Crafting Self Care

I had the honour of being invited to be a key mentor and speaker at the Brisbane Business Hub’s Women In Business Mentoring Workshop event.

As I often do, I asked the organiser at BBH, “What is the most common complaint/pain point/frustration (or thereabouts) which you hear from these amazing women?” Her response was immediate: “They tend to put themselves last and put so much time and effort into their business and families, and forget to take care of themselves”. Decision made, I will speak about the importance of self-care, and the importance of self-care for the self-employed.

It may seem simple, however, how many of you sit down and allocate time and space into the planning and consideration of a health and wellbeing schedule for yourself for the coming year?

Before you know it the year is flying by and you are feeling stretched, stressed, exhausted, possibly overwhelmed and heading for burn out valley…….oh and what happened to that yoga class you promised yourself? The weekend retreat? The healthier, calmer more vibrant and balanced version of you (and your life) that you committed to on new years eve?

But before we begin to unpack how to prioritise your self care, let’s go back a step and look at what it is.

Self-care is the practice of taking deliberate actions to promote and maintain one's physical, mental, and emotional & energetic well-being. It is an essential aspect of leading a healthy and fulfilling life. The importance of self-care cannot be overstated, as it plays a significant role in various areas of our lives. Maybe even more than you’d considered, so here are just some of the things to ponder:

Physical Health: Engaging in self-care activities such as regular exercise, maintaining a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and managing stress can have a positive impact on your physical health. Taking care of your body helps prevent illness, boosts your immune system, elevates your mood, and enhances your overall energy and vitality.

Mental Health: Practicing self-care is crucial for maintaining good mental health. Engaging in relaxation techniques, mindfulness, meditation, or pursuing hobbies and interests can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Taking breaks and setting boundaries is an important part of our mental health. Learn to say no. Know who you are and what your values are. Manage the internal dialogue and focus on what is inside your ‘circle of control’ rather than your ‘circle of concern’.

Emotional Well-being: Self-care involves paying attention to your emotions and addressing them in a healthy manner. This may include seeking support from friends, family, or professionals when needed (we of course recommend seeing your kinesiologist). Consider part of emotional well-being includes expressing yourself creatively, and engaging in activities that bring you joy and fulfillment. It is important to have fun and laugh. Pay attention to your internal dialogue and make it a discipline to speak to yourself with the encouragement and kindness you would to your best friend.

Improved Relationships: When you prioritize self-care, you are better equipped to engage in healthy and meaningful relationships. When you feel balanced and content, you can give your best self to your interactions with others, fostering deeper connections. You may also notice as you prioritise your own wellbeing, the quality people you begin to attract into your life may shift.

Increased Productivity and Focus: Regular self-care helps enhance your ability to concentrate and be productive. Taking breaks and practicing relaxation techniques can improve your cognitive function and creativity, leading to better work performance and problem-solving skills. Self care It moves you out of the ‘fight flight’ mode where the brain can be scrambled and easily distracted. As you increase your ability to engage the parasympathetic nervous system, notice the increase in clarity of thinking, focus and productivity.

Stress Management: Self-care provides effective tools for managing stress. Engaging in activities you enjoy, practicing mindfulness, and taking time for self-reflection can help reduce stress levels and promote a sense of calm. Having an outlet which puts a smile on your face and a sparkle in your step as it releases all those endorphins, weaves a little magic into the biochemistry of every cell in your body.

Self-Esteem & Confidence: Engaging in self-care can boost your self-esteem and self-confidence. When you take time to care for yourself and prioritize your needs, you send a positive message to yourself about your self-worth. Learn to set boundaries for yourself and for those people pleasers out there……it’s time to practice “no”. When you empower yourself to be unattached to what other’s think of you, consider you’re enhancing a greater level of authenticity for yourself.

