E99: How to Increase Your Vitality

Healthy habits for each area of wellness that you can start in the next 24 hours to help you increase your vitality…

[00:26] Hi there, welcome back to the Women’s Empowerment Podcast, I am so happy you are here. I’ve got to tell you my life has been very busy the last few months and I’ve been finding it hard to slow down and recharge my batteries.

I feel guilty when I have a moment to myself, and with everything that needs to be done, I use my “down time” to tie up loose ends or work on projects or something more “productive.”

I’ve been making excuses for why I can’t relax in a bath, or meditate in the mornings. My schedule is filled with tasks and my to-do list keeps growing.

It’s been so long since I’ve felt a full cup, that I can’t even tell you the last time I had an abundance of energy or creativity.

Here’s what I do know: I’m not alone in feeling this way. In fact, I would bet that everyone listening right now has felt this way recently. I would argue that these feelings come from the complete disruption that this year has brought and that through this time we have been jolted into survival mode.

We are trying to get through the day, feeling overwhelmed that everything must happen now. But survival mode isn’t sustainable. And if we haven’t reached the point of burnout yet, I can assure you that if we keep this up, we’ll feel it very soon.

I’ve been feeling it more and more and my physical body has been sending me signs to pay more attention to how I’m feeling, and to fill up my cup first.

Which is why I wanted to use this podcast episode as a friendly, but firm reminder to slow down, and reestablish self care in our daily habits.

I can confidently say that the only reason why I haven’t completely burnt out is because I have solid habits in place, and even though I don’t have bigger components of self care, it is these everyday habits that keep my vitality up and keep my body going.

If you’ve listened to the show before, you’ll know that I like to give practical and tangible tools so that you can start taking action TODAY. I also like to skip the fluff and get right to the good stuff. Let’s go through the 7 Areas of Wellness and I will share some simple daily habits we can start incorporating into our daily lives to help fill our cups.

What I’d like you to do is listen carefully. Notice which areas of your wellness need a little extra love and attention. At the end of this episode, I will share a few extra tips on how to stay consistent with these habits.

[3:47] Area of Wellness One: Physical

This is a huge category and we could probably break it down into several smaller categories, however for the purpose of today’s episode, I will share a variety of suggestions and you can choose which feels best for you at this time.

Take a break. Use this time to relax and step away from the work you are doing. Even if it’s for 10 or 15 minutes.
Go for a walk. Moving your body and getting fresh air are two great ways to fill up your physical cup. Really take the time to move and breathe, and leave your phone at home.
Exercise. While a full workout every day might not be possible in the start of this habit, scheduling 15-20 minutes of daily movement could be. There are so many resources for quick workouts that you can do from home, there aren’t any excuses to not do them. Personally I have learned that I am more likely to get a workout in BEFORE I start my daily tasks rather than after. Choose the time of day that works best for you and your schedule.
Choose wholefood nutrients. Our nutrition is foundational for our health and wellbeing, and incorporating healthier options in our daily self care supports our bodies from the inside out. It can be as simple as drinking the correct amount of water for our bodies, adding in more greens, or maybe it’s taking high-quality supplements every day. I’ll link to the supplements I take daily and where you can get them.
Take days off. Schedule in your lunch breaks, vacation days, and days off. Commit to not working or stressing about not working on those days. For me Sundays are my day off. The most “work” I do on Sundays is to plan my week out, but I rarely go on my computer or check my emails on Sunday. People in my circle know that I set boundaries around this day and that’s important to me. It also helps if I schedule something fun into the day. This past weekend we went pumpkin and apple picking, and we made butternut squash soup with some of the ingredients we got from the local farms we visited.

DAILY LIFELONG VITALITY SUPPLEMENTS: Wholesale Enrolment + Pricing

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP RECIPE: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/instant-pot-butternut-squash-soup/

[6:46] Area of Wellness Two: Emotional

This area of wellness can be difficult to navigate because for some of us, we have never learned about emotional intelligence. If this is a new term for you, I highly suggest reading the book titled Emotional Intelligence. I will link to it in the show notes page for you. A personal with emotional intelligence is responsive to situations rather than reactive. It’s the ability to be aware of and understand our own emotions, while also being able to properly embrace them without letting them take over.

