Excitement is in the air as the weather is warming, daylight is increasing and early morning songbirds are ushering in spring. It’s the time of year when we experience a renewal and everything begins to awaken again. In rhythm with nature, springtime is also the time of year when we, too, may also experience a personal renewal. As we begin to dream about the gardens we plan to plant and grow, we can also use this time to begin planting seeds of what we’d like to see bloom and flourish in our lives as well.
As a women’s wellness life coach who focuses on cultivating joy, I’ve seen far too many women struggle to really find, feel, and sustain joy in their lives. They know they want to live as a joyful woman, but busy schedules, demanding careers, caring for kids and/or aging parents and the whirlwind pace of everyday life makes the experience of being in a joyful state feel nearly impossible for them.
If that sounds like you, read on…
Living as a joyful woman is easier than you might think.
A lot of the women I talk with believe that joy is found in big life events, such as marriage, buying a house, or getting a promotion. While those big things can certainly elicit feelings of joy, joy is more often found in simple moments and can be cultivated through taking better care of ourselves and engaging in intentional self-care. And, research on joy proves it. Research has found significant benefits to consistently implementing self-care and joy practices, citing that joy optimizes mental health, decreases depressive symptoms, and improves physical health, social relationships and life satisfaction. And, self-care practices recharge us, help avoid burnout and strengthens our relationships.
In addition to being a women’s life coach, in my work as a psychology professor and mindfulness and stress management teacher, I continually witness that the most simple and easy self-care practices can be used to transform women from feeling maxed-out and stressed-out to living as their most joyful selves.
Below, I’ve listed five of my favorite self-care tips. As we’re moving into spring, my invitation to you is to plant these tips as seeds of intention today and take action (think water and sunshine) to help these grow and blossom within you and become a part of your everyday life. Doing so can certainly help you in becoming and living as a truly joyful woman.
Set Aside Guilt-Free “Me-Time”
The joyful woman has learned (often painstakingly) that she does not need to feel guilty about her self-care. Just like her work meetings and kid’s concerts, self-care time is blocked off on her calendar and is at the top of her to-do list every day because, for her, self-care is a non-negotiable. When the time comes to decide whether she’ll take a 30-minute walk in the sun or continue working through her lunch hour eating at her desk, she’ll tie up her laces and go outside for her “me-time”.
To experience maximum joy, make your “me-time” routine one that nurtures well-being and ideally include activities, such as mindfulness meditation, journaling, a spa-inspired bath, yoga, mindful eating, or scheduling one activity a week that you know brings you joy. Developing a routine of taking care of yourself boosts self-esteem and self-confidence and increases your capacity to care for the other important things in your life too.
It’s also essential that your “me-time” includes rest and relaxation. Intentional rest is what replenishes us and gives us motivation and energy to stay focused and present for everything else. And, for you super busy women who are wondering when you’re going to squeeze in your “me-time,” know that it doesn’t have to take a lot of time to experience the benefits. However, the key is to check guilt at the door and spend the time that you do have letting everything else go.
Look For What’s Good
Joyful women choose to give just as much, if not more, attention to the good things in their life than to those things that aren’t working so great. They’ve worked hard to create a life they’re proud of and they want to enjoy it, yet they aren’t bypassing the bad times with toxic positivity, escapism, or denial. They are, however, consistently reflecting, journaling and talking about the good times too.
When we scan our world and shine a light on what’s good, it makes it easier to find joyful moments and give the positive stuff the attention it deserves. This skill can be cultivated, and it is valuable in the face of adversity as it allows us to thrive even during times of crisis. Noticing what’s good in a challenging situation (i.e., “I didn’t get the promotion, but I’m receiving additional support to help me with my current role”) broadens positive emotions, which allows for more creative thinking, connection with others and resilience.
Mindfulness exercises can strengthen your ability to find the good and delight in simple pleasures, even during a busy day or a trying time. The practice of gratitude, guided meditations and intentionally disconnecting from screen time can also help you plug into the goodness of your life so you can appreciate the life you’ve worked hard to build.
Have a Stress Relief Plan
A joyful woman is aware of the signs of stress. She understands the toll that chronic stress can take on her health and relationships and knows that stress also accelerates the aging process. Managing stress is a top priority for a joyful woman.
