May is Women’s Health Month; thus, I am focusing on ways that we can honor and prioritize our health. In the past two weeks, I’ve discussed ways in which we can own our hormonal power. In the bustling rhythm of modern life, we often find ourselves juggling countless responsibilities—career, family, social commitments, and personal aspirations.   Unfortunately, for most women, our drive to care and to connect take precedence over our own self-care. In fact, we often think self-care is selfish. However, In the realm of women’s health, prioritizing self-care isn’t merely an indulgence but a vital component of holistic wellness.

Understanding Self-Care: Beyond Pampering

Self-care transcends the notion of pampering oneself with mani-pedis and massages, or decadent chocolate. It encompasses a deliberate and consistent practice of nurturing physical, emotional, and mental, and spiritual health. Contrary to popular belief, self-care isn’t synonymous with selfishness. Instead, it’s an act of self-preservation—a fundamental aspect of maintaining equilibrium in the face of life’s demands.

Unfortunately, I did not heed this wisdom when I was younger. I did what so many are doing today, running myself ragged to care for everyone else. Our estrogen-marinated brains support our diffuse awareness that calls attention to everyone and everything in range of our sight or even hearing. We are pulled in all of sorts of directions and neglect our own needs until they are literally screaming at us. Can anyone else relate? I would say that I am not the only one that has tried to “pour from an empty cup”.

I have learned over the years, that self-care is actually sacred!

The Intersection of Women’s Health and Self-Care

Women’s health is a multifaceted domain encompassing reproductive health, mental well-being, and overall vitality. Unfortunately, societal expectations often burden women with the role of nurturers, caregivers, and emotional pillars, leaving little room for prioritizing our own needs. Consequently, neglecting self-care can manifest in various forms, ranging from burnout and chronic stress to compromised physical health. I see this, client, after client, as I review DUTCH hormone tests. Women are going on fumes, and the objective lab data reveals it. Hormones are in the tank, and adrenals are severely stressed, and near exhaustion. Yet, we keep going because… Can you relate? I can. It took me years to repair and revitalize my body because I ignored self-care for so long – thus my “pain-to-passion” mission is to educate and empower women to create a different trajectory.

The Importance of Prioritizing Self-Care

As women, we need to look around us and get the real cost of our self-sacrifice! The toll is way more than personal. Our lack of self-care has a profound fallout on anyone and everyone that we encounter. Each and every single role is impacted if we have depleted ourselves. Gone are the gentle, caring responses to our loved ones, replaced instead with snarky reactions, because we are so darn tired. Being off-balance, upset, and unwell does not a pleasant woman (think any role here) create.

As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, my upcoming book – Create The Vitality You Crave – delves deep into ways that you can improve your health and vitality – spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically. Click on the link to be notified of its release. In the meantime, here’s a few simple tips to upgrade your self-care and your vitality.

Physical Well-being: Our bodies undergo unique physiological changes throughout our lives, from puberty to menopause and beyond. Prioritizing self-care involves adopting healthy lifestyle habits, including regular exercise, balanced whole-food nutrition, and adequate rest. By nurturing our physical well-being, we can change the expression of our DNA and mitigate the risk of chronic diseases, enhance our energy levels, and promote longevity.

Mental Health: The pressures of modern life, societal expectations, and the nasty voice inside our head (I call her Lucy – Lucifer’s sister) can take a toll on our mental well-being. Self-care practices such as mindfulness, meditation, and seeking professional support when needed are crucial for maintaining emotional balance. By prioritizing mental health, we can cultivate resilience, cope effectively with stressors, and foster a sense of inner calm and serenity.

Emotional Resilience: As we navigate our many roles, including daughter, wife or partner, mother, professional, and caregiver, it’s critical that we carve out moments for self-reflection and emotional replenishment. Whether through journaling, creative expression, or connecting with supportive communities, fostering emotional resilience is integral to self-care. Personally, the morning and evening rituals that I’ve learned to create have transformed my level of resilience and my life.

Self-Compassion: Society, and dare I add, “Lucy” often imposes unrealistic standards of perfection upon us, fostering feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. Embracing self-compassion entails treating oneself with kindness, understanding, and acceptance, especially in moments of vulnerability. Additionally, By cultivating self-compassion, we can counteract negative self-talk, embrace our imperfections, and cultivate a deeper sense of self-worth.

Overcoming Barriers to Self-Care

Reframing Guilt: Many of us experience guilt when prioritizing our own needs over the demands of others. Again, it’s essential to recognize that self-care isn’t selfish but rather it’s sacred! Reread that. By reframing guilt as a signal to prioritize one’s well-being, we can embrace self-care with greater ease knowing that we are actually loving and honoring those closest to us, by caring our ourselves.

Setting Boundaries: I have learned the hard way, that giving, giving, giving, with no boundaries, creates exhaustion. Not only does it deplete me at the moment, it creates long-term hormonal imbalance and has a direct impact on our DNA expression. Really! We as women must learn how to say “no” to the overwhelm and countless commitments that do not bring us joy and say “yes” to boundaries and self-care, setting boundaries is an empowering act that fosters self-respect and resilience.

Creating “floors and ceilings”. So many of us get stuck in our attempts to increase our self-care because of perfectionism. Regardless of the time of year, as we try an create a new goal, we think of the ideal and then beat ourselves up if we cannot meet that every day. Life happens- especially when we are attached to so many who depend on us!! I have written in the past, and discuss this more detail in my upcoming book about hacking this habit of perfectionism with “floors”. Yes, there are the top benchmarks of what we aspire to – I call them “ceilings” and then there are the 1-minute versions- I call them “floors”. When we create “floors” we can be consistent with our self-care versus beating ourselves up because we are not perfect. That’s win-win!

Seeking Support: Cultivating a supportive network of friends, family members, or mentors can provide invaluable encouragement on the self-care journey. Whether through shared activities, accountability partnerships, or heartfelt conversations, seeking support reinforces the notion that women don’t have to navigate self-care alone.

Conclusion: Embracing the Sacredness of Self-Care

In conclusion, self-care isn’t a luxury reserved for idle moments of leisure; it’s a sacred practice that underpins women’s health and well-being. By prioritizing self-care, we honor our inherent worth, nurture our vitality, and cultivate resilience in the face of life’s challenges. As we embrace the sacredness of self-care, let us pave the way for a future where women’s health is synonymous with self-compassion, empowerment, and holistic flourishing.