Breathe In…. Breathe Out
Hi friends.
Wow, what a great weekend celebrating our 4 year anni! Thank you to everyone who has been along the journey with us and jumped in on the party these past few days. We’re so grateful to be doing something we love and to have the opportunity to be a part of providing you with skin solutions you can trust. It's such an honor!
While the party has been fun (and it’s most certainly not over) we’d love to share a little bit about one of Berlin Skin’s unspoken core values: rest. With all that is going on in the world today, it can be easy to reach for every distraction nearby to help cope with the ebbs and flows of our day. While we’re managing work, relationships, and self, it can be easy to forget to slow down and recharge if we’re not careful.
Resting doesn’t have to look like taking two weeks off in a remote location (although, sometimes this is exactly what the doctor orders!). Most often resting well will only require you to be intentional with your time.
Read on for a short guide to resting well.
Embrace the Mundane
Small, everyday moments can be great opportunities to slow down. Think a midday break in which you turn off all electronics, make yourself your fave beverage, and sit outside under the open sky. It's like a little reset button for your mind and body.
Learn to Breathe
Did you know deep breathing practices engage the parasympathetic nervous system, which inhibits the body from overworking and restores the body to a calm state? It’s truly a built in de-stressing tool our bodies provide for us. Here’s a quick method to try next time you take a break:
1 - Breathe in through the nose for 4 seconds.
2 - Hold the breath for 7 seconds.
3 - Breathe out through the mouth for 8 seconds.
Repeat this 5-7 times.
Practice the Self-Check In
Isn’t it crazy how long we can go without checking in with ourselves? Asking simple questions each day (or each week) can offer us some real self-awareness and opportunities to grow in self care. Here are a few questions to help you get started:
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How does my body feel right now? Is there tension anywhere specific? (If yes, pause and practice your breathing exercises while giving attention to those areas and intentionally allowing your body to release it).
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Have I spend time with any loved ones recently? If no, reach out to a friend or family member to reconnect. If yes, take note of how good it feels to have those relationships and practice gratitude for that gift.
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Am I feeling hurried? If so, why? Where am I rushing off to? Remind yourself that most often when we are feeling hurried and busy, we’re not taking care of ourselves or the people around us well. In most situations, “hurry” isn’t necessary. So give yourself permission to slow down and go at a pace that still offers you the opportunity to rest well.
Establish a Rhythm
Although we can all practice rest everyday in small ways, every once in a while it's important to take an extended time off to allow our minds and bodies to really detox from the grind. We realize this is truly a privilege and not all of us have the luxury of taking more than a weekend off of work. But what’s important is that we all do what we can with what we have and practice being intentional.
Resting well is a mindset and a way of going about your everyday. We hope you find these moments of rest today — and where you find yourself feeling tense or stressed, we hope you take a moment to breathe through it.
You are worthy of rest; the world needs you to care for yourself well.
Cheers to resting well.
The Berlin Skin Team