How can you integrate a self-care or self-love ritual into your life?
Now more than ever, it is vital that we each find time to care for ourselves, in order to better care for others. Self-care or self-love is no longer a ‘nice to have’. Taking time for yourself is recognized as an essential part of a healthy, balanced life.
We must focus our gaze inward and center on our own healing before we can ready our teams for success. When our physical and mental health takes a beating, it’s hard to meet the challenges of the day. Practicing self-care starts with getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, and taking time out to ourselves, but what else can you do? Well, a lot as it happens…
Let’s take a closer look at the self-care rituals of 10 female leaders and influencers and see how we can apply their guidance to our own lives.
The 10 Most Inspiring Female Leaders and Their Self-Care Rituals
- Arianna Huffington: Taking micro-steps to help you thrive in the new normal
- Melinda Gates: Fit in meditation where you can to strengthen your mental health
- Katrina Scott: Using the KonMari method for stress relief
- Sophia Amoruso: Even hustlers need device-free time
- Amanda Chantal Bacon: Being still with your thoughts can be enough
- Raffaela Rein: Good health = the foundation for success
- Lea-Sophie Cramer: Happiness equals expectation minus reality
- Sarah Gibson Tuttle: How a creative outlet can help to de-stress
- Lady Gaga: Lean on meditation, kindness, and friendship
- Iris Apfel: When you look in the mirror you need to be able to see yourself, no-one else
Arianna Huffington
Taking micro-steps to help you thrive in the new normal
The poster woman for excellence in leadership, Arianna Huffington has shared many great pieces of self-care advice like this great article on the ‘morning routine FOMO’.
Since the Coronavirus crisis hit, Arianna has been a source of advice on how to best navigate these new challenges.
Arianna has been sharing ‘micro-steps’ on Instagram (pictured). These are brief, helpful tips on how to stay mentally and physically healthy during the Coronavirus Crisis.
Our take: Follow Arianna on Instagram to see her great tips. We really liked her advice on how to create a morning routine that works for you – and to avoid comparison with others.
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Melinda Gates
Fit in meditation where you can to strengthen your mental health
Like many busy philanthropists, Melinda Gates’ self-preservation is essential not only for her own well-being but also for the communities who stand to benefit from her attention and innovation.
Melinda is another fan of meditation but in small increments; micro-meditation you might say. The benefits of which are an accumulated effect.
One of the most off-putting things about mediation is the associated time commitment. Melinda says that just 3-5mins a day of meditation is enough to make an impact on her mental health, and it will add up – just like pearls on a pearl necklace.
Our take: Using your favorite meditation app – try meditating for 3 mins a day and notice how you feel after.
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Katrina Scott
Using the KonMari method for stress relief
Co-founder, and trainer of Tone It Up Katrina has a few self-care tricks up her activewear sleeve. When thrown challenges, she takes a leaf out of Marie Kondos’s book (literally) and organizes her home as a form of stress-relief. She also tunes out from her busy daily to-do list by reading Harvard Business Review.
No surprise, Katrina who runs an online fitness app, also turns to exercise as her #1 form of self-care. Katrina has said that ‘mental health comes first, body second’ and that is evident in her Instagram which promotes positive thinking. Katrina and her business partner center their work around uplifting the community of users on their app. And it’s clear that they are dedicated and highly engaged in the message Katrina and her business partner promote.
Our take: Try to incorporate 30 mins of exercise into your daily routine. Walking, jogging or stretching whatever suits your mobility level best.
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Sophia Amoruso
Even hustlers need device-free time
Sophia Amoruso (pictured), the author of Girl Boss, says she used to be all about the hustle (In fact – she may have invented it), but now recognizes that “Investing in yourself in simple quick ways is what empowers you, and allows you to show up to work and perform at your best”.
Sophia says her self-care rituals are not expensive or elaborate things. In fact, one of the main ways the Nasty Gal founder relaxes and de-stresses is by walking without her phone. Leaving it behind to take in nature. Sophia also says she never takes her phone to bed and uses her Google home as her alarm clock. As a result, this helps her to take personal time at night when she would otherwise still check her emails.
Our take: The next time you are feeling overwhelmed, take a 30 min walk outside and leave your phone behind. Watch this great Instagram video where Sophia dispels “hustle-culture” in the times of the coronavirus crisis.
If you love these tips, sign for our weekly briefing to get actionable advice and insights from the world’s top leaders, straight in your inbox.
Amanda Chantal Bacon
Being still with your thoughts can be enough
Adaptogen-connoisseur Amanda Chantal Bacon has received mixed press since she launched Moon Juice in 2011. However, her haters can’t take away the impact her herbal ‘dusts’ have had on the health-focused, Los Angeles community. Focused on combining Eastern medicine, natural healing, and meditation, Amanda has successfully brought these concepts to the mainstream. And, we just love her!
Unsurprisingly, the former-chef and nutritionist’s self-care tips revolve around diet and nourishment from within. Amanda also focuses on meditation: “sitting alone in silence for 30 minutes puts me into straight bliss!” and ‘feeding the bliss’ in whatever way feels good for you. Wise Amanda urges people not to think “too hard or it all comes crashing down, just keep going, don’t give up, don’t stop to sit around and feel bad for yourself, move on!”
