Self care isn't selfish

Self care isn't selfish

Goooders:

So, self-care?

Eva:

Yes! People are starting to understand – as a result of 2020 and now into 2021 – how important it is to take care of ourselves but for many of us, we don’t really know how to.

For some, it's normal, meditate, use aromatherapy and natural things and working that list of what they are grateful for, some people (maybe most people) look at me like: ‘Ah, okay, you are having a guru moment!’

Goooders:

That's so funny.

Eva:

Yes, and I'm like girls. I mean, it's really, really important!

Goooders:

So, what has been your journey into self-care?

Eva:

It's been like a step-by-step discovery. Probably, during the worst part of my life, I reached another level of knowing myself, and to understand what I needed in terms of what I loved or hated, ways in which you learn how to respond to what's going on around you.

Often, we respond passively to what happens in our surroundings, and I think part of self-care is knowledge. Knowing of what you want and very important – which I learned lately – learning to listen to our intuition, that it's so important. I think being ‘self-caring’ is a way to understand yourself more and to listen to your gut feelings.

For me, literally every time I've been listened, it’s never been wrong. Scientists have been studying how our gut is like a second brain. Looking after ourselves is of course what you eat, how you eat and what you put on your skin. Listening when we need more water, more fruits or minerals. It’s a way to feed the ‘second brain’ which for me is more linked to emotional intelligence. 

So, my story, is I wasn’t listening to my gut feeling and I learned to be driven, even using meditation, because it was: I need to reach this goal, and how can I respond to this difficulty. And thank god to time off, I realized oh I have totally been missing the point: I need to be okay with what is, ask myself: how are you feeling today? And what do you really want?

And, and, um, and you have all the response you want within you. And when you follow that path, I mean, it's a totally different life.

Goooders:

Hmmm, I can relate. What do you think stops people from getting started on taking care of themselves?

Eva:

The thing is, many people see this, all this process, like a little bit out of reach now. Like you have to go somewhere like Bali and stay there for seven days minimum or do a juice fast for days on end. No, you can integrate things, add little habits into your daily life. And they should be fun as well!

Follow your instinct is my advice, whether it’s the moon's phases, the scents in your home, like Jasmine, which is said to open the third eye and things like that. Well, of course you can believe them or not and by being playful, you start practicing will see how powerful some of these can be.

Also guided meditation is a way in, developing the mindfulness that connect us to the present moment.

Goooders:

How does a goooder do self-care?

Eva:

Ah, well because we are goooders, self-care is also what we wear and what we put on our face and how we handle ourselves. I discovered a couple of weeks ago how important it is to do things for yourself when nobody is watching. Not in front of anyone, not for Instagram or to please other people.

These winter months (well here in Italy at least) they are a good time to explore this especially since 2020 has been so challenging.

Goooders:

It's almost like we need to detox from 2020.

Eva:  

Exactly. Detox from it and you know, also learn from it.

For sure to detox because we have to breathe out all this anxiety, uncertainty, depression, fear, feelings of loneliness or being useless, whatever we need to exhale.

And at the same time, remember, nail down what has been good for us. Here we say: ‘if you do goood, you look goood’. The re-frame is to start to do good for yourself, then others, and then the planet.

If we don’t start with ourselves, it’s not going to reflect our true self.

Goooders:

That makes me think of the metaphor that you need to put your own oxygen mask first, like they advise us on planes.

Eva:

Exactly, especially because we are travelers, we conscious travelers must get that.

Goooders:

How do we cozy up this January, February, to get started or support our self-care routines?

Eva:

I say start with sleep! A good night’s sleep is the best gift you can give yourself. We love the Nimboo sleeping masks which are organic cotton, handmade in India. They are naturally died from flowers gathered in temples around the Marahastra region, and they are lightly scented with lavender to help us snooze – whatever the time of day!

Goooders:

Let’s give them a try. And what should we lounge in?

Eva:

Our pajamas gOOOders x Opaline are great for this, they can be where at home, but also outside and they're very refined.

So, after a nice bath, you wrap yourself in one of those pajamas, in super soft cotton gauze. The piping and detailing are so beautiful, all handmade, very special.

We also have treats for your furry friends, cats or dogs. We have this beautiful blanket from ‘Le Sauvage Decorateur’ that you can put on a sofa, or on their bed, so they can cozy up too. It’s really soft for their skin and machine washable, very durable, and made with eco-friendly materials. The brand also supports NGO’s in Africa and also to an animal shelter in Torino, Italy.

Goooders:

Anything else you’d recommend?

Eva:

Well sometimes when it’s cold out I sleep with a hoodie on and I love this one by Riley. It’s super soft, also in organic cotton. Because it’s meant to be oversized, it’s very roomy and great for travel too. When we can travel again that is.

Goooders:

Any specific advice or tip about self-care? What’s the one thing you think everybody should try?

Eva:

I’d say have time just for yourself. An hour, if you can, or 45 minutes for yourself, whether in the morning or in the evening. I try to let go of the day, read a bit of my favorite book, maybe write a little, light my favorite candle and anything else relaxing, uncomplicated

Uh, 30 minutes an hour every, every day from being maybe from seven to seven to eight or from seven to eight, where I think about when they were like, when I read a little bit of, you know, my favorite book, usually they're those, you know, educational self-improvement books. I read the, I read the line and maybe I write something. It’s more like self-love really. And the more you give love to something, the better it is, right? And the more you are able to listen to your own needs and wants.

It’s only recently that I discovered how important is the relationship with oneself. We always think about relationships with family, with partner, with kids, we talk about our relationship with the environment, with the people at the workplace, but we never talk about the relationship with self. And yet it’s the most important one, because, you know, it’s like a forever relationship!

Gooders:

Thank you, Eva. Any books you’d recommend while we are on this?

Eva:

Of course! In no particular order, I love ‘The Healing Self’ by Deepak Chopra and Rudolph E. Tanzi, ‘The Self-Love Experiment’ by Shannon Kaiser and this classic which is not about self-love but being present ‘The Power of Now’ by Eckhart Tolle.

Goooders:

All we need is a cup of tea to go with all of these recommendations!

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