In our latest research in connecting with women, we have been collecting insight on what adds wellness and balance to our lives. As Women who nurture the world how can we nurture ourselves with the same care, compassion, empathy, love and acceptance?
We’ve collected shared practices from our allies along with our personal experience in our wellness journey for you below. These topics are the most mentioned, talked about and asked about in the last 5 months. We have been connecting and working with our allies who are women entrepreneurs in the coaching, nutrition, wellness, fitness, meditation and yoga spaces and we share gratitude for having the opportunity to share the life changing practices below.
Most of what you will find in this collection of amazing practices is that they are not time consuming, in fact if added in short increments, or one at a time, they will force change but will cause a lifestyle that wellness is balanced for you.
LEAVE something in your tank for you. Shared by Ashley H.
Don’t give away all your space, compassion, empathy, love, money, nurturing leaving yourself feeling physically empty or over withdrawn when it comes time for you and what you need from you.
Daily check-in examples:
Did I get my meditation, workout, walk, yoga, book time in?
Did I eat a balanced lunch?
Do I remember 1-3 things today that made me smile?
Did I yell at the kids all evening because I was so “tired”?
There will be days that we miss the above suggestions but be mindful of how often we miss out on the things that help us feel accomplished, full and balanced. Did I fill my tank by connecting with friends that I connect with? 20- 30 minutes can add to your happiness… studies show girlfriends that are there for you and you are there for them can be uplifting for your spirits and recharge your confidence.
Re-framing your self-statement and self-talk. Shared by Bree.
Starting sentences with
“I get to” wake up at 6am because I have a job, or
“Because I am capable of working out, I am committing to” instead of I have to wake up at 6am.
I can have that cheeseburger, but I am choosing the salmon”
Re-framing is an act of constantly reminding yourself of how you would like to be, or what your end goal is. You want a fulfilled life, reframe your thoughts with what you do have and how that is enough, the rest will come.
Re-define “self-care” and what it is to you and what it can be especially during the climate of the world we live in today.
Breath work/exercises can add self-care and calmness.
How to do this:
Sit tall close your eyes
Inhale for 4 seconds/ hold for 4 seconds/ exhale for 4 seconds
Repeat 3-10 times. Once you open your eyes ensure to notice the lighter feeling of your body and breath…
Thank yourself for giving YOU self-care with breath
Weightlifting can build confidence and change your body and mindset.
Lifting weight and body weight training will release endorphins, which is proven to positively impact your mood, resulting in clearing your head, and feel a confidence in self investment.
Starting with a personal trainer or a small group training class will help you safely start or elevate a new program that will make you stronger, healthier and you will be able to handle stress with greater ease.
To elevate or calm your calm your workout, try a practice at the end of your workout to calm your system, this can be your favorite yoga stretch followed by 30-1 minute of Shavasana like rest, thanking yourself for the time you spent. This benefits your nervous system and your mind too, reading your entire self for the day or night ahead of you.
Nutrition is the compass of your mind and body. When you nourish your body with foods that fuel strength, clarity and balance you reap the benefits 10-fold. If the majority of your diet is balanced and you are making choices that don’t cause inflammation and irritation then you will in return not “feeling” those feeling factors mentally either. A few things to remember when you are thinking wellness and understanding what you eat reflects that:
Treat yourself, to indulge daily is not a treat, its a bad habit, but to enjoy a treat when you have treated your body good with mostly great eating choices… then that is a Treat, and you deserve it.
SIZE matters, serving size is tricky especially when eating out. Be mindful, not awkward... is the entire plate full of food? If so, portion the meal out… You got This.
After you eat a well-balanced meal, remind yourself how “complete and happy” you feel. This is a great way to reward yourself for cooking, ordering and eating something that will help your body support you.
When making changes and improvements to your lifestyle, communicate it with your support system, as a change not as a negotiable event. Share your excitement and your commitment.
Biggest thing to remember is that if you continuously make choices you “feel” guilty about, then you have a few choices:
Ensure you work out a or movement to support the choice so at least you are breaking even.
Choose differently, 1/2 of the time. Start there.
Stop feeling guilty and change your goals.
Morning Rituals. Shared by Shanna.
Morning rituals are a proven effective way to help start your day with confidence, balance and direction. When looking for a way to re-focus self-care, better your performance at home or work, a morning ritual customized and tailored to you can change your approach to your daily life, and help you succeed in monumental personal ways.
Your life might reflect your mornings. Are the hectic? Crazy, always late, stressful? And can you see that same thread through your day? Imagine the impact of changing the way you start the very first part of your day.
A few things you can change right away and a few additions to influence a more positive and productive mindset.
Stop checking emails from bed
Start creating space for wellness in the morning/ quite tea, choose to “smell the coffee” and enjoy the coffee
5-10 minutes earlier wake up to just be and breath… not do and start anything
Manifest writing, where do you want to be in a year, write that experience as if you were there.
