Wanna run yourself a bath? Scroll through Instagram unhindered for 10 minutes? Get a massage? Go somewhere alone for once? Self care has a bad rep. Self care isn’t about taking time off, indulging yourself, ‘being selfish’. It’s about recharging your physical and mental energy so you aren’t a total mess and unable to cope with life.
A lot of women, especially those who work full time or who are mums (or who are both) very rarely get a second to even breath never mind spend 30 minutes in a bubble bath. Our society and the pressures put on women to be always on, always prepared, always productive means burn out is never too far away. And what happens when we burn out? Duvet, prescriptions, sick days, neglect and that bloody cycle of guilt never quits.
Well I say NO. This recharging time is SO IMPORTANT.
Self care is a must.
Since then I have been totally floored by the conversations I have had with people who suffer from negative body image. It’s heartbreaking to hear what people have experienced and a lot of people are terribly concerned for what their kids may experience. Me too.
You’ll be pleased to know my self love feelings haven’t subsided and now I’m making it my mission to bring a bit more body confidence light into other people’s lives. I am trying to find new and fun ways to do that through organising events, meetups, creative workshops, speaker opportunities and collaborations. I have even been asked to speak in workplaces about issues surrounding body image. I think it is amazing that companies are recognising how this conversation could impact their workforce and in turn, their employee’s home life.
Through all of these opportunities I champion ‘Self Care”.
I devised the #allaboardthechachitrain self care campaign a wee while ago and it’s awesome. I wanted to encourage everyone to commit to spending a minimum of 30 seconds (that’s nothing!) every day doing something which benefits their mind or their body (or both).
Yeah some days you may get the chance to go to a yoga class and chill right out but we all know that can be pretty rare and a mum pal told me that once she realised she had gone days without peeing by herself. DAYS! I am not a mum but I can empathise when she uses the word: DAYS.
So time to make a commitment...
I commit to being a bit nicer to myself. Every Day. At least once a day.
You in??
Some days that could mean visiting a spa and some days that could mean brushing your hair. You could go for a walk, maybe a run or climb under a duvet for a nap. Eat your fave junk food or boil up some quinoa goodness. Maybe one day you just turn to the mirror and shout: “I AM A F*CKING WARRIOR”. It doesn’t matter what it is, self care is different for different people. I just want to encourage you to do a little bit of self care every day.
When you commit then you can always let me know and tag a pal and encourage them to do it too. I bet you know a friend who could benefit from being a bit nicer to herself? Post a pic on Facebook or Instagram of what you decide to do to kick off your commitment and tag @chachipowerproject and #allaboardthechachitrain.
Yeah it’s for you but it’s also for your mental health, your kids, your partner, you friends, your colleagues. You need to take care of you so you can take care of everyone else. What would happen in this world if all the women burned out? Jeez, that is a terrible thought. Let’s not let that happen.
The second wonderful woodland self care and body love We Love Retreat for women is open for bookings. It will take place in November 2018 at the magical Dell of Abernethy near Aviemore. Think delicious, locally sourced food, yoga mornings and camp fire evenings. We’ll be doing creative workshops, mindfulness walks and we promise laughs and a few wonderful night’s sleep. If you are interested then click here to find out more.
Danni x
Kylie Reid, Director of Edinburgh Gossip Girls: "Huge thank you to Danni Gordon for another fabulous article, we’re loving her AND taking time to love ourselves too now x"