Prevention of Burnout: In our fast-paced and demanding world, burnout is a real thing. So many of us wear the “busy badge” as if it were a good thing…..If you aren’t busy well then you are obviously not doing enough or don’t have an exciting enough life…..WRONG!!!! Slow down, recalibrate, look at your life and ask what really matters. What will bring you back to centre? What makes you feel grounded and calm? It is not a race to the finish line and allowing yourself to recharge, rest, and reset, is essential for long-term well-being, and you may just find there was a whole lot of life you were missing in the frantic drive for “more”.

Personal Growth & Development: How well do you know yourself? When was the last time you participated in something which challenges personal growth and development within yourself? Engaging in activities that challenge you, setting and achieving goals, and engaging in self-reflection can contribute to your overall sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. It need not be work related, remember doing something for fun is all part of your wellbeing and maybe that is just what you need.

Life Satisfaction: Ultimately, practicing self-care leads to greater life satisfaction. When you take the time to know yourself more, what makes you tick and what you really love and want for your life; who you are and what matters to you; then give yourself permission to prioritise those things, you are actually being an example to everyone around you who may just need to learn a little self-care themselves. When you nurture your physical, mental, and emotional needs, you are nurturing your whole experience of life and giving yourself (and those around you) the gift of a greater sense of well-being.

Energetic / vibrational / Qi (chi) Support: An often-overlooked aspect of our wellbeing, relates to our subtle anatomy, our life force, our Qi. Science has shown that when we, and everything else in our universe, (when broken down to the sub-molecular / sub-atomic level) are simply energy, resonance, vibration. Our electromagnetic field (meridians & chakras) make up this fundamental system. This electromagnetic field is all innately interconnected with our physical, emotional and biochemical selves. So, management of this aspect of our being is a vitally powerful self-care hack and Kinesiology is the key to accessing the way to align this energetic connection. Kinesiology enables us to assess where the energy is imbalanced, and then, identify the specific bespoke process it requires to reinstate harmony to your being. If you want to learn how to do this for yourself, it is after all ‘self’ care , our Kinesiology Self Care Workshop is the place. Down load your own personal toolkit to utilise in the comfort of your own home.

So now you know how one’s self care impacts so many layers of life, the big question is, how can you shift your relationship to your own wellbeing, and begin to prioritise taking better care of yourself? We thought we’d make it easy for you and give you some really simple tips. Pick one or pick them all, just start prioritising you a little more.

Remember that self-care IS NOT SELFISH; it's a necessary practice that allows you to be the best version of yourself, both for your own benefit and for those around you. It's important to tailor your self-care routines to your individual preferences and needs and to make self-care a consistent part of your daily life. We also encourage you to make it fun and whilst you are building your own muscles around your own self-care, maybe encourage your staff and your family to do the same.

Here's to you….the most important person you’ll take care of for the entirety of your life!

Quick Tips for Physical Self Care:

· Drink enough water

· Put plants in your environment Set intentions / goals

· Eat nourishing, clean food – keep healthy snacks handy

· Manage your Qi / energy

· Move your body - Get up from your desk and move through the day - a 30 minute walk during your lunch break will work wonders for your productivity in the afternoon.

· Invest in a quality comfortable chair

Quick Tips for Mental Self Care:

· Get yourself a kinesiologist or coach (you’re worth the investment)

· Book holidays – schedule them at the beginning of the year so they are in your calendar

· Turn off the all electronic devices – take a break from the rings and pings

· Spend time connecting in nature

· Breathe – deep belly breaths

· Know your boundaries; write them down for every area of your life

· Learn to say “no” and be comfortable declining what doesn’t work for you

Quick Tips for Emotional Self Care:

· For those who are self employed – stay connected to your WHY - the heart behind your business

· Celebrate the wins

· Spend time with people who make you smile and feel good

· Employ regular discipline to be present and breathe

· Purposefully look for things your day to be grateful for – employ a cup half full attitude

· Connect with positive like minded people

· Integrate physical and mental self care disciplines