Forget the bubble baths- Try mindful living instead
There's so much hype about self-care. It's become a bit of a buzzword, both in the mental health world and on social media.
In a world of influencers and online voices (qualified or not), self-care seems to have been reduced down to something that appears costly, time-consuming and, if we're honest, a little self-indulgent. Long soaks in candlelit bathtubs, expensive massages and wellness retreats, anyone?
Who honestly has the time? And more importantly, the money?
But here's the thing — self-care is actually an important part of wellbeing, and something we ignore at our peril. You'll hear any mental health professional talk about it, ask you what it looks like for you, and encourage you to make more space for it in your life. Why? Because, as the saying goes, prevention is better than cure.
The trouble is online influencers have made self-care a whole lot more complicated than it needs to be.
Today’s world is fast-paced, and the many demands of life often cause us to drift over time from what is healthy and needed to maintain wellbeing. This is especially true for women, who notoriously put everyone else's needs before their own — and by the time they have some spare time, they're too exhausted to do anything. Sound familiar?
So Why Do We Talk About Self-Care — and What Does It Actually Mean?
If you're interested in the everyday woman's version, rather than the curated social media influencer version, read on.
What we all need more of is mindful living — living with intention, not drifting along in response to endless demands and pressures.
Wellbeing is built intentionally and mindfully, day by day. Greater wellbeing now, bears fruit when stress, difficulties and challenges strike. Wellbeing builds a baseline that helps us navigate hard times a little better than we otherwise would.
Self-care is anything that grounds us in the present, nourishes us and enhances our wellbeing — spirit, soul or body. It can be physical, emotional, mental, spiritual or social.
It can take three minutes or three hours. It can look different on different days. The key thing is mindfully and intentionally taking time to nourish our wellbeing by doing whatever feeds our soul.
3 Easy Steps You Can Start Today
1. Take an inventory
● What activities do you enjoy?
● What nourishes your soul?
Include free options alongside those that will cost money. Have some that take a few minutes, as well as those you need to set aside more time for.
2. Take a self-assessment
● What do I need more of in my life for greater wellbeing? (Exercise, friends, creativity, spiritual nourishment...)
● What do I need less of? (Doomscrolling, TV, alcohol...)
3. Choose one from each list, daily
Choose one from the first list each day (more if you can manage it) and mindfully limit one from the second list.
Ask yourself - today, did I take a walk? Call a friend, knit, read……or anything else on your list?
If you can begin to live each day being more"mindfully me" — even if it's just a few moments of calm breathing with a cuppa before a busy day — you are mindfully building your wellbeing.
It's About as Complicated as It Needs to Be
Totally doable, even for the most time-poor, under-pressure, doing it all, woman amongst us.
You will know what you need, both when doing your inventory and each day. Allow your body to tell you what it needs from you, as you begin to learn to live more intentionally and mindfully.
Self-care was never meant to be another thing on your to-do list, another expense, or another way to feel like you're falling short. It's simpler than that — it's a walk, a phone call, a few quiet breaths before the day gets loud. Start small, start today, and let your wellbeing build the way it's meant to: one intentional moment at a time.
Download your FREE template to get started below:
A simple tool to get you started on living mindfully. Take a quick self assessment of enjoyable activities, what you need more of and what you need less of in your day. Identify priorities to focus on and formulate a simple goal or two to get you started towards living more mindfully everyday.