Self-care isn’t just about journalling (sigh) and spa treatments (because we’ve all got the bucks for that, right). Here’s how to make it cheaper, and fun.
Immerse yourself in nature
It’s proven that getting outside boosts your mood. We got seriously lucky with the most eye-popping vistas nature has to offer. And it’s been dished up right on our doorstep. Visit a local heritage site, like Cape Point, where you get to revisit history, soak up the winter sun and get in your daily steps.
Hike a variety of scenic and overnight trails through natural fynbos and along sandy beaches, taking in more than 1 100 indigenous plant species that grow nowhere else in the world (yup), watch the annual whale migration from June to October (that’s basically right now), picnic, swim, kayak and mountain bike and, obvs, shipwreck spot.
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Bonus: Get a Green Card and only pay R9.17 per entry. And did you know that during the winter school hols, you score one free scholar return Flying Dutchman funicular ticket for every adult return ticket you buy? Plus… kids eat free with paying adults at the Two Oceans Restaurant – a lekker spot with views for days. Just don’t panic if a brazen bird or baboon joins you at the table. It’s all just part of the experience.
Steal an hour completely for yourself
Book a yin yoga class (MyUTOPIA has yin classes on Mondays and Tuesdays – check out the schedule). Why yin specifically? Because it’s more slow pampery treat than torture.
Your instructor gently guides you through each pose, which you hold for anything from 45 seconds to two minutes. The reason for this delicious delay is this: by holding a deep floor stretch for longer, you can access the tendons, ligaments and deep fascia (connective tissue that envelops your bones, muscles and organs, helping you to maintain posture, control body position and make smooth, coordinated movements). The result: increased circulation in the joints, improved flexibility and a seriously seductive sense of wellbeing.
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The perfect balance between yoga and meditation, yin will leave you a blissed out, stretched out puddle of zen on the floor. You’ll float through the rest of your week with the kind of calm only prescription pills can normally achieve – but this is all natural, baby! And you deserve it.
Do a 15-minute workout
That’s all it takes to get a decent workout, fire up your fat-burn and improve your sense of wellbeing. Sign up to the Women’s Health YouTube channel to access the full series of 15-minute videos. It’s about caring for your body. And it’s free.
