I’m stuck in the February doldrums right now.

I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed by what’s going on in the world as well as some personal stuff. Add in a complete lack of motivation and a lingering running injury, and the blah feeling is real.

So, I find myself leaning into self care and relaxation practices and wanted to share some of my recent favorites!

Facial Massage and Gua Sha Massage

To help decompress after a long day (and help relieve tension headaches!), I find myself returning to facial massages. While I don’t necessarily believe massaging changes my face all that much, I do feel so much better afterward.

I’ve talked about one of my favorite facial massage videos before, but it’s worth re-sharing!

This video from Abigail James is so soothing. I usually try to do this after showering in the evening. Lately, I’ve been using apricot oil, but the Trader Joe’s Marula Facial Oil is still in the mix.

I’ve also started experimenting with Gua Sha. I haven’t done too many videos just yet, but I highly enjoyed this quick, 5-minute video from Tina Engeo. The five minutes passed so quickly, I considered doing it again!

Genmaicha Brown Rice Tea

Is there anything more comforting than holding a warm cup of tea? Maybe a cup of hot chocolate… but that’s a different vibe.

I’ve been really into Genmaicha Brown Rice Tea lately. My container was a gift from my mom, but it’s the same brand as this one from Walmart. I love to drink 2 to 3 cups after breakfast.

It tastes like green tea with a nutty flavor (I guess from the toasted rice?) mixed in. It’s hard to describe, but I find it very yummy! I, personally, drink it without any sweetener, but it does taste good slightly sweetened as well. It also has a touch of caffeine that helps get me through the late morning/early afternoon.

Diving into a New Fiction Series

Sometimes it’s nice to escape into a new book, or better yet, an entire book series!

I’ve recently started reading the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. The series features 8 books total coming in at just over 5,000 pages according to Amazon’s listing. So, it’s safe to say this will keep me entertained for a while.

I know there’s some debate about when to read The Assassin’s Blade, which is a prequel to the series told in novellas. Some people like to read it first. Some people like to read it third, after finishing Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight. I ended up reading it second, right after finishing Throne of Glass. I thought it fit well there! I really wouldn’t recommend reading it first. I feel like it’s helpful to meet all of the characters first and then read more about Celaena’s past. I’m getting ready to start Crown of Midnight, so I’ll see soon whether it would have been better there.

What are your latest interests and/or self-care recommendations?

Have a good TV show, book, or activity to share? Leave a comment below!