Mindfully beautiful skin

Something that fills me with joy each and every day is finding time upon waking to ground myself through a ten-minute meditation practice. Overtime, I have intuitively created a calming space in my home that incorporates botanicals, various scents (which I switch to suit my mood) and books that are meaningful to me – all which serve to bring peace and certainty to my being.  

My meditation time is little more than a basic combination of settling slow breath, being fully present to observe sounds in nature beyond the glass panes of my sanctuary, and tapping into my overall sense of self.

Seems strange that I should share my meditation obsession/practice in a skincare blog, right? Or perhaps not.  

With age, comes wisdom, mistakes and success. And a greater sense of intuition should one choose to listen – but that’s an entirely different conversation and one I won’t begin to unpack here! Back to the wisdom part…

What I have learnt time and again is that the health of my skin comes down to a few key factors, those being:

1. The quality of food I enjoy
2. Regular exercise
3. The quality of the skincare I use, and
4. The level of stress hormones in my body

Creating good food and exercise habits takes time and dedication - my advice here is to be gentle with yourself and go about setting intentions as opposed to resolutions. This way, when you eat that chocolate bar (or two), or miss a run, it's a matter of picking up where you left off, without giving up.

As for skincare? I'm pretty sure we’ve got that sorted with this fantastic artisan organic skincare brand I’ve heard about called Indira Organics 🤪

It's the challenge of reducing stress that is usually the most tricky factor - at least in my experience - as more often than not it can slowly and insidiously take control. That’s where setting up the daily practice of meditation comes in. Not only is meditation scientifically proven to reduce stress and the stress hormone cortisol, it can assist in reducing anxiety and improve your overall sense of well being.

The skin contains a plethora of nerve endings that are in constant contact with the brain. This is why excitement can lead to sweat, embarrassment to red cheeks, and fear to goose bumps. Obviously, it's not possible to think your way to healthy skin, however you can learn to channel stress in healthier ways, which can have positive effects on your whole body – including your skin.

The new year provides an opportunity to reflect, reset and grow. I vote for a year of less stress, higher energy levels through nourishing food and exercise, and great skin.

What about you?