being fit and healthy, Creating Freedom, faith, Fit and Healthy, Self-care

How Do You Kick-start Your Self-Care For The Week Ahead?

Posted by YvonneB on

How Do You Kick-startYB_Running Your Self-Care For The Week Ahead?

There are so many ways to implement self-care into your routine, however, what you choose must have meaning or purpose for you otherwise it is likely to drop off the schedule. It won’t be viewed as important and if anything needs to give, I’d bet money that self-care slot would be removed.

I wanted to share mine with you for no other reason than to demonstrate how important it is and how it can set you up for the day and week ahead.

My self-care Monday begins with a run. Now, I love fitness, I love being outdoors and I enjoy the feeling of freedom running gives me, so it is a great fit for me.

It’s never running for running’s sake or because I ‘must’ (not that there is anything wrong with that if you stay motivated to do it). I use it to engage with my faith, my mindset, my body and my connection to the world around me.

How, I hear you ask!

Part of it is to do with my playlist. I created a list that really lifts me and inspires me. Here are the songs I listen to and how they connect me to my faith, mindset, body & the world around me:

Joyful, Joyful: Lauryn Hill (from Sister Act 2) – this song is, as it states, all about being joyful. It gives me time to thank God (praying on the go works for me!), and as part of that express gratitude for my family, partner & friends. It reminds me that even when things are not going according to plan, I have so much more to be thankful for, so many amazing people in my life. I am blessed.

Queen of The Night: Whitney Houston – this is a remixed version with a solid beat that pumps out tons of energy! The song reminds me to embrace my inner ‘queen’, to be & remain empowered by my potential and to remember I am always enough. This plays out 6 times in 2 versions and focuses me in on what I have achieved (over what I haven’t) and how much is possible for me.

Happy Face: Destiny’s Child – this song is all about appreciation. It’s about noticing the little things and being able to smile with the knowledge of their existence. One verse in particular jumps out at me, ‘Woke up and realised this world’s not so bad after all, looked at it through a child’s eyes and I saw this beautiful, things that you never think about, like the ocean, moonlight, stars & clouds, it’s amazing how we don’t appreciate our blessings’. Wow, such a simple sentiment yet so powerful. And in that moment, I am reminded to count my blessings at every opportunity. It doesn’t take away the hard times, but it certainly makes it easier to recover from them.

Hate On Me: Jill Scott – truly empowering song. It speaks of how some people will always find a reason to hate you no matter who you are, what you do, how much you give, how much you help… so let them! It’s a great reminder that I have not been put here to please everyone, to do everything for everyone, to be what everyone else wants or expects me to be. And that brings freedom.

One Woman Army; Ciara / Free Your Mind; En Vogue / Like A Boy; Ciara / Girls Like; Tinie Tempah / Trouble; Iggy Azalea & Jennifer Hudson – well, these are all about the power!  I get to do some of my best running right here. Fired up, eye on the goal, I tune into my body, its physicality, its potential and I push it.

And then the final combination brings me back to the present moment:

Liberian Girl; Michael Jackson / Feeling Good; Jennifer Hudson / Feeling Good; Nina Simone / Never Let Her Slip Away; Andrew Gold – this is where I slow down and breathe in my surroundings. I take notice of the shapes of the trees, the sounds coming from them, the people passing by with their dogs, the other runners & walkers. I mindfully come back to where I am and once again appreciate the experience I am having.

And finally, I stop to stretch, to allow my body to return to a relaxed state and just be for a few minutes…

It is so much more than a run, it’s 60-70 minutes of preparation for the week ahead. In that time, I have brain dumped, gained insights & clarity, allowed my body to function, expressed gratitude, tuned in to nature and got my mojo reset. And more importantly, I have placed myself firmly at the top of my to-do list because my relationship with me matters.

How do you kick-start your self-care for the week ahead? I’d love to know,

YvonneB x

Published by YvonneB

A catalyst for change, Yvonne Bignall is a breath of fresh air in the extraordinary way she helps women 50+ to reconnect with life & their innate power through radical self-care, guilt-free! She supports, encourages, and inspires women to prioritise their health, one bitesize action at a time. Her work is challenging as it navigates through difficult conversations, listening & observing how women’s health issues have been: ❊ Undermined ❊ Under-resourced & ❊ Swept under the carpet She helps women to recognise & unpack old scripts that still (sadly enough) tell them that their value derives from their level of caregiving of others, their output. The truth is it is the input, the ability to resource self, which provides women with the energy required to realise their true potential. Along with her team, she explores the thoughts, behaviour & habits, often born out of guilt, gender expectations, and reinforced narratives, with curiosity (not judgment), discarding the unhelpful, whilst reclaiming innate power through the creation of new patterns, restoring a sense of self, outside of societal expectations. In her opinion, this allows women to: ✔ Develop an elevated level of self-awareness ✔ Build / rebuild their confidence & self-belief ✔ Value all of who they are and invest time in who they want to be at their best A self-care warrior, an encourager & inspirer, Yvonne is today an award-winning Women’s Health Advocate, Published Author, and an International Presenter. She is also a Radio Show Host and a Podcaster. Yvonne is focused on building a community of women, www.PermissionToThrive.online, who are ready to reclaim their right to self-care, guilt-free, and who prioritise their health without apology, role-modeling behaviour & habits that inform generations to come of their true value. She also advocates for self-care over burnout in the workplace, delivering practical webinars in the corporate space. In her own words, “It is time for employees to prioritise their wellbeing. How will they deliver their best work without it?” One of her favourite quotes comes from Eleanor Brown, ‘Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel’ Connect with Yvonne and, 🌱 Become part of the self-care revolution at Permission to Thrive or 📞 Book a chat to find out about her coaching and corporate services: https://calendly.com/yvonne-b/20min

4 Comments Add yours

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