To deal with the difficulties of day-to-day life, every joyful woman needs a stress relief plan. Although it is easy to fall into the trap of mindless eating, drinking and/or impulse shopping to ease the weight of a hard day, these coping strategies rarely reduce stress. However, practices, such as conscious breathing, 30-minute walks, taking a break from social media, getting restful sleep, and mindfulness exercises are accessible tools that require little to no money.
Meditation also provides immediate relief to stress. A regular meditation practice aids in regulating emotions, lowering cortisol levels, and it can help you experience higher vibration emotions, such as gratitude and peace. It can be the stress reset you need every day to give yourself a break, process difficult emotions and increase your capacity for joy.
Make Decisions Aligned with Your Values
Creativity, beauty, knowledge, health, determination, spirituality and stability are just a few examples of values that we may hold close to our cores.
A joyful woman knows that her values shape how she spends her time, guides her professional choices, and reminds her to make decisions that point her in the direction of how she wants to feel. She knows her core values and uses them as a compass to identify and focus on what’s most important to her. Her unique set of values clarifies her day-to-day decisions so she can experience more of what she wants to have, do, and be.
Discerning what’s important to you is the foundation of values work. Asking yourself questions such as, “what would I do professionally if money was no object?” can help you identify some of your values.
When your choices are aligned with your values, it’s easy to honor your well-being. If adventure is a value, you’ll be sure to have your summer trip planned months in advance. If fun is a value, you’ll have a better idea of what you want to make time for during the week. Some values may shift over time depending on where you are in life—new mom, growing a business, or an empty nester—and getting clear on your values right now can help you make decisions that will lead to more joy.
We’re exploring values in the Joyful Well-Being Group this March! If you’d like to dive into your values, sign up here and RSVP for Aligning with Joy: Discovering & Honoring Your Values Workshop on March 26th at 12pm MST.
Work With a Women’s Life Coach to Help You Focus on Your Best Life
A joyful woman is consistent, adaptable, and goal-oriented. She surrounds herself with people who make her feel good and that support her in living her best life. She understands that life happens and some days are better than others when it comes to self-care. She acknowledges the ebb and flow of life with contingency plans, looking ahead in her schedule to see what potential twists, turns and challenges may be coming up.
I often tell my clients that if they want to know what their future will be, to look at their thoughts and actions right now. Your thoughts and actions today are the seeds you are planting to blossom into your future. It’s important to be realistic about the ups and downs of life and to sort through the distractions that can pull you away from what you truly want.
Working with a coach who focuses on women’s well-being is the #1 best way to expedite the life you want to create and exponentially improves your ability to make long lasting changes. It’s hard to see ourselves objectively, and we often miss our own limiting beliefs. Ultimately, it’s not about knowing these tips—it’s about actually activating them in your life, for which guidance from a coach is invaluable.
Begin Today
If you’re desiring more joy, I can help you get clear on your values, guide you toward developing and sustaining an optimistic mindset, and work with you to create a stress-relief plan that paves your way to a fulfilling and radiant life. Coaching with me gives you a meditation teacher, Ayurvedic health teacher, a stress management instructor, a psychology professor, and a well-being life coach who is dedicated to holding space for you as you become the highest and best version of you.
Here are some simple steps you can take today to feel more joyful and less stressed:
- Book a One-Off coaching session and experience the transformation that can come from just one session. All sessions are done remotely so you can easily do this 60-minute session over your lunch break. I occasionally offer evening and weekend sessions, so email me if the available times don’t fit into your schedule.
- Sign up for my FREE 7-day Joy Challenge. You’ll receive a suggestion each day, delivered to your inbox with a practical way for you to invite more joy into your life.
- Start a meditation practice. Use my free guided meditations to begin a morning meditation, practice mantra meditation for either 5 minutes or 20 minutes, and to gift yourself much needed perspective and relaxation.
- Schedule a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your biggest stressors and challenges and determine an action plan that fits you best.
- Join my Joyful Well-being Meetup Group. Integrating mindfulness, meditation, journaling, and/or visualization, each month’s workshop is created to optimize your well-being!
