we’d be lying if we said 2020 hasn’t been trying us. just when you think the year’s about to let up, in comes the next bit of drama to send us all spiraling. listen, sis; self-care is key to surviving these crazy times, okurr? now that our blood pressures are hitting all-time highs every other hour, running through your self-care routine on the regular is more important than ever before. but if you’re still struggling to take care of yourself in these stressful times, go ahead and read on, for ways to keep yourself together! 

1. have a spa day at your sink

there’s nothing a good facial can’t fix. just cause ms. rona’s canceled all your future appointments with your esthetician doesn’t mean you can’t squeeze in a pamper sesh. head on over to your sink, pull out your skin routine, and go to town on your face just like your esthetician would. just make sure to trade the extractions for your glo-to exfoliant instead. pimple popping should always be left to the professionals. the amount of massaging you do to get products into your skin is enough to take the tension out of your face.  if you don’t have a facial steamer on hand, boiling up a pot of water and putting your face over it with a towel around your head will get you the same effect.  

2. disconnect to decompress 

all our social media timelines have been pretty heavy as of lately. when scrolling through social media to see who’s being clowned by Black Twitter™ can throw your whole mood out the window in a matter of seconds, it’s best to take a break. avoid opening up any apps right as you wake up in the morning or just before turning in to sleep at night. schedule a certain amount of time midday for your usual scrolling spree. and for those moments when the internet gets to be too much, go ahead and disconnect from social media entirely, and have your girl keep you in on the tea instead.  

3. write out your worries 

behind every successful woman is a group chat hyping her up. but for those times when 2020 really starts wildin’ out and every member of your crew is going through it, sometimes you’ve got to go solo in your vent sessions. grabbing a pen and some paper to write out how you’re feeling keeps you from bottling it all up. rather than walking around your house with your worries on your head, leave them all in a notebook you can keep tucked away until your crew’s ready to reconnect. 

4. meditate your mood back 

checking in with yourself probably is the most important step in taking care of yourself. figuring out how you’re feeling emotionally, mentally, and physically is the only way you’ll truly be able to find out how to stop hurting. black women especially have a bad habit of downplaying when we’re down. meditation can help demystify what our bodies need us to do to feel better. Luckily the app store has many apps for guided meditation for you to follow –  like sanity + self, calm, insight timer, and aura. if apps aren’t your thing, you can also pull up playlists on youtube to get your mind back in tune. 

5. netflix and chill out

with so much going on right now, sometimes the best way to catch a break is by finding a way to block everything out. and in times like that, nothing screams “tlc” more than tuning into some trash tv or catching up with the latest cooking competition. whether you wanna relive tiffany pollard’s most meme-worthy moments or shout-down the chefs trying to use the ice cream machine at the last minute, putting your mind on autoplay is a great way to give yourself some peace. 

 

6. find comfort in what you consume 

if ms. rona has you raiding your kitchen now more than eva, raise your hand! no shame sis! while you’re already there, go ahead and get as much vitamin c, turmeric, ginger, lemon, thyme, and garlic to build up your immune system. keeping your water levels ain't the only way to get your mood going! a good cup of tea will keep your stress levels low while giving you the antioxidants your skin needs to glo. 

 

7. get your body movin

consider this post your cue to get up and stretch that spine out sis! getting your blood flow going is a great way to get your mood just right. take a walk around your block, pull out a yoga mat and slide into some poses, or even just put thee stallion on spotify and have a good twerk sesh to get your spirits lifted and stress out of your system.

take it easy, sis! now more than ever before it’s important for you to put time and effort into your well being. whether you've been giving yourself tlc 24/7 or squeezing it in while you hustle from home, any self-care routine you’ve got going is a good routine to have!