Nunaïa founder Nicola Connolly shares her self-care insights, tools and rituals, from getting out in nature to turning off her phone.
I wake at 7am and try to carve out some time to prepare for the day ahead before things get too busy!
The first thing I do every morning is meditate, stretch and take a dip in Lough Derg. If I manage to do these three things it makes such a difference to the flow of my day.
My morning routine is when I am most productive, so I try to do all my ‘big picture’ work tasks first without getting distracted by the phone or admin.
I can’t go to work without eating breakfast.
The self-care tool I use every day is breathwork and working with my plants. I keep various blends of my favourite plants with me and use these throughout the day to stay grounded, increase focus or just to enjoy their beautiful scent.
The best part of my day is having the freedom to choose how I want to work and structure my time.
The most challenging part of my day is adapting to the inevitable challenges that pop up when running your own business and that can take me away from what I love doing most.
I engage with self-care every day by tuning in to how I am feeling throughout the day and when feeling frazzled or out of balance pausing to reset.
My daily self-care checklist routine includes little rituals from my wellness toolkit that I know make a real difference to how I feel. These include my nurturing skincare ritual morning and evening, meditation, stretching and breathwork. These are all rituals which take only a few minutes and most of which can be practiced anywhere.
The quickest, smallest thing I do for myself every day is to take a few seconds to see how I am doing and then nurturing myself in the way I need in the moment.
I know it’s been a good day if I feel calm and content at the end of the day.
I switch off from work by getting out in nature. In winter I prioritise getting out at lunch to make sure I am getting at least some daylight!
Before I go to bed, I’ll turn off my phone, stretch and meditate and I also love taking a bath a few nights a week.
After a long work week, I destress by turning off my phone, all social media and spending as much time as I can outdoors.
My go-to comfort meal is anything with potatoes.
When I really need a moment to myself, I always head for nature. She has everything we need to bring us back into balance, every time.
Something I try to do for myself every day is eat food that makes me feel great and get enough sleep.
The most reflective moment in the day is the early morning hours when all is still and peaceful.
The one person, place or thing guaranteed to give me joy is spending time in nature. Nature is my daily medicine and is the one non-negotiable in my life that helps me stay grounded and connected.
Everyone should try starting a skincare ritual as a way to bring more mindfulness and a greater sense of balance to your skincare routine. You will be amazed by the results both in terms of your skin health and your relaxation levels. You can learn more about creating your own skincare ritual over at nunaia.com.
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