The Summer of Self-Care for the Everything Woman
July 7, 2024
A Journey of Healing and Joy
As we enter the warm and vibrant months of July and August, I’m excited to embark on a deeply personal project that I’ve named “The Summer of Self-Care for the Everything Woman.” This journey is more than just a seasonal initiative; it’s a deliberate and heartfelt effort to heal from the past five years’ challenges and rediscover joy in my life. Through this blog, I invite you to join me on this path of healing and rejuvenation, where we’ll explore a holistic approach to self-care and create customized plans that suit our individual needs.
The Inspiration Behind the Summer of Self-Care
The past five years have been a whirlwind of challenges and changes. The global COVID-19 pandemic altered our lives in unprecedented ways, and on a personal note, the loss of my brother has left a profound impact on my heart. Coupled with my responsibilities as an everything woman—balancing work, running my business, family, and countless other roles—I’ve often found myself running on empty, trying to manage everything without genuinely caring for myself. This summer, I am making a conscious choice to return to a practice of prioritizing my well-being and mental health.
Self-care isn’t just about pampering oneself and nurturing the body, mind, and soul. It’s about recognizing the need for healing and allowing ourselves the grace to pursue it. With this in mind, I’ve designed a holistic self-care plan that incorporates various elements to ensure a comprehensive approach to my well-being.
Creating a Holistic Self-Care Plan
My holistic self-care plan will be centered around four key pillars: physical health, mental well-being, emotional balance, and creative expression. Each of these pillars plays a crucial role in achieving overall harmony and happiness. Here’s a closer look at what each pillar entails and how I’ll be integrating them into my daily routine.
Physical Health
- Exercise: Incorporating regular physical activity to boost energy levels, improve mood, and enhance overall health. I will start light by incorporating walking back into my morning routine and tracking my steps to see what data I receive about myself and what additional activities I can experiment with to fit my current lifestyle.
- Nutrition: When time is closing in on all fronts, especially with the shifts during COVID, I began relying on Instacart and DoorDash. However, this habit has continued. I’m refocusing on a balanced diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. I’ll be experimenting with new recipes and sharing my favorites.
- Sleep: I have always prioritized sleep. Being as rested as possible is a priority when you are in high-pressure, demanding roles that require intellectual and emotional adaptability. However, that doesn’t mean sleep has always been restful. I will be looking at my bedtime route to see what I need to do to make more deep rest possible.
- Appointments: I need to catch up on some medical appointments, and I’ve wanted to get my knees looked at since 2019 (the years of cycling have caught up). But there may be other appointments I need to add into the summer. I’m contemplating visiting Kripalu for some Ayurveda treatments now that they’ve reopened, but we’ll have to see how everything comes together.
Mental Well-Being
- Mindfulness and Meditation: Slowing down enough to notice my choice points and intentions will be a big focus during the summer. I will do things in small bites, like sitting out on the patio for 10 minutes to reset, notice, and get some vitamin D, reading for 10 minutes, and getting into my journal for 10 minutes. While this may be the Summer of Self-Care, I need to integrate these activities into my other responsibilities.
- Reading and Learning: One by-product of my love of learning is my enormous library of books and online courses. Yet working through this library is often tied to a work outcome, like creating a resource for a client, designing an e-learning class, etc. I want to return to my love of learning and see what new directions pulling a book off my bookshelf might take or even help me return to.
- Family Time: One of my greatest joys happened in 2020: I became a Grammie. I now have three little grandchildren, two girls, and a boy. Spending time with these darlings is such a joy, and I want to use the summer to get in as many hugs, cuddles, and laughs as possible.
Emotional Balance
- Journaling: I will be journaling about these two months. I’m in the process of looking for the book (a key first step in my journaling and visual journaling practices) that will be the container for this journey. It will serve as a record-keeping, reflecting, and learning method.
- Deep Clearing: As I’ve navigated these past five years, I have tried to digest my emotions. I have a therapist I have worked with for over 10 years to help me with this. But my husband’s cancer diagnosis two years ago and the loss of my brother last year created such an emotional overload that I found myself putting emotions to the side just to be able to focus on all that was coming at me in the present moment.
