Hypnotherapy expert Emilie Leyes, who has over 900,000 TikTok followers, has shared five self-care strategies that she says require no extra time and have 'completely transformed her life and her health'.
The five steps
Emilie outlined each of her recommended steps. The first is the '5-second rule' by author Mel Robbins. She recommends counting down '5, 4, 3, 2, 1' in your head when your alarm sounds, then sitting up and starting your day. 'After doing this for a couple of days, I have become so much more of a morning person,' she admitted.
Second is laughter yoga, which Emilie incorporates into her morning routine while getting ready. 'You can do it in the shower, while you are brushing your teeth and it based on the idea that the body doesn't know the difference between a real and fake laugh,' she revealed. She said that if you do 'fake laugh', it will 'become real very, very quickly' and lift your spirits.
Mundane moments and mindful breathing
Third, during life's mundane moments, Emilie suggests shifting your focus to 'supportive' and 'pleasant' thoughts. For example, while doing the dishes, she recommends paying attention to the sensation of the water and suds. During a commute, she suggests counting beautiful things you pass along the way.
Fourth is mindful breathing. 'You can do this at any point in your life,' she advised. 'Just take a moment for the next three breaths - you're going to pay attention to what it feels like to breathe. I find that the psychological sigh is a helpful way to do that and all it involves is taking a deep breath, catching another quick deep breath and then exhaling all of that out in a big sigh.' According to Emilie, repeating this three times consecutively will 'reset' your nervous system if practised regularly.
Daydreaming
Rounding off her list is daydreaming. 'Just allow yourself to do this,' Emilie urged. 'Give yourself permission to daydream about everything going right for you and about all the things in your past that were so good too.' She added: 'Reminisce on happy memories as though they are happening right now. Give yourself permission to think about what it will feel like if you reach your biggest goals.'
Emilie concluded her video by recapping her five points: 'All of these things are going to make such a big difference about how you feel in your days.'
