Feelin’ a little sluggish? Here’s my 10 minute refresh routine

Salutations all you wonderful people! How are you? I hope you’re doing well.

First and foremost I need to apologize for not posting last week (big oopsies). I was forced back into regular life aka back into in person school after 376 days (yes I counted haha) and it completely shocked my system. In the name of my manifesto (read it on my manifesto tab or at oliveandkore.com/manifesto) I thought it would be contradictory to write a post that wouldn’t be of utmost quality just for the sake of posting something. It is okay to take breaks friends, crucial even. Be kind to yourself, when you’ve been going for so long and you need a break, take one. It’s important to learn how to take breaks instead of stopping. That is something I am still trying to put into practice to this day.

If quarantine has made me feel something, it would be everything and nothing at the same time. I don't know if that makes sense, but it felt as if the silence was suffocating. Mental health has decreased and isolation has hurt all of us in different ways.

Often times during quarantine I would find myself on the brink of mental breakdowns, struggling to put myself back together, wondering how I could feel so exhausted when I hadn’t even left my house. Even though I still haven’t been able to fully digest and understand everything that’s happened in the last year, I know that now (more than ever) it is SO crucial that we take care of ourselves. It is okay to be tired, to feel beat and weary. It’s okay to have days where you feel sad for no reason, to have days where bed just seems like the best place to be. I guess what I’m trying to say is, it is okay to be human.

During the 376 days of isolation I guess you could say I have become an expert and putting myself back together again. I have developed a routine and have tried to simplify it as much as possible so that you can recreate it at home whenever you’re having a rough day or just need a little pick me up. Without further ado, let us begin.

STEP 1: Wash, wash, wash

Whenever I am having a hard day, I find washing my face with some lukewarm or cold water always helps feel slightly more alive. Nothing like a good face wash with a good cleanser to really set everything back to start. Don’t forget to moisturize!

*Bonus: I like rubbing ice cubes on my face after I wash it. Helps de-puff and feels really nice. Don’t over-do it though, don’t want any red faces from too much cold.

I also like to change out of my clothes into a fresh pair, even if it’s one pair of pajamas into another. Taking off day clothes into pj’s quite possibly be one of the best feelings in the world. Changing into fresh clothes helps make me feel a little more human and a little more capable of being up and about. It’s the little things that make all the difference.

STEP 2: Skincare!

Now this does not, by any means, have to be an elaborate step. Just the basics, moisturizer (I swear by Face Hero, read about it by clicking the button below) lip balm, and maybe serum etc if you’re feeling up for it.

Please, at least use a moisturizer, you know how passionately I dislike washed faces without moisturizer. It’ll make me sad and it’ll make your skin sad, so do yourself a favor and just use moisturizer, thanks (you’re doing great and I’m proud). I love using my Gua Sha (post coming really soon on Gua Sha, promise) to help make the circulation flow and it also just generally feels nice haha.

*Bonus: I looooooove a good mask. Clay, moisturizing, cloth, you name it. I don’t think you need me to tell you that a mask really can make someone feel miles better than they did before a good mask, both emotionally and skin wise. My favorite mask is currently the Josh Rosebrook Cacao Antioxidant Mask. It is pure magic. I have a post coming soon about it so keep your eye out for it! In the meanwhile snag yourself one so we can appreciate the magic together ;) Buy it at joshrosebrook.com or click the button below.

STEP 3: Drink Some Watah!

Water friends, H2O is SO important (“H2O is science for water” -Joshua Weissman). Not only just to continue being alive, but water can solve so many problems. Unhappy skin? Drink water. Headache? Water. Feeling gross? Water. Dizzy? Water. Tired? Water. Chapped lips? Water (and lip balm, read about my favorite lip balm by clicking the button below hehe). Can’t tell good jokes? Water. Bad episode of your favorite show? Water. Water solves *almost* everything.

Don’t underestimate the power of water folks, just drinking a cup of water can makes miles of a difference in both mood and feeling. I’m one of those people who don’t drink enough water, then wonders why they feel so bad, realizes it’s because of the lack of water, proceeds to drink tons of water, and then forgets and starts the cycle again. Don’t be like me, drink water regularly. Water water you magical liquid, you matter (tried to rhyme, didn’t work).

STEP 4: Play some music or read something (never underestimate the power of a good Pinterest quote)

Whenever I feel sluggish or gray, music is what I always go to. Fun fact about me, I can play six instruments (seven before but I can’t play violin anymore) and I have been in theater since I was 6 years old. Music has always been my way of distressing and lifting my spirits (along with obsessing over skincare and makeup, of course). I saw a GREAT Pinterest quote that said something on the lines of “some days we need the melody, and some days we need the lyrics” and I don’t want to go all Gen Z language on you, but I really felt that.

Books are wonderful spirit lifters. There is an abundance of magic and comfort to be found in books. You can be transported and taken into an escape just by picking up a book.

Pinterest quotes are my guilty pleasure, I love them. There’s something so motivating about a quote that speaks directly to what you might be feeling and facing. As one of my favorite authors F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you're not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong.”

STEP 5: *very crucial* HYPE YOURSELF UP!

There is no shame in hyping yourself up. This is coming from someone who’s worst habit is the fact that if I’m not making a conscious effort not too, I will nitpick everything about myself. BUT, I am working on fixing this habit of mine and am proud to say that a couple months of hard work and determination has almost rid me of this habit. I’m working on overcoming it, so if you have this habit or something similar, know that it can get better. LOVE YOURSELF. You were created to be human, unique, real, not perfect. Our uniqueness is our motivation, and our flaws our power. It is hard, it is stupid hard to love yourself sometimes. But what a tragedy it would be if you didn’t recognize how beautiful your uniqueness makes you. As I said in my manifesto (which you should totally read on my manifesto tab or at oliveandkore.com/manifesto) “If we gather all our insecurities, we will see that they were beautiful all along.” (hehe pretty good eh?)

I know things might be difficult, I know things might seem like they will never get better, but I promise you they will. We just need to have the eyes to find the good and the patience to live through the grey. Quite honestly these days, it’s hard for me to even will myself into getting out of bed, but I have hope in better days. We’ll be okay, you and I. Be kind to yourself and know that it is okay to have gray days, to be human. You’re supposed to be real, not perfect.

If you read this far, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Every post you read is getting me that much closer to my dreams, and for that I am unexplainably grateful. If you have any questions, comments, or want to discuss the best Pinterest quotes you've found, please don’t hesitate to reach out and either email me at oliveandkore@gmail.com or dm me on instagram, @oliveandkore. Don’t forget to subscribe to be notified when I post a new blog every Thursday and share this with some other members of the human race! I've had a lot of fun, thanks for reading! :)