Pages, first thing in the morning write out 1-3 pages of your thoughts, just “dump” them on the page, no grammar, spelling just data dump. Clear the mind of repetitive thoughts. Start the day with new thoughts.
Build a routine, find what amount of time work for you. What combination and what order works for you, review and adjust till you find something that fits.
Movement of your body, workout, stretch, or yoga first thing. This can be the workout of the day or it can be your “starter” short and sweet to “wake the body up” let it know it’s a new day and it’s time to get moving literally.
Hydrate, 8 ounces of water first thing in the morning will help your body feel connected and balanced.
Work the “muscle” of ritual or repetitive action… As you start and build consistency and then add more time, more resistance another practice.
Application of self-love and worthiness. This is not just about actions of nails and toes done, hair done, while all are great most of the time these become things that we put in our calendar as a to-do, instead of to “experience self”. Mindfulness and compassion are somewhat buzz words now… due to distractions we are searching for mindfulness and compassion to self and others.
A few ways to APPLY real self-love
Think of actions or words that others say to you that make you feel loved or make you smile. Then say or do to yourself.
Yes, this means embrace your sexuality.
Ensure to Include in your words and actions what you feel you are lacking in. I you want to “feel beautiful, sexy, accepted, or strong” You must tell yourself that you in fact are those things, over and over again.
When you “speak” to yourself Listen as you would if the one you love more than anything were telling you what you are saying… and then remind yourself that YOU can LOVE you more than anyone ever could.
Self-affirmations, or self-compassion and love mindful chats and breaths.
This is a practice of taking a deep breath and “saying either out loud or quietly a self-centered feeling you WANT to feel or Continue to honor.
I am strong, I am beautiful, I am capable, I am worthy, I am enough… Each one is said with a deep meaningful breath.
Compassion and love can be applied to self but also to others, build brain connections toward whom you are sending love and compassion. Say “Love and compassion to myself, Love and compassion to my kid, love and compassion to the one that hurt my feeling beyond repair (this helps build forgiveness, freeing you of resentment). Choose 3-7 compassion and love breaths and release them into the air… feel the universe send it back.
Meditation. Shared by Tiffany.
Meditation is a practice, and can be embraced for the time you invest there is no right or wrong time, an ally shared with us “the only wasted mediation is the one not done” – Tiffany Landon
Start with a 5-10 minute mediation practice and then as you can adapt for when time allows add more time
Guided meditation or mindful moments can help you enjoy the practice
We are busy thinking, doing and talking… how often are you “being”?
Any moment can be a mindful moment, if you are aware of that moment and only experiencing what is in that moment. You don’t have to change anything just notice and witness what is currently happening, from breath, to the sounds of the room you are in, and the sounds outside of the room. When you finish that moment, just notice being in the same spot.
Mindful moments are a type of meditation practice.
How to have mindful moments:
Wash your face, smell the face wash
Cook and see the colors of the foods you are preparing smell the smells and just “stir the pot”
Go for a walk and use all of your senses on your walk, what can you hear? Smell? touch? and taste? Enjoy and notice all. Clear your mind as you focus on your senses.
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We recently asked for very specific shares on how women that moms are, entrepreneurs, businesswomen and stay-at-home heroes find wellness in their everyday lives. We are always making it way more complicated than it has to be, let’s just add a small piece of the day for us… here is what they said…
Tenille shares: “Self-care=wellness for sure! Love time with my gal pals, wine and sushi! Also, waking up earlier (than my kiddos) to 📖 and enjoy my 🍵 tea. *currently reading Miracle Morning”
Aisha shares: “I spend so much time doing, it’s a blessing to take just a minute and 💟 BE, it brings tears to my eyes”
Tracy shares: “1. Sitting and doing a 10 minute mediation ☮️ . 2. Writing ✏️ down all I am grateful for that happened that day, makes the challenges tor things that didn’t go my way seem minor. 3. Talking to my kids and really listening to them.” ❤️
Shanna shares: “Wellness for me can be preparing food that is full of sunlight energy. Or having good conversation with my husband next to each other - no distractions and being able to enjoy a cuppa tea slowly in silence”
Julie shares: “For me wellness is waking up without an alarm and lacing my shoes for a sunrise run.”
Chel shares: “Today wellness was Facetiming📱with my daughter and little granddaughters, coffee ☕️ with my hubby, going for a walk….. Mind body and spirit all in one 🎇 ”
So, we leave you with this thought-provoking question: Is wellness equal or same as self-care?
We say it can be, as long as you are aware during your self-care moments or to-dos. Are you aware of your thoughts, feelings, your reactions, are you unplugged from screens and experiencing all that is in the moment you are in? If you can answer YES, then wellness and self-care are one in the same. Reward yourself with time that fulfills you and allows you to use your senses and breath.
