November 19, 2018
A Gentle Solution// Shani Hillian
Monday is hard. As part of our Tender Touch campaign, we're asking LAP babes to write about what it means to give themselves a tender touch. Our recent post comes from Shani Hillian :)
I spilled my tea all over the kitchen counter and accidentally hung up on USPS customer service whom I've been on hold with for over an hour, all before 10 am. Oh, the joy and pleasures of Monday's.
No day is ever the same for me as my schedule is inconstant. It's more like an unpredictable 11-13 hour day with mini moments of calm to zone out and stay sane, especially when living in the city that never sleeps. The way my schedule aligned this week, my Monday would be considered your Friday, so I'm not dreading the day ahead as much as most. Those late night party days are long over for me, so I indulge in nightly rituals that keep my mind, body, and spirit nourished for the week to come. Although most days are unpredictable one thing remains consistent in my life — self-care. It's my time to decompress, declutter my mind, tuck away my woes for the night and just... be.
I begin my ritual by lighting a candle, running a warm sacred bath infused with fresh lavender and chamomile herbs to aid in relaxation while Miles Davis plays sweet love tunes in the distance. Sounds super romantic for a Monday night right? That's because it is. It's my "I love you" to myself, wholeheartedly and unapologetically. This is me, instilling self-love into my being with a tender touch of self-care.
After a soulful session of herbal bathing, I follow up with a full body exfoliation with a lemon zest body scrub by Travel Addict + Healers. I know it seems counterintuitive to scrub after a relaxing bath but it's actually better for the skin. Because I sat in a warm therapeutic bath for 40 mins, my pores have opened so there's no need to scrub vigorously, rather apply gentle pressure in a tender, circular motion to give a massaging effect. I follow up by moisturizing with Lauren's All Purpose Salve, adding a light massage to ease any muscle tension or mental woes lingering from the day. I opted for LAPS because it's the only product I own that can be used everywhere on my body, from my hair to my cuticles. I apply a quarter size amount to my hair after its freshly washed and still damp to seal in products applied prior and to add more moisture during the colder season. As a curly girl, my hair is already so dry so I try to give it as much love as it can receive.
I end my night by journaling. It allows me to purge my thoughts and put my problems to paper before releasing them during meditation. I’ve noticed that by doing all of these things, I sleep sounder and wake up feeling refreshed and ready to start my day. I'm more creative and purposeful throughout the day which has been a game changer. I used to think that going to a spa, getting a professional massage or going to yoga was the only form of self-care, but it's not. All of those things are wonderful but sometimes time doesn't permit such luxury, so I shifted my perception of what self-care truly is. My Current Ritual: penetrating love and happiness into my being, in all ways, without compromise.