Creative Self Care with Crystal McLain

Hi there. I recognize that there are a lot of us who are having a hard time carrying on with our day-to-day lives, and due to global and local events I want to share a few personal and profession tips that may help us to show up for ourselves and eachother during these challenging times. To start, I want to mention that many of us have lived through some sort of traumatic experience, and these experiences have shaped how we deal with stress, conflict, challenge, change, boundary setting, self advocacy, and just general day-to-day living. I am one of those people who’ve...

I don't know if you've noticed this or not, but the world is kind of exhausting right now. And we could really use a little extra space in our lives for some serious self care. And that is exactly why I feel like we should make time to nurture and empower our PRACTICAL self-  which is the part of you that focuses on the systems, habits and routines that manage your day-to-day life.  But because we're already feeling maxed out living in a world obsessed with productivity and perfectionism, it's easy to ignore this part of our lives. But, it's this very structure that's going to allow us to have the...

You know what complicates life? Feelings. Feelings are tricky little critters that get wrapped up in just about all of life's experiences. And all too often these feelings can feel kinda crappy.  Worry, apprehension, fear, doubt, shame, guilt, boredom, embarrassment, overwhelm, dread, anger, frustration, sadness...they're everywhere! And the worst part is, they can influence our perception of ourselves and others, and the choices we make, causing us to live in ways that aren't really healthy or fulfilling.   So, today I want to talk about the emotional self, discover how feelings work, understand why they're important, and learn how to work WITH them instead of wishing they didn't exist....

Each and every one of us lives inside a complex container, known as the human body. And a lot of us have a complicated relationship with this warm and fleshy vessel.  In fact, it's so convoluted, that many of us actually define our self worth according to its aesthetics and functionality. We often claim to even "hate" our bodies, complain about them, and sometimes, tragically, abuse them.  But your body is your home, and you only get this one. So it's really important that you learn how to love and appreciate it, and take the very best care of it you can. So, today...

Watch an art process video at the bottom of this page. Ever feel like your whole life would be SO much better if you could just give your mental wellness a boost? Silly question. Of course you do. Well, today we're going to learn 10 things that will help you understand your mental SELF, so you can take better care of your mental HEALTH. Welcome to the blog & podcast, Unlocking Wellness! I’m Crystal McLain, curator of Crystal McLain Creative, an online resource that supports folks who are ready to get creative with the care of their mind, body, and mother-lovin’ soul.  If...