It's been a mixed month with both heatwaves and thunder storms and it ends with lockdown restrictions finally starting to ease. So grab a cuppa and settle in as I tell you what been loving in the month of June!
*Please note, there are affiliate links in this post, but all views are my own and if it's not obvious I own the products.
And breathe...
First up, with the warmer weather comes the opportunity to move my workouts/exercise outside. Since the beginning of lockdown I've been doing a lot of walking; partly for my mental wellbeing and partly because of the great health benefits that come with it. Something I've also got back into is, yoga.
I really love yoga because you can tailor it to how you are feeling that day. You can make it more of a workout, or you can focus more on breathing and stretching - great when you've been sat at a desk all day! I find it really helps calm me and especially if I get to go outside. I recently had to buy a new yoga mat because my old one was literally falling apart. I bought this one from Amazon and it's served me well so far! If you think you are going to be doing a lot of floor movements and less standing poses, I would recommend getting an extra thick mat, they are super cushioning!
Blue light what?
A couple of weeks ago I decided to purchase a pair of blue light blocking glasses. I'd done a bit of reading up on what exactly they were supposed to do and thought I would give them a go. Basically, all screens give off blue light which can cause eye strain, headaches and problems sleeping. With looking at a screen most of the day I find my eyes do get very tired and dry towards the end of the day, and I've even had a couple of migraines. So I bought a pair off amazon and have been wearing them whilst I am working. I have actually noticed that I haven't had as many headaches at the end of the day and my eyes don't feel so dry either, so that seems like a win!
I bought this pair, but there are loads to choose from!
Embracing the curl!
Last week I shared a very personal post about my struggle with Trichotillomania. With this confession I have also decided to try and get my hair back to health by embracing the curls and trying out some new methods of hair care!
At the beginning of this month I started to do a lot of research into the proper way to care for naturally curly hair. I read endless posts about 'the curly girl method' and the 'no poo method' and decided to take the plunge and attempt to wean my hair off of the harsh chemicals found in most shampoos and conditioners.
Without going into too much detail (if you would like a full post on my continuing journey, let me know!) I have gotten to a place now where I only wash my hair once a week if not more, with a tiny amount of sulphate free shampoo and my hair does feel a lot better.
Add to this proper styling and drying techniques and this is what my hair can look like if properly cared for! So this month I have been loving both washing my hair less and getting the spring back in it, literally!
I can't hear you!
Working from home is not always easy. We have quite a busy house and sometimes I need to focus and shut out the world. Combine this with my love of music and a good set of headphones has been an essential for me for a long time. I recently treated myself to a pair of the Sony WH-1000XM3 and they are AMAZING. Wireless, noise cancelling, comfy, great battery life, brilliant clarity - the works. Okay, they are pretty pricey but I think it's a worth while investment if, like me, you can't live without music. Check them out here.
Violin
The last thing I've been really enjoying the month of June is playing the violin! For those of you that don't know, I've been playing the violin since January after a New Years resolution to try something new! I actually wrote a blog post about what inspired me to take up the violin at 24 which you can read here.
Obviously in June, and the months before, we've all been spending a bit more time indoors which has been hard, but having something to really take my focus off of the current situation and onto something so challenging but rewarding, is great. I've had to adapt to zoom lessons instead of face to face lessons, but I'm hoping we are not far off socially distant face to face lessons once more!
And there you have it! The top five things I've been loving in the month of June! I hope you have been enjoying June in the best way you can. Stay safe.
Lucy xxx