Every first of the month I like to sit down and think about my intentions for that month. I write them down and keep them somewhere visible during that month to ensure I’m keeping up with my intentions. Being fully transparent, I don’t always accomplish all of my intentions so the first thing I do when setting intentions for the following month is to go through the ones from the previous month. If there’s a few that I can move up to the following month I will. I’m trying to practice giving myself some grace and understanding that it’s okay if not everything gets accomplished at once. All of this is to say that if you find you couldn’t go through with all intentions, it’s okay! And now I’m going to walk you through the ultimate guide to setting intentions that stick.

Take the Time to Set Intentions

First and foremost, sit down and think about what intentions you’d like to set for the month. It can be anything from making the bed every morning to going for walks during your lunch break. Nothing is too big or small, it just has to be what you need at this time. Don’t rush these though. Really think about what you’d like to accomplish this upcoming month and what small things you can do to get there. Then write them down and keep them somewhere visible so you don’t forget about them!

Be Mindful About Your Intentions

Sometimes we’re so ready to make changes and improve our lives that we just want to set tons of goals and intentions and quickly realize we added too much to our plate. In order to avoid doing that, be mindful about the intentions you set. There is no number of intentions you need to set every month. It could be one, five, ten or more. As long as you feel you can stick with them without them causing you stress, you’re golden. There’s no point in setting intentions that will create more anxiety to complete them than the actual action of following through with them. For example, let’s say you want to read more. You can set yourself an intention to read 10 pages a day or perhaps a chapter a day. However, unless you have lots of time or a very short book, setting an intention of reading a book per day might be too much. Slow and steady wins the race, remember that. 

Grab a Pen and Paper

For intentions to be truly successful, you’ll need to write them down and keep them somewhere visible. You can simply write them on a piece of paper or you can have fun with it and design your intention sheet. I’ve seen some really beautiful ones on Pinterest and Instagram and I really wish I was more artistically blessed but alas, that is not the case. I still try though, not because I think it’ll look anything like the ones on Pinterest but because I genuinely enjoy the time I take to set my intentions. Plus, that way I’m even more committed to having it somewhere visible. That’s the key. You’ll need that constant reminder so you can check in with yourself every day and make sure you’re sticking to those intentions. Make sure to place that paper somewhere you know for a fact you’ll see it every day.

Get Accountability if Needed

I firmly believe in the power of accountability to get things done. Whether it’s a workout accountability buddy or an intention accountability buddy, it’s always helpful to have someone to help you out. This step is totally optional, however I do think a guide to setting intentions that stick should include accountability. If your intentions are very personal you don’t have to share them with your accountability buddy, however you can tell them you’ve set X amount of intentions and need their help staying accountable. They can text you every day to remind you to check in with yourself and your intentions. It works even better if your accountability buddy is also setting some intentions so you can help each other out.

I hope you found this ultimate guide to setting intentions that stick helpful. Now go ahead and grab your pen and paper and get to working on this month’s intentions. Best of luck and remember, if you don’t stick to all of them by end of month, it’s okay! Just try again the following month. 

The post The Ultimate Guide to Setting Intentions that Stick appeared first on Dear Moscato.

Do you ever feel like the only way to succeed is by staying busy? As a society, we’re always glorifying the busy culture. We believe that rest is for the weak or “I’ll sleep enough when I’m dead.” I’m sorry but what?

Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve mastered the act of glorifying the busy culture. I genuinely feel bad or like I’m failing if I’m not doing something productive. But this year, I’ve had to learn the hard way that resting is actually the way to success.

Glorifying the busy culture only leads to burnout. And burnout leads to breakdowns, fights, crying, and everything negative. So how do we stop glorifying the busy culture and start taking better care of ourselves?

I’m by no means an expert. In fact, I’ve struggled with burnout on and off for years. However, I have learned a few things along the way. And while they might not be the perfect solution, it’s better than nothing!

So What Exactly is the Busy Culture?

This is probably not the first time you hear of the term “busy culture.” It’s pretty common, especially in the U.S. where time is money.

The busy culture means thinking that being busy correlates to being successful. The busier you are, the “better” you are. Well, sorry to break it to you, but WRONG! Being busy does not equate being successful or a better human. Being successful means accomplishing something you have been working for.