You can assess this area of your wellness by asking a few questions:

When was the last time I did an activity that made me feel really happy?
What do I do that helps me feel confident? Energized?
Am I processing my emotions in a healthy way?

Here are some ways we can improve our emotional area of wellness:

Give ourselves permission to feel our emotions. This can be done alone, or with another person who we feel safe with and can hold space for us. It’s okay to feel and express ourselves as long as we are doing so safely. This could be a daily practice of checking in with how we are feeling, noticing and allowing the feelings to flow.
1. Keep a journal. Document the good and the bad feelings. Allow yourself to write it all out and maybe even come up with creative solutions for how we can celebrate, or cope with the emotions.
2. Do something we enjoy. Do you love to draw? Craft? Take photographs? Dance to your favourite music? Whatever you love to do, do that! And actually enjoy it while you do it! Switch it up every so often so that it doesn’t become a chore, and it stays a joy!
3. Develop healthy and supportive friendships. I always feel better emotionally after I’ve spent some time with a friend. Last week a friend of mine and I met to run an errand, and even though it was a short visit, we had a nice tea and walk together while we shopped for some great home decor pieces for her bedroom! It was lovely. Call a friend and make a date, you’ll both be grateful you did! On the day to day this might be a friendly text to a friend, a comment on their socials, or a call on your commute. For more ways to build friendships, you’ll want to hear area of health number four.

[11:04] Area of Wellness Three: Intellectual/Mental

Mental health has been a very popular topic of discussion over the last several years. More and more people are beginning to understand and serve this area of health, yet many people will say their mental health could be improved. Even though we each have our own reasons for why this is, we still live in a world that demands instant everything: results, gratification, connection, etc. However, said plainly, this is unrealistic.

To increase vitality in our mental health, try any of these self care habits:

Make time for relaxation. Can you incorporate 10 minute mediation or savasana? Perhaps an evening soak with candles, epsom salts, and essential oils? Maybe it’s taking a lunch break outside in the sunshine. Think of the ways you like to relax and how you can incorporate this into your daily routine. Personally I like to wind down by doing a French lesson on an app on my phone before going to bed. Since it’s another language it requires my full attention. It’s not how I want to keep spending my evenings but it’s helped me a lot for the last few months when I’ve struggled to turn off my monkey mind before bed.
Engage in hobbies outside of work. I’m what some people call a “workaholic” But I’m working on that. I often joke that my hobbies are work. LIke taking photos and creating content… and even though those are enjoyable – I have to create boundaries around it. Some great hobbies are: arts/crafts, reading non-work-related material, building a puzzle, visiting museums/exhibits, yoga and exercise, spending time in nature, playing with lego, the list is really endless. Choose a hobby that you enjoy and spend a little time doing that each day.
Stop feeling bad about boundaries. If you don’t want to do something, go somewhere or something that is being asked of you crosses over your boundary line, say “no.” and let it go! Don’t feel bad for saying no to something that doesn’t light you up or fill your cup. I had a really hard time with this for YEARS, and one of the personal development books I was reading at the time encouraged me to say “no.” and not give a reason to just politely say no or no thank you. So I stepped out of my comfort zone and started saying no. At first I felt guilty and then I realized that after the short feeling of guilt, I felt a HUGE wave of relief! It became easier to say no to what didn’t fill my cup.
Stay consistent. This could be said about any of the seven areas of wellness and the suggestions I’m sharing, but what I do know is that when I’ve been consistent with my habits, my mental health thrives. I noticed this the most when I was working out every morning at the gym. Yes I was working on my physical health and that was improving, but so was my mental health – in a really powerful way. I think the consistency played a big role in it.

[17:33] Area of Wellness Four: Social

This area of wellness includes your friends, acquaintances, family and relatives. Social connection is incredibly important to health and well-being. It’s so easy to get caught up and overwhelmed that our busy lives affect our close relationships. And although true friends and family will understand that life has its seasons, they are true friends when they can kindly point out and recognize when this area of wellness needs some extra attention.

