You Don’t Need To Learn How To Meditate To Meditate

All you have to do is commit and show up to meditate every single day, at least once a day and you will be meditating. Regardless. Even if you think you aren’t. Because unlike you think, you can have thoughts and more thoughts coming in your way while meditating, you may need to still adjust your posture during it a few times, you can feel uncomfortable doing it for whatever the reason… You can even feel as if you are not meditating at all, but guess what? You are.

Image: Pixabay.

Because meditation is that time of the day that you choose to spend in your company. Mind, body, soul, spirit. All of you. The dark and the light side and every rainbow in between. It’s that moment that you chose to become more aware of you, of your breathe, even of your thoughts. The louder ones and the whispering ones.

And yes, if you get lucky from time to time you will gonna have that feeling, that experience of empty mind and the fullness of your own true self. But that is not the goal when you sit to meditate. The goal is to let those moments you spend meditating every day bring to your daily life a more serene approach to it, to get a sharper mind to focus and deal better if whatever it may come, to be more opened and compassionate with others, to align yourself with the Universe and flow with it, to be more aware and conscious of who you are, what is your bliss and be able to go for it, to help you go through heaven and hell right here on earth. That is what meditation is for.

And in order to get all the benefits of it you don’t need to learn or be the perfect Meditator. No. You just have to have to sit and breathe as deeply and slow as you can and let it be for some minutes every day. Consistently.

Can you do that?

Then you can meditate.

And if by any chance you said you can’t for this (oh, I don’t have time) or that (I can’t sit still for a few minutes), be aware that this is one big part of you speaking: your ego. Embrace it, hear it, give it a big hug and let it go. Your ego is just there to mess up with you and the way you interact with others and the world. It’s up to you to let it rule your life or not. Regarding meditation or any other subject.

Up to you. Like it’s to decide to give a chance to meditation.

Why Self-Care Matters And Should Be A Priority

And going straight to the point using a cliché to illustrate it (but a so true one), here is why self-care matters and should be a priority in your list:

Do you remember that safety rule on airplanes regarding the oxygen masks? If by any chance they drop down in front of you on a flight you should put your own mask first and then help somebody else to put their own if needed, even if it is your child who is that someone? And you should do this because if you don’t take care of yourself first you might end up passing out and possibly dying because of it. Would you like to pass out in a situation like that, especially with your child at risk by your side? Of course not. So to prevent that you should take care of yourself first and then help your child. This way you will not be at risk of fainting.

This rule totally makes sense in an airplane but for some weird reason when we apply it to our daily lives it suddenly doesn’t. We think it’s a selfish act, a bad, less thing to do when in fact it’s not.

Because just as it happens in an airplane emergency, in our daily lives if we don’t self-care for ourselves first we are not gonna be able to help ourselves or even others too. Due to the same exact reason: We will not have what it takes to do so. Not properly. Not fully. We need oxygen, fuel, clarity, energy to be able to function, to do something for others without compromising our act and our own physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually integrity. And because of that we need to put our self-care mask first, refuel ourselves in order to be able to help others, to take a good care of them.

And there are so many ways to self-care for yourself, to refuel you…

Like:

Just sitting down quietly and listening to what you really, really wants and needs.

And go for it.

Breathe deep and properly many times throughout the day.

Meditate.

Do some yoga.

Practice some exercise.

Go for a walk.

Eat foods that nourish you.

Take care of your health.

Make sure you are sleeping well and enough.

Having your back.

Take a bubbly warm bath (or a super cold shower if that is what you need).

Go for a full body massage.

Take a day off to be in and rest.

Sleep a full day.

Take a resting vacation.

Enjoy that cup of hot tea. Hot chocolate. Coffee.

Be out in nature.

Dance in the rain.

Swim in the ocean.

Say as many NOs as you think you need to.

Speak up.

Stand up for yourself in a loving way.

Be opened to love and be loved.