Now let me clarify, success looks different for everyone. To some that includes a job promotion. To others, it could mean taking a much deserved vacation or throwing a memorable party for your child/spouse/yourself. Whatever success means to you, know that it does not relate to how busy you are. Of course, you can be successful and busy at the same time. But I’ve come to learn that the most successful people know when to REST.

So How Do We Stop Glorifying the Busy Culture?

Well let’s start by each of us, individually, learning to disassociate busy with success. Let’s understand that being busy can be helpful at times, but if we don’t take breaks, we’ll end up feeling worse.

If you’re anything like me and are always in a “go go go” state of mind, consciously schedule breaks for yourself.

Earlier this year I joined a massage membership at a spa near my house. Although COVID disrupted my monthly visits, it used to force me to take an hour to do nothing but relax. Now, I try to focus on taking at least an hour every weekend to simply be. Thing you can try include taking a bath every week or meditating a few times a week.

What’s important is that you are booking that time for yourself, just like you’d book a dentist appointment. It’s so easy for us to visit our doctors when we feel some sort of physical pain, but it’s rare for us to treat our mental health the same way. So before the burnout comes, schedule time for your mental health too.

Now if you don’t have the always on the “go go go” mentality but still associate being busy with success, try a different approach. Know that you don’t HAVE to be busy to be successful. Take some time to sit down and learn what it really means to you to be successful.

Once you’ve figured that out, make a plan for accomplishing those things. But always remember, do them at your own pace, not all at once. The hardest part is actually separating being busy from success. But once you have that mental strength and determination, you’ll come to understand that resting will only fuel your productivity.

I read a quote a while ago that said “if you’re tired, learn to rest not to quit.” So let’s take more time, consciously, to rest in order to get to where we want to go as our best self.

The post Glorifying the Busy Culture appeared first on Dear Moscato.

I recently shared a post talking about why self-care is not selfish and now I want to share my favorite ways to practice self-care.

As I mentioned in my previous blog post, it’s totally okay if we all have different ways to practice self-care.

What works for me might not work for you and vice versa. What matters most is finding what works, regardless of what that is. 

So I encourage you to take some time to figure out what fills your cup.

Reflect on the activities that make you the happiest and leave you fulfilled at the end. Those should be the ones you incorporate as ways to practice self-care

My Favorite Ways to Practice Self-Care

Exercise – First and foremost, I love exercising. I wake up early in the mornings, do a workout I love, and that leaves me fully energized for the day.

Playing with the Dogs – Ollie and Milo are truly my best friends. Playing with them and seeing how excited they get to chase after a ball just fills me up with joy.

Take a Bath – Sundays are usually my self-care rest days. I love taking a bath, putting on a face mask, play calming music, light a candle, and just relax.

Unplug for a Day – This one takes a bit more time (it is, in fact, a whole day) but it is so worth it! I love unplugging from all technology for a day every once in a while and it feels so refreshing.

Get a Massage – I know right now it’s difficult to get a massage due to COVID. However, before quarantine I was getting a monthly massage and it was wonderful. Not only did it help my body recover from my workouts, it was a time to disconnect and fully relax.

Cook or Bake – While I normally prefer to bake sweets, I’ve been really getting into cooking lately and it’s so fun. It’s a way to disconnect from my phone and fully immerse myself in making new recipes for the week.

Watch TV and Chill – Truthfully, sometimes it’s nice to just lay on the couch, mindlessly watch TV and just chill. No really, allow yourself to just lay there and be entertained by your favorite show. Sometimes it’s the little things!

Meditate – While this one takes a bit more practice to really reap its benefits, I love meditating. It’s a bit hard for me to do it, but it’s so worth it to just connect with my inner self and sit in silence.

Dance it Out – I love blasting music (sorry neighbors!) and dancing it out. It feels so energizing to just move your body and let go of everything. No need to be an experienced dancer, just let your body feel the music!

Write – Writing has always been an outlet for me. It’s a great way to put all my thoughts down in one place so it allows my mind to slow down for a bit. Plus, I genuinely enjoy it and always end up feeling happy and accomplished afterwards.

Find Your Own Self-Care

There you have it! Those are my favorite ways to practice self-care.

You may look at some of those and love them or consider them boring. Either way it’s a-okay because that’s what works for me.

I encourage you to find different things that work for you and do more of it.

