The Weekend Whim 7 - LOVE YO'SELF!

If I had a pound for everytime I've seen the phrase 'TREAT YO'SELF' on the internet, I would have enough money to treat myself to a trip around the world, a couple of pairs of Jimmy Choos, and several metres of the finest Liberty print fabric around. The thing is, we all love to treat ourselves from time to time (myself included), however recently I've been thinking about treating myself to things which don't necessarily involve a price tag. I suppose there are all kinds of ways to describe this - 'me-time', or a bit of self love, but I'm hoping the catch phrase LOVE YO'SELF will catch on. When you have a lot on your plate, it's important to remember to take a little bit of time to do nothing but indulge in some serious me-time (and no, Netflix marathons don't count). Here are a few ways I'm indulging this weekend...

Reading
Reading a book or a magazine requires your full concentration, so your mind isn't allowed to wander to other things (like your to-do list!). It's such a relaxing thing to do just before going to sleep, and is infinitely more satisfying than spending an evening channel surfing. I also love a good audio book - it frees up my hands so that I can knit at the same time (two birds with one stone!)

Exercise
Nothing beats exercise when it comes to feeling energised, and it can really lift your mood too. My secret is that I have to find something I enjoy doing - there's no point doing exercise if you hate doing it! I find yoga really relaxing, especially when following a routine from Youtube; like reading it requires my full concentration, so my mind feels so refreshed afterwards. I also love a game of badminton or tennis - it's great fun, and not so full on that you can't have a chat with whoever you're playing with.

Music
Recently, when listening to music, I just can't settle down and listen to an album from start to end. I either skip tracks or end up listening to one song on a loop (Believe by Mumford and Sons, mostly). However, I find listening to a whole album so relaxing and satisfying - listening to several different songs can be really disjointed! So, I've recently rediscovered some of my all time favourite albums - this one's my go to one for a soothing background sound.

Being Creative
Dedicating my time to a creative project is really satisfying, whether it's a small quick project, or something that requires further planning and time. It can be a really relaxing thing to do, especially after a busy, heavy day - stick something light-hearted on the TV, and get stuck in. Getting other people involved is a great idea if you're looking to make an afternoon of it - with cake, of course.

Blogging
When I've had a busy day, nothing lifts me more than planning future posts for here. It encourages me to think creatively, and whilst at the moment I have to plan taking photographs around the times of the day it's actually light, a lot of the time, I can plan a post and finish it in the next week or so. I like that it gives me something to write that's not an essay, and having a couple of posts a week means I find it easier to take a break and force myself to write here.

So, put the kettle on to boil, and dedicate some time to yourself! Hope you've all had a great weekend!