Open for your December SKINCARE BLÜHPRINT

I'm packing all of your Blüh Friday orders and feeling overwhelmed with gratitude for your support of my small business.  Given the busy-ness of this time of year, I thought we'd send this month's Skincare Blühprint earlier than usual in an effort to express our sincere thanks, but also in the hopes that it might help ground you in the quiet, peaceful moments that are sometimes overlooked during the holidays.  

This month, we are focusing on creating a gratitude practice... and not just because we are overflowing with gratitude for YOU (nut we are!). Research shows that there are very real and significant benefits to routinely engaging with gratitude.  From improving both your physical and psychological health, to enhancing your self-esteem, mental strength, and empathy, the advantages are impressive.

Not sure where to start? Like any exercise, flexing your gratitude muscle takes practice -- but it doesn't need to be complicated. You can craft a gratitude practice that best suits your life in this season, knowing you have the flexibility to let that practice evolve and grow. After all, it's your practice... and it does not need to be perfect to be effective. ;) 

Let's practice practicing gratitude together:

• Keep a gratitude journal: Perhaps the most accessible gratitude practice, keeping a gratitude journal can be as simple as jotting down a few things you're grateful for -- daily, weekly, or as you're so moved. You can keep a physical journal, a note in your phone, or even a voice recording. Feeling techy? There are plenty of gratitude journal apps that will remind you to check in, if that's helpful for you.
• Make a gratitude jar: Record your grateful thoughts on slips of paper, and tuck them into a dedicated jar (or box, or bowl, etc.). When you need a mindset shift, pull one of those slips of paper from the jar to be reminded of the good in your life.
• Follow a set of prompts: Need a gentle nudge in the right direction? Follow a set of prompts to shift your focus towards gratitude. Here's a great list of options!
• Take a gratitude walk: Sometimes the best way to get unstuck and shift toward an attitude of gratitude is to literally change locations. While moving, observe the environment around you: structures, nature, colors, smells, sounds, how it feels to move. Awareness is a great first step toward appreciation.
• Attach this practice to your existing routine: Attach your new gratitude practice to something you're already committed to -- something that takes very little thought. For example, focus on three things you're grateful for while brushing your teeth each morning, or express gratitude for your meals before eating. Again, it doesn't need to be complicated to be effective!