As we enter into a new season, there’s a newfound freshness that I’m feeling so high on I couldn’t help but share some of my secrets- the secrets of women who make wellness look and feel effortless.
Before I spoon-feed you the secret sauce to the art of “effortless” I want you to think of that woman in your life, a friend, a colleague, a mentor or maybe just someone you’ve crossed paths with who makes living well look and feel effortless.
I can assure you that she didn’t just land in that space spontaneously. More often than not, the women who make healthy living look easy have had their fair share of trials, but what I’m sharing with you instead are the commonalities I find in women who maintain wellness most effortlessly.
Having worked with 1000s of women with different backgrounds, different goals, and of course different pain points and desires, the commonality they all share is the simplicity of their wellness habits. Simplicity is the mama bear to consistency.
habit #1: savor the ritual of a morning routine
The first 10 minutes of your day defines the tone of the rest of the day. So letting your morning be a manifesto for how you want to live and who you want to be that day in and of itself leads to easier food choices, and less reactivity. Some start off with a morning meditation, others merely sit in quiet stillness allowing themselves to feel. It does not have to be extravagant but choosing something that you do routinely each and every morning is going to make your wellness feel more effortless throughout the day. If you’re not sure where to start, consider starting by drinking a 12 oz glass of filtered water. This is, in and of itself a deep physical commitment to yourself and so easy all at the same time.
habit #2: weave color into the tapestry of the plate
Effortlessly healthy women are drawn to food with color like an artist with a palette. No complicated recipes needed. No hour long meal planning sessions. Instead, they seek out colorful vegetables in a playful way, pairing them and allowing their flavors to speak for themselves. Color is their medicine. It turns out, science is continuing to reiterate daily just how medicinal the color in vegetables is. But there is no perfect prescription as some might make it sound like there is for the perfect amount. Instead variety and consistency is key.
habit #3: shun comparison
When it comes to food choices [especially] it is so tempting to compare what it is you are doing to the woman sitting beside you as if there is one perfect way of eating that we all have access to. The beauty of effortless wellness is that the plan that is the best fit for you is going to be different from your best friend, your daughter, your sister or your neighbor. If there was one perfect plan for every woman, my job would be incredibly boring but we also wouldn’t be acknowledging our unique preferences, our genetics, our activities that we engage in and of course our unique goals. Without comparison, we can lean into the habits that bring us fully alive and when they feel most life giving, they are likely most sustainable. We all know what it feels like to engage in a plan full of shoulds. My advice? Don’t “should” on yourself. Continue to pursue habits that are custom tailored to you! And the best way to do that is by defining your needs and allowing the habits the routines and the rituals to fulfill those needs.
habit #4: celebrate the art of reflection + gratitude
There is no such thing as a perfect day. I repeat perfection is not the goal. Instead, the goal is to find meaning and purpose and the best way to do that is to sit each day in gratitude which is so medicinal to the soul but then also reflect daily on what it was that you want more of, what you want less of, what forced you to stretch and what brought you deep joy. In reflecting daily, you inform who you want to be and how you want to live tomorrow.
habit #5: immerse yourself in a community of women invested in wellness
Humans don’t thrive in isolation. But in seeking community it is so important to seek community that inspires you to be a better version of yourself. In working with women 1:1, my initial encouragement is to bring in sources of accountability so that the advice I give does not have to be followed solo. The women you see who make living look effortless are not doing it alone. Habit change is a vulnerable process and requires so much compassion, love and support. So if you haven’t already found your tribe of women my encouragement is to do just that. Do not try go it alone. When you surround yourself with women who make you feel seen and heard, you secure a lifejacket for those rainy days.
As I enter into my 10th year in private practice, I’m realizing that this 5th habit might be actually the most important habit of the women who are experiencing sustained [and effortless] wellness. And I’m so adamant about building communities of women dedicated to wellness that I built an online membership dedicated to this. I spoon-feed habits to these women and together as a sisterhood, they work on integrating transformative habits into their lives in a personalized way.
No crash diets. No all or nothing. Instead we lean into ritual and rhythm that is in sync with their deep needs.
Whether you need a community of women in your life, or you simply need some simplified direction in your wellness goals, The Table is dedicated to women around the country feeling seen and heard.
Click HERE to join the waitlist.