In this incredible time with Coronavirus, or Covid-19, it is imperative we self-quarantine and maintain social distances. That’s a fact. As an entrepreneur and business owner, someone who never stops “going”, this has been extremely challenging and stressful. I have, however, approached this with dual focus. First of all, I’m grateful for the gift of time to do so many things that I have needed to do for many weeks, months and in some cases, many years! On the other hand, I have found myself stir-crazy and stressed out! You don’t realize the precious moments you have in your life, until you lack the ability to go out and experience them. Many of these things we can’t do any more take the stress off me, like the quiet time I have with my husband at happy hour before we go home to care for his mother with dementia, who lives with us; the ability to simply go out to dinner as a family; or the massage I get from the amazing Norma… This time of self-quarantine has forced me to alter some of the ways I find joy in my life, new ways to de-stress, and has reinforced de-stressing I already do. I thought it might be helpful for me to share some of the things that have made my time at home so much more enjoyable!
I have found such joy in the fact that I love tea. How fortunate I am to know the incredible tea guru, Zhena Muzyka. Having launched her new tea company just over a year ago, I signed on to be one of her early adopters. Many of you might know her from her previous company, Zhena’s Gypsy Tea, and her delicious formulation of Coconut Chai. Her new company, Magic Hour, a subscription box business, promoting “magical teas for magical people” was created for just these types of moments. Creating the Magic Hour in your home. Being that I have accrued a dozen or so apothecary jars of loose leaf teas from Magic Hour, I have found such solace in creating morning and evening, and afternoon for that matter, rituals of enjoying teas with my mother-in-law and husband. Traditionally we start the morning off with the newest tea, Soulmate, which of course fits right into my business, though on some days like today, I started off the morning with Gypsy Rose! Afternoons are more likely to find me drinking Dragon Phoenix Jasmine Green tea, while in the evenings, I relax with my Child’s Pose tea before retiring. Tea is such a simple way to enjoy pleasure, relaxation, meditation, and community. I highly recommend it to everyone!
After breakfast, or before we start our tea ritual, I take time in the morning to meditate. You don’t realize how the stress of not being able to open your boutique, after 10+ years of having it open, can weigh on you. It isn’t until I slow down and stop for a moment to meditate with my Deepak and Oprah 21 Day Free meditation, I realize how much I really needed it. The theme of this 21 Day Meditation is Hope. How much that message is needed right now!
Another way I relax is by taking a hot bath! Not everyone has the luxury of being able to take a bath, but soaking in the tub is hugely important to me. I couldn’t live in a home without a bathtub! I have found that the Buck Naked Bath Bombs, and Bath Salts have just what the doctor ordered, for putting both my head and my body into a more relaxed state. Soothing the stress of not being able to live my life as I have these past 15 years here in Ventura! I know that this is a temporary setback of being unable to do what we’ve always done, but the unknown can be so stressful, so finding ways to chill out are so helpful.
Speaking of “chilling out”, one way I have always recommended to “chill out” is by having orgasms! I know, I know, most people don’t talk about this kind of stuff, but here’s the thing, orgasms give you something you can’t get almost any other way… oxytocin, endorphins and antibodies… so I recommend an orgasm-a-day… you don’t have to achieve it, just strive for it! And especially during this time of extra stress, oxytocin, endorphins and antibodies are even MORE important. The thing is, you don’t have to have them with someone. You can have them by yourself, just like a vitamins. You don’t need your partner there to take your vitamins… you can take them by yourself! Have an orgasm with or without your partner, just because you need it! And it makes you feel good! I have lots of ideas regarding how to accomplish this in another blog post, but I needed to be sure you knew that this is something that should be included in your self -quarantine! Really! It’s okay…
Speaking of getting your sexy on… Sometimes when you’re at home, and you don’t get out of your pajamas all day, you can feel like such a slug… and slugs certainly aren’t sexy… except maybe to other slugs. What I’ve found to be not only fun, but helpful for a mind shift, is to completely shift my perspective by changing into something that makes me feel sexy! I know better than most how hard it can be to feel sexy at home when your mother-in-law lives with you, and needs you for most of her care! This is not easy to get into that headspace of “sexy sauce” as a Facebook name game recently tagged me. However, I had just received a shipment of Jennafer Grace robes when we went into quarantine and one in particular caught my eye… a velvet black and silver shimmer robe with faux fur cuffs. It’s a completely retro bathrobe that I thought was over the top, until I put it on. The fabric, so soft and drapey, with shimmer and shine, along with the faux fur cuffs transports me to the 50’s and I feel like a glamour girl… the only thing I’m missing is my fluffy slingback slippers! The first night I put this on, I felt like a giddy schoolgirl. I tried on sexy things to wear under it, and couldn’t wait to pose for my husband, because DANG, I felt sexy! I just wanted to be held, and petted! I’m sure that is where the term “petting” came from. It’s an old word, but with robes like this, I think we should bring it back!
There are so many ways in which we can make our self-quarantine fun and exciting, and de-stress in the process. Whether it’s with tea and meditation, bath bombs and sexy robes, or figuring out how to include an orgasm(or two)-a-day into our lives, it’s all a matter of choice and perspective. Figuring out how to own our experience in protecting ourselves, our loved ones, and our community from this virus! In fact, I just had a girlfriend send me a list of games she’s doing to add spice to her relationship… I’ll be sure to include that in another post! How to Survive and Thrive in Self-Quarantine with a Partner! Needless to say, it’s going to include a lot of ideas about playing and choosing to have an amazing experience during this challenging time!
Hopefully you’ve enjoyed my ideas and they inspire you to try something new and fun in your home! If you have any suggestions of things you’ve tried and loved, please don’t hesitate to send them to me at roylin @ trystology . com and I’ll be sure to share them! Or comment on our post on Facebook or Instagram! Thanks for being a part of the Trystology Family, we’ll look forward to sharing more in the coming days and weeks.