Let’s Celebrate Self-Care This Summer Solstice!

Hey there self care besties! The Summer Solstice is right around the corner—June 20 this year! It is absolutely the most awesome day of the year when hen the sun’s shining its brightest and the day feels endless. It’s like nature’s giving us a big, warm hug, and what better way to soak it up than with some self-care? I’m excited to share a super uplifting essential oil to try and a totally free, easy-peasy self-care practice you can whip up with stuff you’ve already got at home. Let’s dive in!

Lemon Essential Oil: Your Solstice Sunshine in a bottle

Why It’s Awesome

Lemon essential oil, squeezed from Citrus limon, is like a burst of summer in a bottle. Its zesty, fresh scent is a total mood-lifter—it’s like sunshine for your soul! It can help you feel energized, sharpen your focus, and even ease stress. Perfect for the solstice when everything’s buzzing with life. I love how it makes any moment feel brighter, whether you’re setting intentions or just chilling.

How to Use It

Pop 3–5 drops of lemon oil into a diffuser with some water, and let that citrusy goodness fill your space. Want to keep it close? Get some lava rock diffuser jewelry and pop a drop or two on that. Try diffusing it during the solstice while you journal or do some gentle stretches—it’s like adding a spark to the day’s magic.

Safety Stuff to Know

Dilute, Dilute, Dilute: Straight-up lemon oil can irritate your skin, so always mix it with a carrier oil for rubbing on.

Patch Test First: Try a tiny bit of diluted oil on your skin to make sure it plays nice with you.

Watch the Sun: Lemon oil can make your skin sensitive to sunlight, so don’t slather it on and then go sunbathing—wait 12–24 hours to avoid burns.

No Tasting: Keep it out of your mouth unless a pro tells you otherwise.

Pets and Kids: Keep diffusers up high, since essential oils aren’t great for little ones or furry friends.

Go for Quality: Grab 100% pure, therapeutic-grade lemon oil from a trusted brand to skip any weird additives. I love Aromatics International and Plant Therapy.

With these tips, lemon oil’s your new bestie for a vibrant solstice vibe.

A Fun, Free Self-Care Idea: The Gratitude Jar

The solstice is all about abundance, so let’s lean into that with a Gratitude Jar. It’s a feel-good practice that’s free, super simple, and made from stuff you’ve probably got lying around. Plus, it’s a great way to keep the summer’s positivity flowing!

What You Need

An empty jar (think old jam jar, mason jar, or even a cleaned-out salsa jar)

Scrap paper (junk mail, old notebook pages, whatever’s in the recycling)

A pen or pencil

Optional: some string, ribbon, or stickers to jazz it up (totally not necessary, but fun if you’ve got ‘em)

How to Make It Happen

Get Your Jar Ready: Give that jar a quick wash and dry. Feeling crafty? Tie a ribbon around it or slap on some stickers to make it yours.

Write Down the Good Stuff: Every day, jot down one thing you’re grateful for on a scrap of paper. Could be “that amazing coffee this morning” or “a call with my bestie.” Fold it up and toss it in the jar.

Solstice Moment: On the solstice, find a cozy spot (maybe with your lemon oil diffuser going), open the jar, and read through your notes. It’s like a love letter to your life, soaking up all that solstice glow.

Keep It Going: Add more notes all summer long. Pull them out whenever you need a little heart-warming boost.

Why It’s Great

This little ritual is like a hug for your mind. It helps you focus on the good stuff, cuts down on stress, and keeps you grounded. And the best part? It’s totally free and takes just a minute a day.

Safety Note

This one’s as safe as it gets, but keep the jar somewhere steady so it doesn’t tip over and break. This is a great practice for the whole family to get involved in because gratitude should be your attitude! If kids are joining in, keep an eye out to avoid any glass mishaps.

Bringing It All Together

The Summer Solstice is your chance to bask in light and good vibes. Fire up some lemon essential oil to lift your spirits and get those creative juices flowing, then start a Gratitude Jar to keep the positivity rolling. Both are easy, safe, and totally in tune with the solstice’s energy of joy and abundance. So, grab that jar, breathe in that lemony freshness, and let’s make this solstice a moment to cherish yourself.

Happy Solstice, and here’s to feeling your best!

XO,

Fanny Rose, Your Self Care Bestie