- Gratitude Practice: Cultivating a sense of gratitude has grounded me for these past five years, and I will keep this high in my sights. Amidst profound losses, I created mantras that I would repeat to myself to remind me of all that remained and the special moments that I could carry forward in my memories. The mantra I created during my brother’s illness was “Thank you for bringing him home to me.” I’m now in a liminal space of crossing between two shores, not knowing what the other side will look like. I’ll create a mantra to guide me through and share this and my process with you.
Creative Expression
- Visual Journaling: I began a creative practice almost ten years ago and discovered art journaling. This practice evolved into my unique process, where I have integrated coaching, which I call The Visual Journaler. To learn art techniques, I follow several artists, but I haven’t been able to take many of the classes I already own. I’m going to carve out time to play in my art room. I can’t wait to see what this will look like.
Tools to Create Your Own Summer Self-Care Plan
Leveraging digital tools can enhance your self-care journey, providing structure and inspiration.
- ChatGPT: Use ChatGPT to set daily reminders for self-care activities or to explore new mindfulness practices and healthy recipes.
- Canva Templates: Create beautiful vision boards and self-care planners with Canva templates. Visualizing your goals and plans can be incredibly motivating.
- Silk & Sonder Tools: Silk & Sonder offers a range of guided journals and planners designed to support mental and emotional well-being. These tools can help you track your progress and stay committed to your self-care routine.
- Vision Boards: Craft a vision board to visualize your self-care goals. Include images and quotes that inspire and motivate you to prioritize your well-being.
- Visual Journaling: Learn about Terri’s approach to visual journaling or search for art journaling artists on your favorite social media platform.
Embracing the Cycles of Life
Understanding and embracing the natural cycles of life can deepen your self-care practice. Just as the seasons change, so do the phases of our lives. Recognize the current season of your life and tailor your self-care to meet those needs. Whether you’re in the spring of new beginnings, the summer of growth, the fall of harvesting life’s rewards, or the winter of reflection, each phase offers unique opportunities for self-care and personal growth.
Sharing the Journey
As I embark on this Summer of Self-Care for the Everything Woman, I will be sharing my experiences, insights, and progress through this blog and my social media channels. My goal is to create a supportive and interactive community where we can learn from each other and inspire one another to prioritize self-care.
Here’s how you can follow along and participate:
- Weekly Updates: I’ll post weekly updates on the blog detailing my activities, challenges, and triumphs. These posts will include practical tips and resources to incorporate into your self-care routines.
- Daily Stories: Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for daily stories and posts that offer a glimpse into my self-care practices. I’ll be sharing photos, videos, and reflections that capture the essence of my journey.
- Interactive Q&A: Join me for live Q&A sessions to discuss self-care strategies, share our experiences, and support each other. These sessions will be an excellent opportunity to connect and engage with like-minded individuals.
- Share Your Journey: I welcome guest contributions from those who wish to share their own self-care journeys. Your stories, tips, and insights will enrich our community and provide diverse perspectives on the path to well-being.
Jump In!
Whether you’re an everything woman like me, someone who has faced significant challenges, or simply someone looking to enhance their quality of life, I invite you to join me on this Summer of Self-Care. We can create a supportive and uplifting environment where healing and joy are possible and celebrated.
Taking care of ourselves is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Investing time and effort into our well-being makes us better equipped to face life’s challenges and savor its beautiful moments. Let’s make this summer a transformation, growth, and happiness season.
🌟 Grab your supplies, set your intentions, and create a self-care plan that speaks to your heart. Remember, your self-care plan is customized to focus on what truly matters in your life—physical health, mental well-being, emotional balance, and creative expression. 🌿✨
Share your beautiful creations and journey with me! 📸 Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, and follow my blog for more tips, inspiration, and self-care insights. Let’s heal and rejuvenate together! 🌈
👉 Follow me on Instagram: @terrialtschul 👉 Like my page on Facebook: Terri Altschul Coaching👉 Read more on my blog: Evolving Essence Blog
Let’s make this the best summer ever! 🌞 #SummerOfSelfCare #EverythingWoman #HolisticHealthing #WellnessJourney
Terri Altschul Coaching
Terri Altschul is an ICF PCC – a Certified Coach with more than 3,500 coaching sessions. She has trained and coached individuals and groups at all stages of their career and lives in Fortune 100 and 500 companies, Start-ups, and Non-Profit organizations. One of her special gifts is helping you see your untapped potential and identifying the blockers to that potential.