Even something like setting boundaries and saying no is a form of self-care.

So take some time to discover what you love and energizes you and make sure to prioritize it.

Try to dedicate at least 30 minutes every day to some form of self-care, you’ll feel so much better!

The post My Favorite Ways to Practice Self-Care appeared first on Dear Moscato.

There’s a common misconception that if we prioritize self-care, we’re selfish.

Don’t get me wrong, if all we ever care about is ourselves, then I can see how that is selfish.

However, I find it so important to make time for self-care.

The better we feel about ourselves and the more we care for ourselves, the better we are overall.

It’s true that until you learn to love yourself, you will be accepting less than the love you deserve.

So I wanted to talk about why I think that self-care is not selfish.

In fact, I want to encourage you to find ways to practice self-care, whatever that means for you.

Why Self Care Isn’t Selfish

Now, let’s break down why self-care isn’t selfish.

When we dedicate time to ourselves, whether that is through exercise, meditation, learning something new, etc. we fill up our own cup.

The fuller that cup is, the more we can pour onto others. 

Meaning, the more you dedicate time to care for yourself and get energized, the more you can be there for others. 

Whether that’s by listening to someone, or physically helping them, if we are fulfilled with ourselves, we’re more likely to lend a helpful hand.

Think about what flight attendants tell you before departing. They ask that if the cabin loses air pressure, you put your own mask first and then assist others.

In this instance, self-care is that mask you need to put on first before being there for others.

At the same time, if you’re someone who is used to helping others, you know it can be draining.

That’s why it’s so important to re-energize yourself by doing something that makes YOU happy.

How to Prioritize Self-Care

Now that we’ve broken down why self-care isn’t selfish, let’s talk about how to actually practice self-care.

If you’re used to putting yourself last, I’m giving you permission to put yourself first.

Whether that’s because it’s who you are, or whether it’s because you’re a mom (can we please stop shaming moms for taking time for themselves?) now is the time to do something for you.

As I mentioned in the beginning, when we only think about doing things for ourselves without considering others, it’s selfish.

But when we dedicate a few minutes every day out of our busy schedule to do something for ourselves, that’s a much needed self-care.

Whatever your schedule is, I want you to take at least 30 minutes every day to do something for you.

This will be unique to you. How I practice self-care may completely differ from how you practice self-care, and that is okay.

So whether it’s exercising in the morning, meditating every night, taking a bath, getting a massage, unplugging from technology, I want you to give yourself permission to do it.

There may be moments where you feel guilty. There may be moments where you forget to prioritize yourself. 

I want you to practice it until it becomes a habit.

If you feel guilty, let the feelings come in, accept them, and understand it’s because that’s your current habit. But we’re forming new habits, so by accepting those feelings you are more likely to grow out of them and move onto your new self-care habit.

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit. Challenge yourself to add a little bit of self-care to your day for 21 days and let me know how it goes.

Comment below if you’re committing yourself to practicing self-care or if you’re already a self-care queen.

The post Why Self Care Isn’t Selfish appeared first on Dear Moscato.

The past few months have been difficult for a lot of us. We’ve been dealing with a global pandemic that has impacted our lives significantly.

Some people have lost jobs, others have adjusted to working from home. Some have had to continue going to their workplace and risk being exposed to the virus.

Whatever your situation may be, it’s likely changed significantly from what your average day to day was at the start of 2020 and before then.

While I’ve learned that I really enjoy working from home and spending time with the pups (Kris has had to continue going to work this whole time), it’s still caused a lot of anxiety.

I’m a routine person. It may be boring to some, but I need that stability. Waking up at a certain time, leaving the house by a certain time to go to work, and coming back at night helps ease my mind. 

However, the past 3+ months I’ve been at home the entire time. I didn’t even leave for groceries (thanks to my sweet hubby!). In turn, this allowed me to spend a lot of time with my thoughts.

I’ve been working on managing my anxiety through exercise, meditation, and daily affirmations.

I wanted to put together a few of my favorite and share with you so you can take whichever affirmation you need right now.

My Favorite Affirmations

I spend a lot of time on Pinterest. Whether it’s looking at home decor or affirmations, it’s a great place to find inspiration.

A few of these affirmations I wrote myself, others are adapted from ones I’ve read.

