The concept of wellness isn’t a new one, but you’d think it was since it’s generating so much attention lately.
According to the Global Wellness Institute, the wellness industry is worth around $4.2 trillion, yes trillion.
That’s a lot of green juices, supplements, and yoga pads!
All jokes aside, the idea of wellness has attracted more attention during the pandemic, but more so from women.
Why, you ask?
Overall, women have been more affected by the pandemic. Many women lost their positions in an already male-dominated workforce.
Some had to quit their jobs so they can effectively homeschool their children with virtual learning. And let’s not forget the women who had to put themselves in harm’s way to work an essential job.
It’s been a tough road, but this is where the idea of wellness and self-care becomes a saving grace. We used to think of “wellness” as a specific approach to staying healthy, but it’s so much more these days.
The idea and definition of wellness has transformed into something much more powerful—something women use to recharge and uplift themselves.
Since it’s International Women’s Day, we wanted to touch on a few ways women can use wellness to empower themselves and others.
Let’s get to it.
Looking Good, Feeling Good
Have you noticed when you look good, you feel even better?
Boosting self-esteem by taking care of yourself both physically and mentally is an absolute must. You can do this with a regular diet and exercise, but this doesn’t mean you have to exhaust yourself.
The main idea here is to create healthy habits to make you feel better inside and out. Many people find it hard to kickstart any kind of workout routine, especially since gyms are closed (and let’s not forget to factor in kids if you have them).
However, it’s all about making small changes that empower you to make even bigger changes later.
So, whether you start by stretching every day for 20 minutes and trying a vegan diet for 30 days, always try to implement changes that fuel the passion and power inside of you.
Shut Down Negativity
Self-doubt and negativity have a way of latching onto you without your consent. These types of thoughts become so autonomous you’re not aware of the negative thought habit you’ve adopted.
In light of empowering yourself and other women, it’s time to shut down ALL negativity.
Invite positivity into your life with a few minor changes.
Here are a few ways to jump-start this process.
When you wake up in the morning, grab a pen and pad and write down three things you’re grateful for. When you move through the day with gratitude, positivity seems to gravitate toward you.
Also, get in the habit of speaking positivity into your life. When you continuously repeat these phrases, you start to believe them—ultimately erasing negative thought patterns from your life.
Once you start utilizing affirmations, you become more aware of your thoughts in general. When this happens, you can stop negative thoughts right in their tracks and work on being the best version of yourself.
Support and Uplift Other Women
Sure, some people may not see how supporting, and uplifting other women fall into the wellness category, but it does—hear us out.
Many women have incredible role models and mentors to show them support in their endeavors, but so many don’t.
No matter what walk of life you’re from, having the support of like-minded females when you set off on any task or journey is priceless. And let’s not forget what support means to younger girls and teens who need a push of support.
There are countless ways to support and uplift each other—compliment someone, support their business, listen to them if they need to talk, etc.
Take Time for Self-Care
The term “self-care” has taken on a life of its own. What we love about self-care and its entangled relationship with wellness is it’s whatever you need it to be.
Once upon a time, we all tried to put self-care in a box reserved for beauty and spa treatments, but things have changed quite a bit.
These days, you don’t have to leave the house to get the self-care you seek.
You can create an at-home spa experience with a CBD-Infused Face Mask, a tranquil botanical bath soak, a few scented candles, some soothing tunes that help those tense shoulders loosen and drop. Oh, and don’t forget to lock the door so you have all the private time you need to relax, recharge, and reset!
Self-care is an absolute must, especially when the whole family’s at home all day, working and schooling virtually. If you don’t carve out a particular time of the day for yourself, you may start to feel burnt out. 
Create a wellness routine that makes sense for your schedule, even if it means waking up an hour or so earlier than the rest of the house, going to be a little earlier each night, staying up later, or sneaking off to Target for a solo stroll down the home decor aisle.
Meditate on Things
When you slow down long enough to appreciate stillness, good things happen. You’re constantly on the go; the brain is always running with thoughts popping up left and right—no wonder it’s hard to think straight sometimes!
Incorporating meditation into your wellness routine is more than empowering; it’s essential. Meditation gives you time to combine all of the wellness ideas described above, but you can enhance it more with visualization techniques.
Deep breathing and meditation are also known to lower stress, anxiety, and depression levels. Sit still for 10 minutes a day and watch the magic happen.
What is Wellness to You?
As mentioned earlier, the idea of wellness changed quite a bit over the last few years.
It used to be all about trips to Whole Foods and daily Equinox workouts, but women worldwide are creating wellness routines fine-tuned to their specific needs.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to finding unique ways to empower yourself. If you have a hard time finding a starting point, just try to find activities to cover your mental, physical, and spiritual needs.
When you feel empowered, you feel like you could carry the world on your shoulders—who doesn’t want to feel like that?
Happy International Women’s Day—keep empowering yourself and uplifting other women!