Laugh.

Share.

Live.

Flow.

Be surrounded by people you love.

Learn something new.

Rest unapologetically every time you need to.

Just chose whatever activity refuels your energy, joy, yourself. Plan that. Make time for it. Daily. Like you make time to brush your teeth or to work. Do with an intention. And allow yourself to be there, experiencing it, living it, breathing it. Just you with yourself. And loved ones.

Besides the oxygen mask effect, it is only taking a good care of yourself that you can be fully you and have the proper energy to offer the world that special gift that only you are equipped to do so. Otherwise… you won’t be able to. And that is, indeed, a bloody selfishness thing to do.

Why Is A Good Idea To Have A Great LoungeWear Wardrobe

In any age, your loungewear clothes should be picked as any other clothes in your wardrobe: carefully curated to suit your body type, personal style, lifestyle and taste. And equally immaculate: no buttons missing, no holes, no discoloration, no worn out pieces. Because they do matter. Even if you live alone. And no, it is not because we never know who can knock at our doors (although that would be a good pro)… but because you deserve to present yourself in your best version all the time, even when there is no one around but yourself. Because you are worthy and deserve it. Full stop.

My loungewear jumpsuit that goes easily from my couch to the market.

With that in mind, picking good pieces to lounge at your house is a must. And here I am not implying that you should buy expensive, high quality, fashion forward clothes. Not at all. Basic, comfortable, affordable and yet good looking and good to be in clothes that totally flatter you and your body type will do it. Think about pieces that you can stay comfy at home but if you need you could go to the market nearby to buy groceries or walk your dog at the park or even go to the mall and rock it. Think of pieces that look good on you, color-wise, shape-wise, model-wise.

And no, you don’t need a lot of pieces, just a few to cover both cold and warm weather, perfect pieces to wear them off. And when they get to the point they need replacement, do so. Because the idea here is to have clothes in the perfect shape to wear in and out.

Here is a list of how a good lounge wear wardrobe could be:

• 3 short sleeves tees or any short sleeves tops.
• 3 long sleeves tees or any long sleeves tops.
• 2 sweaters.
• 2 cardigans or any other coat.
• 2 comfy pants like leggings or a straight leg pants.
• 1 flowy jumpsuit.
• 3 dresses.

If you don’t like any of the pieces on the list, you don’t need to include them. For instance, if dresses are not your thing, you don’t need to include them. Instead, add more pants and tees. If you like shirts, tunics, boho blouses (or dresses) you can add them as well. This is just a very impersonal list I made above. Make it personal to you and your style. Please.

And yes, if you dye your hair at home or do anything that could bleach, stain or ruin your clothes, you can have two set of clothes for that activity. Those clothes can be the damage ones. No problem. For any other activities, make sure your clothes are impeccable.

Here there is a Pinterest board with good ideas for a good and versatile loungewear wardrobe. Some of the looks featured on this board are already outdoors look so you can have the feeling how it is a loungewear that you can go out with.

And this approach to loungewear should be embraced especially but not only for us, women going through any phase of Menopause. Cause more than ever, the loungewear wardrobe will matter since lounging is gonna be our favorite estate, right? And if you build your loungewear wardrobe with that in mind, you will not need to change your clothes if you have to interrupt your lounging to go out for a quick ride. You will be ready to go. And in style.

How To Find The Perfect Shades Of Colors For Your Skin Undertone

Yep, it is your skin undertone that will dictate which shades of colors will complement your skin. And by complement your skin I mean that shade of color that will make you look your very best, that will uplift you, that will enhance your best features and that will make you glow even with no makeup on or sans a nice healthy tan to back you up.

And yes, you read it right: I said shades of color and not color, because for each 12 seasons (yes, you read it right again!) there will be different shades of blue, green, yellow, red, purple, pink, orange, gray etc that will be perfect for each. In another words, if you want to find the right colors for your skin you will need to think about which shades of colors are your best friends.