Either way I find them to be quite helpful and hope you do too!

I hope you found these affirmations helpful. Save them and come back to them whenever you need them!

Even better, try to start your day with positive affirmations! Whether it’s these ones or your own, add them to your daily routine.

Share with me in the comments section if you have an affirmation you love! I’m always interested in adding more.

The post Take What You Need: Affirmations To Live a Positive Life appeared first on Dear Moscato.

A while ago I had shared my skincare routine.

I was very excited about it and really kept up with it, however, I started noticing it wasn’t really getting the job done. 

My skin is very sensitive and runs on the dry side.

Although I was religiously using the products, I felt like my skin was still really dry.

Granted, before buying those products I didn’t really have a skincare routine, so it makes sense why they worked at first.

But still, they weren’t really helping my dry skin.

That’s when I learned about Dermalogica.

A New Skincare Product

During Miami Swim Week, they creatively labeled it as Miami Skin Week, and hosted an event with Lindsey Harrod.

When I first heard about the event I was super excited because I’d been following Lindsey for a while and working out with her sounded like a dream.

Plus, Dermalogica facials and products? Sign me up!
So, naturally, that’s what I did. And I convinced my friend Phylicia to join me.

The workout itself was super intense (thanks for the burn, Lindsey!) but it was so fun.

Then we had a yummy lunch followed by a Dermalogica facial and a skin masterclass.

I got to learn everything about what my skin needs and which Dermalogica products I should use.

My favorite part is that the products are perfect for people with sensitive skin because they contain no fragrances or chemicals that can harm your skin.

They’re natural products with ingredients you can pronounce – exactly how I like to live my life!

Morning Skincare Routine

Just like I had with my previous skincare routine, I’m doing a morning, nighttime, and mask routine. 

My morning routine consists of pre-cleanse balm, followed by the ultracalming cleanser mixed with the daily microfoliant. 

I use those specifically because they work with my sensitive skin without irritating it. And it gets the job done. 

I was surprised to learn double cleansing is good for you, but I learned that since the precleanse balm is oil-based, it’s really good at removing impurities. 

Plus, it leaves my skin feeling so soft! 

After cleansing, I follow with the toner, biolumin-c serum, and moisturizer. 

I mix my moisturizer with barrier defense booster to help keep my dry skin even more hydrated!

It honestly feels so soft and refreshed all day, I love it! 

Nighttime Routine

My nighttime routine is pretty much the same as my daytime routine, except I just use the barrier defense booster instead of mixing it with the moisturizer. 

Since the moisturizer has SPF and I don’t really need that for bed, I use the oil to keep my skin hydrated. 

Safe to say I also always remove any makeup before going to sleep. 

And to add a note on that, I choose to either not wear any makeup or just CC cream because my skin does not react well to make up. 

Masking Routine

In addition to my daily morning and nighttime routines, I also have a masking routine!

It’s important to keep my skin hydrated by masking twice a week with the hydrating mask. 

What I like about it is that I can put it on and continue to do things around the house. 

Sometimes, masks feel like they freeze my face and I can barely talk, but not this one!

Plus, my skin feels so soft and hydrated afterwards. 

I also take this opportunity to apply the stress positive eye lift that feels like heaven honestly. 

The applicator is cool to the touch so my eyes feel refreshed and the actual product revitalizes my under eyes. Bye bye bags! 

It’s definitely a great treat yourself making routine and I love it. 

Shop the Post

Overall I am so happy with the results after using Dermalogica. 

My skin feels so hydrated, soft, and alive. 

I’m not breaking out anymore because the products are clean and use minimal ingredients, something my skin loves. 

If you’re thinking about a new skincare routine or would like to add some products, I highly recommend trying Dermalogica.

And if you’ve tried them already, would love to hear your experience in the comments below!

The post My Updated Skincare Routine appeared first on Dear Moscato.

Last month I shared on Instagram that my goal for July was to take every Sunday off from social media. 

A social media break is very healthy for your mind, self-esteem, relationships, and so much more.

That’s why doing this was something I’ve been wanting for a while. 

Truthfully I’ve been disconnecting from social media much more often than before. 

I used to obsess over posting every single day but for the past few months, I’ve been sharing content when it truly feels right. 