Our take: Try taking a leaf out of Amanda’s herbal book by taking time to be still with your thoughts for 30 mins today.
If you love these tips, sign for our weekly briefing to get actionable advice and insights from the world’s top leaders, straight in your inbox.
Raffaela Rein
Good health = the foundation for success
Raffaela is an inspirational leader paving the way for female-led start-ups as the Founder of WildWildVentures, a handful of brands on Amazon and of CareerFoundry, a leading online UX design school. And, she was named amongst the Top Women in Tech by Forbes and the most influential women in VC by Startup EU. We have a bit of a crush on Raffaela.
When she is not busy with her many businesses, Raffaela is a big fan of clean eating. In particular, acknowledging the benefits of Turmeric and Ginger on overall health. She has founded Vitalute to make these spices more easily accessible – starting with GingerShot! Raffaela strongly believes that our health is the basis for us to live our best lives with no barriers – like pain or mental fogginess.
Our take: Simply put – when you are well, it’s easier to focus on achieving your goals. So, review your diet: are you eating enough fresh veggies? Are you looking after your insides?
If you love these tips, sign for our weekly briefing to get actionable advice and insights from the world’s top leaders, straight in your inbox.
Lea-Sophie Cramer
Happiness equals expectation minus reality
Lea-Sophie Cramer is the founder of Amorelie the largest European brand for enhancing your love life, so she knows a thing or two about self-love. The sex-toy-maven recently spoke out on Instagram and gave her top-4 ways to stay sane during the current crisis.
One of our favorite points from her talk was to acknowledge that we do not control what is happening around us, and that, when you accept that truth, you will feel less anxiety. Lea-Sophie reminds us that happiness is equal to expectation minus reality, and when you adjust your expectation you are able to be much happier.
In the post, she also focuses on how we can turn challenges around by asking ‘what is this situation teaching me’, which helps to re-frame issues in a positive way. As a result, you are able to handle more bad news because you can see the positive in it.
Our take: The next time you feel anxious, acknowledge how you are feeling and repeat this mantra ‘I can’t control this situation, but I can control how I react to it’.
If you love these tips, sign for our weekly briefing to get actionable advice and insights from the world’s top leaders, straight in your inbox.
Sarah Gibson Tuttle
How a creative outlet can help to de-stress
Sarah Gibson Tuttle is on a mission to democratize manicures with her company, Olive & June.
Self-care is no longer just about face masks and complicated fitness routines, Sarah knows how powerful a fresh coat of polish can be in helping people feel mentally prepared for business. Olive & June even have a polish collection named Hustle, a celebration of strong women; each shade is named after a renowned female founder.
Sarah’s own self-care routine includes ‘watching Netflix while I paint my nails. It’s calming and I get my reality TV fix.’
Our take: Painting your nails or painting anything has calming effects, so grab a bottle of nail polish or some paints and get creative.
If you love these tips, sign for our weekly briefing to get actionable advice and insights from the world’s top leaders, straight in your inbox.
Lady Gaga
Lean on meditation, kindness, and friendship
For those in the know, Lady Gaga suffers from chronic pain which she manages with a range of natural treatments including meditation. She recently told Oprah Winfrey during her Wellness Tour, that she practices Transcendental Meditation a type of meditation performed while seated, where you focus your mind on a silently repeated mantra.
Studies show that Transcendental Meditation, like many other forms of meditation, may reduce signs of anxiety, depression, and pain in the people who practice.
Gaga also says she practices a type of ‘opposite action’, for example, if she feels too depressed to see friends and would rather watch TV alone, she will force herself to see friends. This act helps to avoid her sinking into a deeper version of whatever emotion she was feeling.
Our take: Try taking opposite action like Gaga. The next time you feel like resisting a Zoom call quiz with your family, get on it – note how you feel before and after.
If you love these tips, sign for our weekly briefing to get actionable advice and insights from the world’s top leaders, straight in your inbox.
Iris Apfel
When you look in the mirror you need to be able to see yourself, no-one else
Iris Apfel is an unlikely style-icon and maven of fabric and color. If we can learn anything from Iris, it’s that self-love comes from within. She recently posted: “In this time of challenge, please keep up your calm, your courage, your creativity!”
The funky 96-year-old, who led a successful textile business for 50 years, states that anything is possible if you have the passion for it and you work hard. She believes the reason she has lived so long, is due to her love of her work, and her unwavering commitment to it. As evident in any photo, Iris takes huge pride in her colorful outfits and accessories, but she is sure to state that it’s all for her – not for anyone else.
Iris has launched an Instagram Challenge to #Irisyourcloset. Encouraging her followers to get creative and share their most elaborate, colorful and creative outfits all in the name of staying sane during the lockdown.
Our take: Jump on the #IrisYourCloset challenge and swap the sweatpants for a colorful outfit that brings you joy; try dressing to impress yourself!
If you love these tips, sign for our weekly briefing to get actionable advice and insights from the world’s top leaders, straight in your inbox.
That’s it – our top ten female leaders and their self-care rituals. We hope you found this article helpful and maybe took a few tips from one or more of these powerful leaders. While we have focused on females here, the Bunch Leadership Coach is for everyone.
If you enjoyed this article you might like our recent guide on mental health.