Consider the important relationships you have in your life, how are you currently nurturing them? Are you getting face-time with these people?

Some ways to increase vitality in our social area of wellness could be:

Prioritize your partner. Or your family, or your best friends, or your kids. Whomever your people are. Your people love you, but they also need love from you. Yes self care is filling your cup, and your people are part of your life and well-being. It doesn’t have to be the first thing you do every day, but it could be part of your daily habits to express your love and appreciation to your partner/people.
Avoid bringing work home. This is a tough one for me, especially since sometimes I work from home. It’s important to create boundaries around work and home life. Set your “office hours” and honour those hours. Creating and maintaining these boundaries for yourself will encourage other people in your life to do the same, and they will respect your boundaries when they see you doing so.
Go to the event you were invited to. Again, this may not be an every day thing, and maybe we can’t go to every event! But I will tell you right now that when I started showing up for more family events, my relationship with my family members improved exponentially. I set boundaries around my time and I always drove myself to the event so that I could leave when I was ready, but I showed up and it meant a lot to my family members. They were more understanding if I had to leave a little earlier and they were very grateful for my company.
Join a like-minded group/community. A couple years ago networking and meeting new people was so out of my comfort zone. To be honest I don’t really recognize that part of myself anymore but at the time, putting myself out there was a HUGE leap out of my comfort zone and I am so grateful that I did! My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner! The relationships I’ve built, the amazing people I have met, and the things I have learned are truly priceless. Again, it might not be a daily habit, however finding events, communities, or groups that you could meet with weekly or monthly can be very important for self-care and vitality.
Connect with a friend. A daily call? A quick text? A weekly lunch? A morning walk? There are countless ways to connect and some of them can be done daily. Maybe you’re both working on increasing your vitality and self care – be each-others accountability buddies!

[23:13] Area of Wellness Five: Spiritual

This area of wellness will be different for everyone as spirituality means many things to different people. The way I like to view this area is that our spiritual health is about nurturing the things that are beyond ourselves. The parts of our worlds that have deep meaning and ask us to reflect. Consider the following questions to assess your spiritual health:

Am I engaging in spiritual practices?
Am I taking time to reflect on the things that matter most to me?
Am I doing my best to contribute to causes I care about?

Some healthy habits/practices for spiritual health include:

Prayer, meditation, and/or mindfulness. There are many methods of these practices and each can be very effective in nurturing our spiritual practice. Even mindfulness, as an example, can be in the form of movement like in yoga, or perhaps a walking meditation. If this is something that interests you but is also new to you, consider exploring different types of prayer, meditation and mindfulness and seeing which one resonates with you.
Donate to a meaningful cause. What is important to you? How can you donate and support this cause? It doesn’t always have to be money, perhaps it’s volunteering your time, or raising awareness in your community.
Connect and reflect with like minded friends and community members. I used to host virtual full moon ceremonies and the women who joined, as well as myself LOVED these evenings together. Our meditations and reflections were so much more powerful when we came together as a collective.

[25:09] Area of Wellness Six: Occupational

Most people spend the majority of their time at their workplace or working throughout the week, which makes it one of the most important areas of wellness, and often an overlooked and/or abused area. Remember that we’re working on ONE area of wellness, and ONE of the suggestions so that we aren’t overwhelming ourselves with all these new daily/weekly habits.

Here are some self-care suggestions to consider when it comes to occupational health.

Create and honour work boundaries. If you want to leave work by 3pm every day, at 3pm leave work. No exceptions. If you check emails between 1 and 4 every day, don’t you dare open your emails outside of that window. If you’re off on the weekends, let your voicemail take a message that you can return on Monday. Set your boundaries, respect your boundaries. End of discussion.
Eliminate, delegate, and automate whenever you can. What can we take off our plates so that we can be better at working in our zone of genius and really love our work? Go through your to do list daily or weekly and see what you can eliminate, delegate, or automate. Then work on the more important tasks from there.
Incorporate continuing education. Deepen your professional knowledge by reading or learning more about your industry each day. Perhaps there is a helpful book, podcast, or online course you can commit to reading, listening, or working on for 30 minutes a day.