I got a lot of positive feedback when I shared I’d be doing a Sunday social media break in July, so I wanted to share some reasons why I did it and what I learned. 

A Job in Social Media

For those who don’t know, my full-time job is as a Social Media Manager at an Advertising agency. Side note – I LOVE my job and the people I work with! 

However, being on social media every single day creating and posting content, engaging, listening, running ads, etc. can become overwhelming. 

Oftentimes I’d feel like there was no escaping the bubble that is the Instagram world! 

Regardless of what account you manage, you’re bound to see a perfectly curated feed with people highlighting their best side. 

After all, Instagram is all about creating this edited reality where everything is magical and nothing bad could ever happen. I mean what are presets/filters for if not that?

By the way, I’m not hating on it I’m just being extremely open. In fact, I’m as guilty as it gets when it comes to showing only the best. 

Take a look at my account. Clearly I use presets, pose in almost all my photos, find the perfect lighting for my food shots, and take at least 30 photos until I find the “perfect” one. 

That’s just the reality most of us live. 

Which is precisely the reason why I wanted to challenge myself to disconnect from social media and leave those ridiculous standards aside. 

Being Present

I hate admitting this but there’s an embarrassing amount of times Kris has told me he feels that I pay more attention to my phone than him. 

It truly hurts me to know I’m making someone feel like they don’t deserve my time and attention. Even worse when that someone is a person you love. 

I wanted to take this social media break to focus on being present and living in the moment. 

Forget the Instagram perfect world for a moment and just live your reality. 

The Results

Increased Productivity 

Guilty of wasting time scrolling through social media? Yup, that’s me! 

I can’t count the amount of times I was running late to something because I got real deep in a social media rabbit hole.

Sundays suddenly became my most productive day of the week and it felt like the day lasted forever.

Who knew a social media break would suddenly add hours to my day?

I got a lot done, plus not to mention it came in at the perfect time since we needed to pack our whole apartment and move into our new place.

Living in the Moment

Probably one of the best parts of the social media break was being fully present.

I got to spend my time with Kris and the pups, going on walks, unpacking, exploring our new neighborhood and overall just doing what we wanted. 

I was even surprised I wasn’t experiencing any FOMO.

I thought I was gonna spend the day wondering what was happening on Instagram but truthfully, living in the moment was so much better.

Keep it Going

So where do I go from here? I’ve naturally been distancing myself from my phone and social media.

I still go on it, but I don’t feel like it’s a forced break. Quite the opposite, it’s just what my mind craves now.

I want to be more mindful of the time I spend on social media. I want to make sure I don’t let it take over my time or affect my mood negatively.

Whatever you do in life, make sure it lifts you up and brings positivity into your day.

If spending hours a day on Instagram or Facebook feels overwhelming, don’t do it!

My goal is to simply take it day by day, without the pressure of social media and making my world look ‘perfect’ and instagrammable. 

I encourage you to evaluate your social media habits and make sure they’re lifting you up as opposed to affecting you negatively.

The post Social Media Break: My Experience & What I Learned appeared first on Dear Moscato.

The past few weeks have been insane. 

Work has been crazy busy, I’ve been going to training classes with Ollie, exploring Miami, and trying to give everyone around me the attention they deserve. 

Don’t get me wrong, I am so grateful I work at a company I absolutely love and that I have work to do. 

However, I know it can get overwhelming at times and the pressure to get everything done (personally and professionally) can be intense. 

I recently went through it and wanted to share some tips I learned from it. 

Take time to rest & recover

The most important thing you can do when you’re feeling overwhelmed is to take time to recharge. 

Whether it means going to bed earlier, meditating, doing yoga, singing your heart out, or spending time with friends, do something that gives you your energy back. 

I found that coming home and just doing whatever felt right worked for me. 

Whether that was laying on the couch, watching Very Cavallari, talking to Kris, playing with Ollie, all of that gave me my energy back. 

I also took a break from blogging for a week and it was so helpful. 

I felt upset at first because I don’t like missing my weekly schedule, but taking the time that I’d normally spend writing and using it instead to rest and recharge was so needed. 

Feeling burnt out really drains your energy out, so do anything you can to get it back!

Work out

I know when you’re exhausted working out might be the last thing you want to do. 

However, working out releases endorphins and endorphins make you happy!

So working out will actually help you unwind and bring some happy thoughts. 

