“Taking care of myself doesn’t mean ‘me first’;
it means ‘me too’.” (LR. Knost)

We’re happy to introduce a new ‘Theme of the Month‘ going forward. This brings an opportunity to reflect on specific topics, to open conversations & hopefully to give a bit more direction to your practice through both our regular classes & special events.

Our theme for March is SELF-CARE.
Now, if you’re rolling your eyes thinking this will be another message on bubble baths & face masks, bear with us – that’s not where we’re going!

Truth is, self-care is not a list of products you need to look/feel better & it’s also not just for women (Google if you can hear us…).
Self-care lies within the choices we make daily that foster space for us to do the things that nourish us, that contribute to making us feel good physically, mentally & emotionally.

Now we could argue that overall, we all kinda know what is good for us, right? 8h sleep, daily movement, time outside, balanced diet, meditation, more greens, less sugar, no smoking, less alcohol, creative time, social time, more sports, less netflix, good skin care… what are we forgetting?!

But wait, if we know what’s good for us, then why are we not doing it?
Well, because, as easy as it may sound from all the ‘self-care tips’ out there, reality is:
self-care can be really hard.

We may have intentions to do good things for ourselves but either our days get filled with other responsibilities (“I don’t have the time”) or guilt creeps in (“It’s selfish for me to do that, I should do that instead”). Bottom line is, we often end up putting ourselves at the end of the list & given that our lists tend to be pretty long, we only rarely get there.

👉🏽 Now, what if a definition of self-care was the ways in which you are able to show up to others as the best of you, rather than what’s left of you?

After all, how well do we manage our responsibilities & support others around us if our own tank is empty? As selfish as self-care may seem at first, it really is of prime importance, not only to our own wellbeing, but truly also to the one of the people around us.

That’s why for this month of March, we invite you to reflect & put some focus on your own relationship to self-care. And because, we love action-based self-enquiry, here’s a little guide to support you:

🫶🏼 Check-in. Close your eyes, take a breath. Now, what comes to mind when you wonder “What do I need/want for myself? What is something that I know helps me fill up my cup?”.

👣 Step by step. Rather than trying to do ALL the things, pick ONE concrete action that really matters to you & commit to this one for the month ahead: daily walking, 10min meditation, 1 cooked meal per day, 2 yoga classes per week, 22:00 bedtime, off-screen time… Whatever speaks to you the most, pick that! Set yourself up for success with an accessible action (no need to go from 0 to 100!)

🗣 Communicate. Depending what you choose & what your circumstances are, it may help to voice this priority to people around you: “This thing is important for me to feel at my best, so for the month ahead, know that no matter what, I want to dedicate x amount of time each day/week for myself to do that. Can you support me?” It can help for accountability too 😉

🚫 Make it a non-negotiable. For this month at least, this ONE self-care action is a 100% commitment. Negotiations (usually with ourselves) are precisely the reasons why we do not do the things we say we need/want to do. If you decide to walk every day, do it 5min only if you really don’t have more time available, but do it. If you commit to yoga, choose a shorter class or switch to online if it’s easier but do not cancel on your mat time.

✨ Ditch the guilt. Whatever it is you eventually decide to allow for yourself, embrace it fully. Be it your 5min skincare routine or half a day recharging in nature – allow it fully.

📝 Notice how you feel. Observe how you feel as you do ‘the thing’ & how you feel afterwards. Acknowledge that whatever it is you feel, it is the result of your choices & actions. The best way to maintain self-care habits is to observe the impact they have on ourselves & others. It helps us stay motivated to show up whenever our minds want to negotiate again!

Ready for the challenge?!

As yoga teachers, this is why we take your presence in class so seriously: we know that showing up to class really is the hardest part of the practice. That for you to be here on your mat means that amongst all the things you could have possibly done during that hour, you’ve made the choice that coming to yoga was the best use of your time. For parents, we know often it means that other people may also be involved in supporting you to come to class.

More than any fancy pose you may be able to do during practice, this commitment to show up for yourself is what we celebrate the most! It is the idea of the “bubble” after all, to be a space where you can step away from your daily hassle, show up as you are & nourish yourself to whatever it is you may need on that day…

As a way to support you this month, our calendar is full of special events & offers that give you opportunities to fill up your cup!

As always, we love to read your feedbacks & experiences – let us know what your self-care commitment of the month is & don’t hesitate to reach out if you need some help making it happen!

Wishing you a month of prioritising the things that allow you to show up as the best of you, rather than as what’s left of you.

Much love,
Anne & the Bubble Yoga team ♥