As much as we wish we could say our self-care honeymoon was on a child-free island far away, where the sun is always shining and the cocktails are always pouring, it certainly isn’t the case for us and most likely isn’t a possibility for you too.

We’re honeymooning right where we are. Amidst the whirlwind of crazy antics, endless to-do list, the madness & the mundane, we’re taking what time we have to listen to our bodies and give ourselves some much needed, healthy, tender loving care.

Self-love isn’t narcissistic, it’s not about being selfish, and doesn’t require an overseas holiday or expensive pampering. It’s less about running away from normality, and more about making the normal beautiful. It’s about slowing down. Breathing in. Learning. Growing. Adjusting. And using what moments you have to yourself in the day to make the normal wonderful again.

We’re all about taking care of yourself and looking after your health: physically, mentally and emotionally. Here are 5 ways we are taking the time to practice self-love this month, and why you should join us.

1. Gratitude

Don’t know about you, but when we have our cranky pants on, it’s super hard to be grateful, appreciate life, and feel content. And vice versa: when we’re feeling grounded with gratitude, it’s hard to rain on our parade and steal our joy.

They say happiest people in life are the most grateful, so this is the number one priority on our self-love agenda.

The only thing gratitude will cost you is a few moments in the morning when you wake to count your blessings and meditate on everything you have that you are thankful for. If you’re struggling with where to start, find a gratitude journal, trawl through Pinterest for some inspo, or on whatever scraps of paper you have lying around, just write 3 things each day that make you happy and that you are grateful for.

2. Slow down and simplify

“You don’t need all the things you think you need - to do all the things you feel called to do. You have all you need, right now, right here - now go make life beautiful” - Tess Guinery.

Accumulating stuff, being present at every single social event, yearning for more *insert thing you think you need*, filling every spare second ticking off errands… we all seem to be great at thinking we need more when really, we need less.

Less stuff. Less clutter. Less back-to-back calendar commitments and non-essential chores and errands. Choosing less of the unnecessary means more time to actually live and be more present in every moment.

Whatever is cluttering your home, your wardrobe, your emotions, and your time - learn to simplify, slow down, and say no to the things you think you need that are actually taking up too much space.

It’s incredibly freeing to simplify and slow down, and something we know we need in our busy lives so we can make room for some serious self-lovin’.

3. Do more of what you love

It’s amazing how much more time you will have on your hands if you really nail step 3 and learn to simplify, slow down and do less/have less of the unnecessary.

Use this extra time to do more of what you love, to chase your dreams, to learn, grow, and ultimately do whatever it is that makes your heart dance.

It could be as simple as a few quiet moments in the morning to sip on your Velvet Latte, going for a walk, reading a book, enjoying the art of slow cooking, or soaking up the warmth of a candle-lit, flower-adorned, oil-infused evening bath.

Or it could be a gruelling sweat sesh, learning a language, making origami… whatever floats your boat, do more of that!

4. Turn the mundane into magic

Just because we’re lapping up the practice of self-love doesn’t mean we’re skipping out on the chores and things we don’t particularly enjoy. But it doesn’t mean those things have to suck, either.

While you’re doing the laundry, crank up the Bieber tunes and sing your heart out. Make some damn good food and dance around the kitchen while it’s cooking. Transform your workspace, fill it with plants, and plaster your favourite things all over the walls.

5. Making healthier choices

You only have one body, take care of it and eat foods that nourish and support your health.

Remove the foods that make you feel like rubbish, and learn to make healthier choices. It doesn’t mean you have to cut out all the guilty pleasures that you love, just make healthy swaps and find ways to incorporate more organic foods and plants into your food. At the very least, cut out processed foods and artificial ingredients, and eat more organic whole foods. Check the ingredients list on the products you buy. Listen to your body, and nourish it with a healthy variety of whole foods. It’s one of the biggest forms of self-love and will help you feel your very best.

Now that we have unleashed our inner Gandhi on you, join with us this month on practising some more self-love, whatever that looks like for you! There’s plenty of recipes, tips, and golden nuggets of inspiration from people who own the art of self-love coming your way, so stay tuned.