3 Ways to Incorporate Mindfulness into Painting your Nails
Want to meditate but don't have time? Find yourself at the end of every day wishing you'd had a few minutes to slow down? If you're feeling stressed or anxious or in need of some self-care, these three ideas are just for you. In this post, I'm sharing three ways you can incorporate mindfulness and wellness into your nail care routine. Let's get right into it...
1. Listen to instrumental music
Instead of turning on a TV show or some YouTube videos to fill the silence when you're painting your nails, why not play some music? Head over to your music provider of choice (I'm using Spotify as an example) and search for an instrumental playlist or instrumental album. When I need some peaceful background noise or want to de-stress, two of my favorite types of playlists are "spa music" and jazz.
One of my favorites right now is the "Jazz for Autumn" playlist on Spotify. The songs are exactly what I love to hear when I'm working or spending time on self-care. I also love their "SPA Treatment" playlist for pamper nights or meditation.
Adding some wordless music to your nail care routine can help you de-stress and give you time to appreciate each special sound you hear. I also recommend choosing some peaceful or soothing music if you're in need of some "quiet" sounds.
2. Embrace "quiet time"
Use the time it takes you to paint your nails as a pause button. While you have some peace and quiet, take time to meditate. You could do this yourself by simply spending some time on self-care or by listening to a guided meditation. This is also a great time to pray and/or sort through your thoughts so you can re-focus and relax.
So often, we go from one activity to the next, all while thinking about what we have to do next before we even get there. Don't think about all the things you have to do after you paint your nails or moisturize your cuticles. Think about being present and stay in the moment. Remember to please be gentle with yourself and let this process of mindfulness happen naturally. It cannot be forced and it cannot happen instantly.
If you implement just a few moments of mindfulness when you can, your routine will begin to take shape and you'll continue to use this time for peace and clarity.
3. Nail art session
Art is a fantastic way to relax, de-stress, and be creative. So, whether you're a beginner or a veteran, nail art is an easy way to add some extra mindfulness to your nail painting time. After you've painted your nails' base color, add some nail art over top! This doesn't have to be extravagant or difficult (if you don't want it to be), so you can just be creative and have fun.
Nail art will help you to be focused and present, as well as add some creativity to your day. You can create nail art with something as simple as a toothpick or a bobby pin, things you most likely have around your house. You can find zillions of nail art tutorials on YouTube and Instagram, so following a nail art tutorial is another great way to relax and have some fun.
I have several nail art tutorials of my own (easy, no-tool, seasonal, etc) on my YouTube channel, so you can click here to explore those.
I hope you found at least one of these tips helpful. I had a blast putting this blog post together. The literal tagline of my site is "nails and good vibes," so that's exactly what I wanted to combine here: nail polish and wellness.
Our mental and physical wellbeing can be so greatly helped by creating even a few minutes of mindfulness in our day, so these tips are excellent additions to potentially pre-existing routines. I truly hope these ideas can help you add some peace and joy to your day, as well as lend some special pizzazz each time you sit down to paint your nails.
Let me know in the comments which of these tips you're going to try or how YOU like to incorporate wellness/mindfulness into your nail care routine!
Have a polished rest of your day and be well,