Have you ever felt you needed a fresh start?

That’s where I am right now.

I’ve been talking about self-care and its importance to women for a while now. But recently I realized I’m no longer living authentically as my self-care routine has slipped into oblivion. I would love to take you on this journey with me as I begin again and work on a fresh start. And hopefully, you will gain some insight into the challenges you may have along the way.

Each week I will incorporate one or two new things into my routine. That way, I can take it slow and ensure I incorporate each new thing before moving on to the next.

This Week

My first goal will be to focus on 30 minutes of movement a day. I’m just talking about movement here, not necessarily exercise. There is a difference. Things that count as movement as housework, walks, stretching, gardening, etc. This is even more important to women who work at a desk, have some physical challenges, or don’t physically do much daily. I am in front of my computer a lot. In order to reincorporate good habits into my day, I need to master this before moving on to getting exercise into my routine regularly. I will devote 20 minutes to a walk or other movement and the final10 minutes to stretching.

For me, stretching will be a mandatory addition. Sitting for long periods has begun to make me very stiff throughout the day. Stretching is also something I need to incorporate when I’m traveling. Sitting on a plane for long periods can be very uncomfortable and recovering from that can eat into a person’s travel experience. The same types of stretches I can do at my desk are ones I could do in a plane seat.  So this routine will serve me well.

Here are some examples of the stretches I will be working on. See if you can incorporate them into your schedule as well.

Stretching

The American College of Sports Medicine says, “Healthy adults should do flexibility exercises (stretches, yoga, or tai chi) for all major muscle-tendon groups—neck, shoulders, chest, trunk, lower back, hips, legs, and ankles—at least two to three times a week.” The plan is to do two groups each day Monday through Thursday, then repeat whatever seems to need more attention on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If you practice yoga or tai chi, you could just do that every day. BTW, there are lots of types of yoga, including chair yoga. So, if it’s difficult to get into poses or to sit on the floor, try it in a chair. There are tons of videos available online to lead you through it.

Another great way to focus on your self-care routine and get is good foundation laid out for you by experts in the various aspects of self-care and wellness is to join me on the Lifestyle Reset Retreat June 25-30, 2023 at Canyon Ranch Resort in Tucson.  There is a ton of value built into this retreat yet also a lot of flexibility so you can do you. For more information, go HERE.

Those dates not good for you? I can help you build the same retreat just for you or you and some friends. Here’s the link to schedule a complimentary consultation call to discuss what you are looking for.

If you’d like to read more about fresh starts, you might enjoy this blog post.