Wellness Practices for Entrepreneurs

Kat Sanford | Soulful Business Strategist

Last week I kicked off a 5-part series CULTIVATING ABUNDANCE IN YOUR LIFE by sharing ideas on how to create abundance in the 5 life areas and concepts based on the best-selling book and course, The Desire Map, written and created by Danielle LaPorte.

This week the conversation continues with a focus on the BODY + WELLNESS life area, why this is important for entrepreneurs and a few ideas to support you in your wellness journey.

Yours truly rafting the Rogue River in Oregon.

WHAT IS BODY + WELLNESS?

According to The Desire Map, the BODY + WELLNESS life area relates to

• Fitness

• Food

• Rest + Relaxation

• Healing

• Mental Health

• Sex + Sensuality

Discovering how you want to feel mentally, physically and emotionally. Then putting practices in place to support you in these areas.

Why is this important? If you are a solo entrepreneur or even the leader of a small team, maintaining your health is super important. There is no paid sick leave and many times customer service, marketing, sales and operations ALL depend on you showing up with energy, focus and confidence. Putting in the time for your personal wellness is equally as important as making the next sales call or responding to a client.

Being an entrepreneur is similar to being a long-distance runner. We can go the distance if we have trained and prepared to make it up the peaks and back down again. I love this quote I found recently when researching the mind-body connection that says it well.

“...Phases of low productivity go hand in hand with poor diet, lack of sleep, inappropriate work environments, stress, poor use of time, a racing mind, or a fragmented focus. However, unlike serious athletes, entrepreneurs ignore symptoms and don't dedicate the time to proactively train their bodies and minds for success.” Lori Webb, Forbes.com

As a Soulful Business Strategist I help women entrepreneurs position themselves and their brands in ways that feel in alignment with their values so they can attract their ideal clients and increase their profits while still having time for the things that matter the most.

Often when I start working with a client they feel tired, overworked and undervalued. I hear things like “I’m exhausted” or “I am tired of hustling“ or “I have no free time“. This breaks my heart because one of the benefits of being an entrepreneur is the freedom to control your own schedule. I certainly didn’t start a business to work 60+ hours a week.

In my own life I have struggled in this life area and it has affected my business. I have experienced times when my mind was fuzzy from lack of sleep. I have even had days where I had to reschedule meetings and take a nap because my energy level was so low. This is why I am passionate about sharing the tips below to help you avoid burnout and exhaustion.

“Joy is the deepest indicator of deep wellness.” - Danielle Laporte

6 Wellness Tips

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional or fitness expert. These tips are based on activities I personally do to feel healthy and well.

1. Fitness. Love Your Body. Give gratitude to your body by doing a head-to-toe body scan and saying THANK YOU to each part of your body. I am a BIG fan of Mel Robbins and love The High Five Habit concept of looking in the mirror and giving yourself a High 5 hand slap. Do at least moderate exercise each day. Take a hike. Walk the dog.

2. Food. Fuel Your Body. Limit the amount of salt, sugar, caffeine and alcohol in your diet. Drink plenty of clean, pure water each day. This will breathe new life into your skin, hair and will nourish all of your vital organs.

3. Rest + Relaxation. Learn to listen to your body. Your mind, heart and muscles will all tell you when you need extra sleep. Bubble baths, naps, going to bed early and sleeping late are all 100% okay. Breathing techniques, journaling, listening to music and spa treatments are also great ways to relax. Take a Digital Detox. The convenience that cell phones have added to our lives can actually be a double-edged sword. We depend on them so much it seems we can’t live without them. Our minds are constantly filled with news, social media, emails, etc. that it is nearly impossible for us to settle. Put your phone down at least 30 minutes before bed. Create a phone free zone. Unplug from technology (yes your email will still be there later). Read a book, take a walk in nature or play a board game with your family and friends.

4. Healing. Do you have emotional and/or mental wounds that need to be healed so you can move forward? Some people benefit from art therapy, journaling, meditation, music therapy, EFT, Reiki and other modalities of treatment. Whether you use a self-guided tool or work with a therapist learning to identify and release past traumas can be very beneficial to our emotional health.

5. Mental Health. Be intentional about fostering a healthy mindset. Block out time for meditation and/or prayer. Read books, listen to audiobooks or watch videos on emotional intelligence, leadership and mindset. Take time to journal. Follow trusted experts but be mindful of what you think, read, watch and listen to and when. Learn to set boundaries and say no. Avoid comparing yourself to other people. (Know that feeling "blah" is normal sometimes but please seek help if you suffer from long-term depression and thoughts of suicide.)

6. Sex + Sensuality. Schedule your wellness exams. Ladies, get your mammograms and annual well woman checkups and men get your prostate exams. I also suggest getting a yearly blood test of your thyroid and hormone levels. For me, sex starts outside the bedroom. Take time to be with your partner. Schedule a date, talk, do things together and co-create an environment where it is safe to communicate in a vulnerable way. This is one way to build a feeling of intimacy. Do something for yourself that feels sensual. Maybe it is wearing beautiful undergarments or an outfit that makes you feel amazing. Or maybe it is wrapping up in a warm blanket, lighting some candles and listening to music. Or maybe it is a DIY couples massage. You choose. Single? Take yourself on a date. Buy yourself the flowers. You are worth it.

Well, this wraps it up for the week. I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog post and that these ideas have inspired you today. I’m curious…Which one of these tips is a missing step in your wellness journey? How can you adopt one of these practices as your own?

Let’s journal it out…

Find a quiet spot, grab your journal. Ask yourself these questions.

How do I want to feel in each of these areas of BODY + WELLNESS?

Where are the two most important areas where I want to feel different? What is one action I can take in each area to step towards better wellness? What will I do to celebrate taking these action steps?

Always remember…

Becoming aware of habits, patterns and obligation energy that keeps you from feeling how you want to feel is a practice. Show yourself compassion and love as you grow - and know that I am here holding space for you.

How can I support you?

Reach out at kat@katsanford.com. I’ll be ready next week with more tips to help you create abundance in your life and your business and would love to connect with you.

PS…As I mentioned at the beginning of this post the concepts shared in this post are based on the concepts in the best-selling book, The Desire Map, written by Danielle LaPorte. The digital version of the book is available on my Resource page here. If you are interested in the self-paced, digital course of The Desire Map click here. And full disclosure…I am an affiliate of both COMMUNE and Danielle LaPorte. This post does contain my affiliate links and I receive a commission that helps me offset the business costs of being an entrepreneur.