I am not gonna explain about each season here because to know which one you belong to you will need to do a draping test and only with this test you will know for sure which season you are in. There is no other way to know. But here I am gonna focus on a simplified way, without any need for a seasonal knowledge to figure out which shades of each color suits you the best. Actually, this is my favorite way to figure color out anyways. Because when you take the test you get your color palette with just a few shades of colors (around 55) and those are not your only options. And the only way to know about the other shades that suit you is by doing this test I am gonna teach you.

First, you will need a natural light from a window or a door or from being outdoors. And a mirror. It is a good idea to have no distractions in your background or simply choose a gray one. Make sure you have no make up on. Then get the piece of clothing with the particular shade of color and place it right below your chin. Then pay attention to the effects that this shade of color causes in your face such as:

• The white part in your eyes looks sparkling whiter.
• So your teeth. (smile to check this out)
• Your skin looks healthier.
• If you have dark circles or bags under your eyes they will look smoother, suddenly.
• Even without makeup you look refreshed, glowing, your best.
• The wrinkles might look smoother.

If you got those effects when testing a shade of color, then yes, this is a friendly one. If by any chance the results you get when you test that shade of color is:

• Unhealthy, opaque or dull looking skin.
• Opaque eyes.
• More than usual yellow smile.
• Wrinkles look more visible.

Then that shade of color is not your bff.

By the way, your friendly shades of colors are your best bet to wear near your face in tops, scarves, coats etc. When you wear them near your face they will do their magic. If you like a shade of color that doesn’t belong to your friendly palette you can wear it in a place away from your face as a bag, a shoe, a skirt or pants, for example with no side effects.

If you have a tan, you can do the test and take a note that this shade of color is great for you with a tan and when you no longer have a tan, retest it to confirm if it is a good shade of color for you. I am saying it because sometimes makeup and a tan can help a shade of color be your friend, but without them, not so much. And here we are trying to establish which shades of colors are the very best for you under any circumstances. Although, of course that if a shade of color looks good on you wearing makeup or a tan and you do intend to wear that shade of color with one or the other, than that color will be a good friend of yours then.

Got it?

Another way to know if a shade of color is your best friend: take a mental note to the compliments you get every time you wear a particular shade of color. That can help too.

If you still want to know… the 12 seasons are: True Spring, Light Spring, Bright Spring, True Summer, Light Summer, Soft Summer, True Autumn, Soft Autumn, Deep Autumn, True Winter, Deep Winter and Bright Winter. Some of those fell under the warm undertones, some under the cool undertones and some others under neutral undertones. The easiest way to know whether you are warm, cool or neutral just do the test with silver, yellow gold and see which one looks best on you. If it is gold, then warm you are. If it is silver, then cool you are. If you look good with both, then you are neutral.

If you are not so sure about the outcome of the shades of colors you can always invite a dear friend that can help you with that.

Because Keeping The Skin Hydrated Is a Must

If there is one thing I have learned since I entered the menopause is that you must keep your skin hydrated. At all costs. Perhaps this is the most important step in your daily facial routine. For any woman, no matter her age. Because there is no way for your skin to look healthy and glowing without being properly hydrated. It will also help to prevent and/or keep the wrinkles at bay. Ish. Because hydration is one of the elements your skin needs to age well and kicking.

So, find out that great moisturizer that works wonders for you and use it. Every single day. Twice a day. With no excuse. How can you find the perfect moisturizer for yourself? You gotta try the options around till you find the right one for you. Because every single person is different and what works for me might not do the same for you. Simple as that. And there is no other way to find that out. Unfortunately.

For me, the best moisturizer that I ever came across is the Belif’s Aqua Bomb. Love this moisturizer. My skin feels hydrated and luminous all the way. It works wonders for me. And how about yours? Which one does the trick for you?

And don’t forget to drink lots of water. Because keep hydration from inside out is another must.