Plus it helps drain all the energy out and gets you to fall asleep way faster. 

And believe me, you’ll want to get as much sleep as possible. 

Feed your body good food

I know how hard it might be to crave healthy food when you’re feeling burnt out. 

Emotional eating is something I’m familiar with, but it doesn’t get you far. 

So as hard as it may be, try sticking to a healthy diet. 

Plus, eating healthy will give you all the energy you need to get through the day!

This too shall pass

Finally, know that absolutely nothing is permanent. 

This burnt out feeling won’t last forever. 

Take it one step at a time and know that soon enough it will be over. 

Try to make the best of it and learn from this situation so you can manage future ones better.

Have you ever felt burnt out? Would love to hear what has helped you find peace of mind in the comments below.

The post Feeling Burnt Out? Here’s What Helps Me appeared first on Dear Moscato.

Just love yourself! A phrase we hear so often yet it’s so hard to fully understand.

And I don’t mean hard to understand because we don’t know what it means. Rather, because few of us have actually experienced it.

Not long ago I was rewatching Rachel Hollis’ Made for More documentary. Side note: highly recommend watching if you get the chance. 

Not to spoil everything but during her Rise weekend she asked an audience of hundreds of women to do a ‘stand up for her,’ meaning to stand up for the other women in the room. 

When she got to the last question, ‘I hate how I look,’ basically every single woman in that audience got up.

I’m not gonna lie, I’ve watched that documentary a few times and cried every single time. 

It’s so sad that so many women, myself included, do not know what it means to love yourself. To respect yourself, to accept yourself, and to appreciate everything that makes you unique.

For that reason, I’m sharing some things I’ve learned over time about what it means to truly love yourself.

Forgive yourself

Although I’m writing this post, I should preface it by saying I by no means believe I’ve reached a point of genuinely loving myself. However, I am getting there day by day.

One of the first things I had to learn about self-love is to forgive yourself.

We are our own worst critics and we say things to ourselves that are truly hurtful. The best advice I’ve ever received is to talk to yourself like you’d talk to your best friend.

The first thing I ever did was forgive myself for all the things I’ve put my body through and for all the negative self-talk.

Only then was I able to accept myself a little bit more and understand that I am human and need to let go of my need for perfection.

Be patient with yourself

Along the same lines of forgiveness is patience.

Knowing that everything will come at the right time and all your hard work will pay off.

Be patient with yourself. Understand that you’ll have some amazing days and some not-so-amazing days. 

But that is all okay. Life is not about perfection, it’s about embracing every step of the journey.

Words of affirmation

A great way to show yourself some love is by actually telling that to yourself.

Don’t be afraid to look in front of the mirror and say ‘I love you’ to the reflection. 

Words are really powerful and the more you tell yourself you love who you are, the more you’ll start to believe it. 

I know it may feel weird at the beginning, but soon enough it’ll become a great habit.

Never stop growing

Even people who genuinely love themselves are constantly evolving.

Not because they don’t like who they are, but because they embrace every challenge life throws their way and continue to grow.

Evolving, growing, and taking on challenges head on boost your confidence.

Plus, people who remain the same tend to be unhappier with their lives. 

As humans we fear change but we also crave it. 

I personally believe it’s not fear of change it’s just the process of going through with it. But I know deep down we all want something better for ourselves.

So take a challenge and keep growing, your mind and soul need it.

Enjoy your own company

Learn to be completely okay and happy on your own.

I mean take yourself out to dinner, lunch, brunch, on a walk, or whatever you enjoy. But learn to do it on your own. 

Enjoying your own company is the best way to show yourself some love. 

You should be your own best friend and should love hanging out with yourself. 

So take yourself out every now and then and just spend some time enjoying your own company. 

The right fuel to love yourself

Some people see eating healthy as a punishment. 

However, eating healthy is actually a gift to your body.

You’ve probably heard that your body is your temple and that is very true. 

Your body houses your soul and being and it needs the proper nutrition to function at its best.

Food is not a way to cope; it’s definitely not an escape but rather the fuel to keep you going.

Incorporating clean foods into your every day diet will help you perform day-to-day duties with more energy and joy. 

At the end of the day loving yourself means being completely comfortable with who you are.

It means accepting everything that makes you you while constantly evolving and giving yourself room to grow.