[28:15] Area of Wellness Seven: Environmental

I think of environmental wellness in two main pillars: the first is the planet/environment. How can we make the world a better place? The second is: the home environment. How can we make our home a better place? If you’re on the journey to personal growth and development, you’ll know that the work, changes, and transformations start with us as individuals. We cannot change others but we can change ourselves. This also applies to the environment. We might not be able to save the planet as one being, but we can play our part in making the world a better place and the ripple effect will take place and encourage others to also make a difference. As with each of the areas of wellness, I will share some suggestions. Remember that there are countless things we can do to support each of these areas, even if I haven’t included them in today’s episode.

Marie Kondo your living space. If you haven’t already read the BOOK: “The life changing magic of tidying up” by Marie Kondo, I recommend it. I think the series might still be available on Netflix for anyone who has it. Go through your items and only keep the things that bring you joy. Marie teaches her method and it’s a lot of work – I’ve done it before, so it might be something you want to work at each day.
Make environmentally friendly swaps. Once you’re finished with your household cleaning products, skincare products, or any household products, consider buying environmentally friend options. These are generally products we use every single day, so how can we make them better, and feel better about our choices each time we use them? Check out my Green Cleaning E-Book!
Reduce, reuse, recycle. We’ve all heard of these three words, but are we practicing them? The first word is REDUCE. This is something the majority of the population struggles with, but perhaps recently we have noticed a reduction in our consumption. Reduce the amount of packaging, plastic, negative self talk. Nobody needs more of it. Nobody. Reuse. I always try to reuse things AT LEAST TWICE if I can. For example the pasta sauce in the glass jar I’ve recently used to put our extra soup in. I use reusable water bottles instead of plastic bottles, etc. Recycle. Each area has different recycling policies. Check out your local community website to learn more about the proper ways to recycle in your area.
Practice Ahimsa. Ahimsa is one of the five yamas in the yogic philosophy and practice. It means “Non-Violence” it relates to non-violence to ourselves, and to our environment. Each day, bring more awareness to the cause and effect of your daily actions, how can you bring more care to yourself and to the environment?

After reading through the show notes, or listening to this episode, and the areas and the suggestions I shared, I hope that you feel inspired to start your new self-care habit. Remember to choose the one that you feel most drawn to at this time.

What’s so wonderful about this work is that it creates a ripple effect. As you build and increase the vitality of one area of wellness, the other areas will also benefit from the effects. Remember to work with one area at a time. Once you have developed a habit, you may choose to stack another one (any one).

There are many theories as to how long to practice something before it becomes a habit, but the most relevant one is, however long YOU need. Some habits form faster than others, take your time building yours.

[35:45] As promised, here are 3 Tips for Staying Consistent with your Habits!

#1. SCHEDULE SELF CARE

What gets scheduled, is what gets done. I will never get tired of saying that because it is the truest and simplest method. Grab your planner, open your electronic calendar, whatever you use, and input your self care.

#2. TRACK YOUR HABITS

Whether it’s a sticker chart you hang on your bathroom mirror, or a tracker you made on Canva, find a way to track your health habits each and every day. Maybe it’s in your physical planner.

#3. SHARE YOUR JOURNEY

One of the best ways I hold myself accountable is when I share my challenge on social media. I tell my online community exactly what I’m doing and I share my progress journey with them. Each day I think about the fact that I have to keep up with my goals because others are watching me. It’s accountability, and it works every time.

If you aren’t ready to share it with your socials, then I suggest sharing it with a friend who will keep you accountable.

Thank you so much for being here with me today. Next week is another epic bonus episode with a wonderful soul and light. I am so excited to share this episode with you. I know you’re going to love it! Have a wonderful week.

Val Lavigne Life Women's Empowerment Podcast

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!