It’s the end of the day and you are trying to unwind - you snuggle deep into your sheets, turn off your lights, then as soon as your head hits the pillow - your mind starts to race. You wake up and look at the clock to see what seemed to be 15 minutes, turn into an unsettling 2 hours of restlessness. None of your sheep counting, Yoga Nidra sessions, or sleepy time tea are cutting it anymore. And sadly, this has become an almost nightly occurrence.

Our mind races through topics both past and present. We pick apart conversations we’ve had, difficult situations we’ve endured, and it presents a never ending loop of doubt and stress. We’ve all had our collective share of uncertainty, and know uncertainty breeds anxiety.  

So to ease your wandering mind and help get you back to the REM sleep you so deserve, we wanted to share our most revered techniques that we practice with great regularity.

Living a Forgiving Life: Mind + Body

It often comes down to the moments that we simply didn’t have enough time to process what just happened and to practice forgiveness: both with ourselves + others. It’s one of the hardest concepts to master - but one we can start to become more in control of every day.  

We can practice with small moments - forgiving that person that may or may not have "stolen your parking spot or cut you off" - giving yourself a moment to recognize the situation, viewing it from a neutral perspective, and the hardest part- forgiving them in that very moment. Anger can quickly take over in these instances but fortunately Harvard Health came up with helpful tools in the form of a simple acronym: REACH. 

RECALL

EMPATHIZE

ALTRUISTIC GIFT

COMMIT

HOLD

Recall the moment objectively. Stray from viewing the person or event in a negative light or lowering yourself into a hole of self pity. 

Empathize within the moment. Acknowledge your feelings as well as the others involved. Many times, the situation is a reaction to outside variables and is not personal. Everybody deals with their emotions differently, unfortunately some people resort to lashing out at others when they are hurt or triggered. So put yourself in their shoes for a moment. 

Altruistic gift. Recognize moments in which you reacted poorly but were forgiven. This recognition helps us realize that forgiveness is an altruistic gift that we can offer to others.   

Commit yourself to forgiveness. Frankly, it just feels good to both forgive and be forgiven. Revel in that feeling for a moment...savor it...stretch it out until it completely washes over you.

Hold on to that act of forgiveness, because many times, even though we’ve moved on, our restless nights can sway this act back to negative emotions - especially when we're exhausted.

Holding onto forgiveness can be one of the hardest steps. This is why we like to incorporate sensory elements to help with memory.

During these moments of emotional distress, gentle touch and calming scents can help redirect you. 

Ground yourself. Put both feet on the ground while in a sitting position: This will bring you back to the moment, halting your mind from running wild.

Press on your temples: This redirects your tension from your head, easing the eyes and jaw.

Place your hand on your heart and count your heart beats: This brings your attention back to your body and present moment- allowing you to take a step back from the situation with a clear mind. 

Recall how it feels to let the uplifting act of being forgiven or forgiving another wash over you again as you slip back under the covers and into a sound slumber.

Introducing a calming essence can help relax and pull you back into the moment, shifting your emotions from negative to positive. 

When these restless nights occur, reach over to your bedside table for the comforting aromatics of your Ageless Skin Serum. With key ingredients that target anxiety and tension, the product is reiki-charged to ease your unsettled mind and body, bringing you back to that safe space where you can use your R.E.A.C.H method and get back to bed with clarity and peace of mind.

These powerful essential oils, as with all ingredients included in Ageless Skin Serum
carry a multitude of skin + spirit lifting benefits.