It’s not an easy task and most people spend a great portion of their lives trying to learn how to love themselves. 

However, once you learn to love every inch of yourself you will be unstoppable! And for that I hope you find the courage to love yourself.

The post What it Means to Truly Love Yourself appeared first on Dear Moscato.

A lot of times we think that taking care of ourselves only involves eating a salad or going for a run. 

In reality, self-care involves a lot more than just eating healthy or working out. 

Yes, that’s definitely a part of it, but a lot of times we forget to take care of our mental health too. 

Or we think that a self-care day means spending lots of money on a spa day, which is also not the case. 

For that reason, I’m sharing some great ways to treat yourself to a self-care day, in a variety of budgets! 

1. Exercise 

Working out releases endorphins. Endorphins make you happy and happy people just don’t shoot their husbands! 

Okay, Legally Blonde joke aside, exercise does release endorphins and bring a feeling of joy. 

Of course there’s times during the workout where the last thing on your mind is joy, but once you’re done, it’s the best feeling ever!

There’s a reason why “runner’s high” is a thing. Though don’t ask me about it, I avoid running like the plague! 

I do, however, experience feelings of joy and accomplishment after completing a workout I enjoy, like Barre or HIIT (yeah I’m crazy I know). 

So start your day off by working out. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy, just get your body moving and you’ll feel the results. 

2. Take a bath

Grab a bathbomb, essential oils, or anything else you may have and treat yourself to a nice, warm bath. 

There’s something so relaxing about just sitting in the water and breathing deeply. 

Sometimes I’ll even play relaxing music and drink a glass of wine. 

3. Roll it out

A few months ago I bought a face roller and I’ve been using it ever since. 

It’s great for depuffing your face and eyes, limphatic drainage, and overall feels amazing. 

I try to use it every morning and night, though I admit there’s times I forget. 

It’s also amazing when I get headaches and I just lie down while rolling my face. 

4. Relax with a massage

Although this one’s a bit more expensive, it’s worth every penny. 

Having a spa day and treating yourself to a nice massage is a fantastic way to relax. 

There’s a lot of different types of massages but my favorite has to be the traditional Swedish massage. 

It’s also really nice when you pair the massage with a facial! 

If you can afford it, try treating yourself to a massage once a month! You’ll feel so much better afterwards. 

And if you’d rather go with a more affordable route, get yourself a face mask and ask your significant other to give you a massage!

5. Treat yourself to a mani & pedi

Along with a massage, this one is not necessarily on the free/affordable side, but it’s also worth it!

I’m a firm believer in having presentable-looking nails at all times, so a mani and pedi is a great investment. 

Plus, it feels so nice to get a hand and foot massage at the same time. 

6. Read a book

Reading a book is a great way to relax and decompress. 

It helps distract you while at the same time getting immersed in a different world. 

If you’re into self-help or motivational books, it’s even better because it’ll give you that extra push and positivity. 

7. Call a loved one

Calling a friend or family member is a great way to reconnect and strengthen relationships, while also allowing you to vent and relax. 

I love calling my friends and family and making it a “virtual” hangout. 

8. Have a dance party

It’s totally okay to turn the music up and dance like no one’s watching! 

I love listening to music whenever I feel stressed and dancing it out is one of my favorite ways to release built-up tension.

Much like exercise, dancing releases endorphins which as we already know, make you happy.

9. Play with a pet

If you know me, you know I love my dog, Ollie, more than anything in this world. 

He’s my best friend and the joy he brings to my life has no limits.

If you have a pet, take him or her on a walk or to the park and play for a while.

Not only is it super fun for your pet but you’ll be so happy to see him or her so happy.

And if you don’t have a pet just visit a friend with one or try volunteering at a shelter. Those four-legged furries will be so happy to see you there.

10. Meditate

Meditating might sound intimidating at first. I know I thought I couldn’t handle it for a while.

But once you practice and really work on letting go and just focusing on the meditation, the reward is amazing.

You’ll feel so much more connected to your body and mind, and you’ll feel so relaxed and calm.

My personal favorites are Karena’s meditations from Tone It Up, but I’ve also tried Headspace and it was really good. 

Hope you enjoyed these 10 ways to treat yourself to a self-care day and if you have any others you enjoy, feel free to comment below! 

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