Wellbeing Check-In: How To Date Yourself For Winter Wellbeing
🌅 Listen to this post (or read on…)
🌅 With love
Welcome to the first instalment of the How To Date Yourself series on Be Your Own Date.
The essence of Be Your Own Date is getting to know yourself better and focusing on your self-care and wellbeing. Making space to cultivate self-love and self-compassion in a way that feels authentic and meaningful to you. So, give yourself the grace, energy and attention that you would give to your partner. In case you missed it, I shared my inspiration for the name, Be Your Own Date, in my feature with Cliniko.
🌅 With intention
Know that I am deeply motivated to support you in feeling empowered to take good care of yourself and live your best life, whether you invest in individual coaching or peruse the self-care and wellbeing content on this platform. Coaching clients, readers and viewers from all backgrounds, industries and career stages are most welcome. You belong here.
The method for this series is simple. I am sharing pearls of wisdom (often overlooked) to date yourself in support of your holistic wellbeing, sprinkled with my personal experiences.✨ I was in flow when I came up with the idea, so I hope you enjoy this collection of articles and can take something meaningful away from each one. And don’t forget, you have the option to read or listen to the accompanying audio on my YouTube channel.
Thank me later! 🙃
Sharing pearls of wisdom or, in this case, lime caviar pearls! | Photo by Amy-Jo Lynch
🌅 Winter wellbeing
I find myself retreating at this time of year and being more intentional about where I place my attention and energy, as the weather gets colder throughout winter. The new season also feels like a good time to check-in, prioritise deep rest, reflect on the year and make an effort to support my winter wellbeing. With the shorter days and darker nights, I am particularly grateful for my nourishing morning routine. For example, preparing for restful sleep the night before and waking up to my sunrise alarm clock, helps me to get up on time and feel more refreshed and less groggy at the start of the day. I'm even ready to spring out of bed on some occasions!
🌅 Holistic wellbeing
Wellbeing is a way of being and feeling encapsulated by a sense of happiness, contentment, satisfaction and relaxation that is aligned with your authentic self, values and purpose in life. Holistic wellbeing acknowledges the different aspects of wellbeing including the emotional, physical, social and spiritual dimensions. Therefore, nurturing holistic wellbeing offers you greater balance, taking care of your mind, body and spirit - a bit like a full body stretch to support your overall physical and mental health.
One of the benefits of my personalised wellbeing coaching programmes is the opportunity for you to have an in-depth conversation about your holistic wellbeing, perhaps for the very first time. An unhurried deep dive into your overall wellbeing, supporting you to thoughtfully consider what you want to achieve through coaching going forward. Learn more about online wellbeing coaching and if you have any questions, I invite you to get in touch with me by sending an email to amy-jo@beyourowndate.com
🌅 Prepare for your wellbeing check-in and solo date
Like any date, and especially a solo date, preparation is key. Plus, it can help to reduce your nerves! Spontaneity is cool too - more on that later - so read on if that piques your interest.
Firstly, find a cosy spot - somewhere you can focus and relax without distractions. Get your preferred device or your journal/planner/pen and scrap of paper.🤷🏾♀️ This is your dedicated time to check in with yourself, fostering the deepening of self-awareness and understanding your wellbeing needs. Use this opportunity to become more informed about how to care for your wellbeing, especially during the winter months and beyond. Lastly, make yourself comfortable.
A mindful approach that I find useful is to activate all the senses that are available to me. So, I invite you to take a moment to tune into what you can see, smell, hear, touch, taste and what your intuition is signalling to you. Integrating a multisensory moment helps to ground you in preparation for your winter wellbeing check-in.
Imagine making yourself a soothing hot drink and then cosying up with your soft woollen blanket and cushions in a quiet corner on the sofa (headphones/earbuds optional). You are enjoying the warmth of your cashmere sweater or fluffy bathrobe on your skin with instrumental music playing softly in the background. Maybe you light your favourite candle, turn over your reed diffusers or turn on your ultrasonic diffuser to savour the uplifting fragrance of essential oils, creating a relaxed ambience, even if it is a little gloomy outside. You spot some clutter in your periphery and turn away, gently reminding yourself that you can declutter your space later. Now, it’s time to pay attention to self-care and regain a sense of control in the peaceful environment that you have created.
Make yourself a soothing hot drink | Photo by Sapna Odlin
To know me is to know that I LOVE a cup of tea, preferably using my Wedgewood fine bone china that I’ve kept with me since I was a teenager when I worked in the beautiful flagship store in London. Sadly, it’s no longer there but my tea set, dinner service and good memories remain!
🌅 Questions to ask yourself for your wellbeing check-in
Well, this is the Psychologist and PhD in me! Using scaling questions is a helpful way to explore how you are doing and makes a useful reflection point when totting up your scores and looking back over them.
One simple question…
☀️ How would you rate your holistic wellbeing on a scale from 1 (low) to 10 (high)?
Go deeper…
On a scale from 0 to 10, where 0 is “not at all” and 10 is “completely”:
☀️ Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays?
☀️ Overall, to what extent do you feel that the things you do in your life are worthwhile?
☀️Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday?
☀️ On a scale where 0 is “not at all anxious” and 10 is “completely anxious”, overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday?
These questions comprise the UK’s Office for National Statistics four measures of personal wellbeing (ONS4). Please note that they are subject to change.
Empower yourself…
☀️ How will you support yourself during the winter months in light of your responses?
Stay accountable…
☀️ How often will you make time to date yourself this winter?
Consider a SMART commitment to carry out your intention. Planning your next step is one thing and sticking to it is another, right?
Winter wellbeing | Graphic by Amy-Jo Lynch
🌅 Spontaneity when taking yourself on a date
There’s no time like the present to write or draw whatever comes to mind without the pressure to edit yourself. Maybe it’s a few words, phrases, drawings or more structured sentences - do what works best for you. There’s no judgment here. The purpose is simply to consider, collect and capture your thoughts and feelings to help acknowledge and process them as well as return to them at another time to observe your wellbeing journey. Now is the time for TMI or “oversharing”: the good, not so good and everything in between. 👀
Pro tip: Have your journal or planner ready to take notes! Consider investing in my digital Wellbeing Planner, which offers you the flexibility to print your copy. Enjoy guided focus, organisation, relaxation and reflection on your day to support your wellbeing in all seasons. Join the waitlist; subscribe to the Be Your Own Date mailing list.
**Exciting update: my Wellbeing Planner is now available. Get Yours! ✨**
🌅 Is it normal for my wellbeing to go up and down?
Yes, it is normal for your wellbeing to fluctuate and small shifts in wellbeing are to be expected from week to week. This is why a wellbeing check-in is such a useful tool to spark reflection and have an honest conversation with yourself about how you are doing - it often leads to insights when talking it through with my coaching clients. Some or all of your responses may surprise you (or not) and give rise to thoughts and feelings that are uncomfortable for you to sit with and process, though rest assured by the Persian proverb, "این نیز بگذرد" which translates to “this too shall pass”. There is something comforting about considering a wellbeing check-in as a gift for personal growth. Having identified areas for growth, there is also something empowering about using this information to channel your attention and energy towards positive actions. I hope that you flourish moving forward.
Pause: You deserve to be well. If you are concerned about your wellbeing, reach out to your inner circle, GP or local mental health provider. For resources, visit My Favourite Things page.
🌅 Coaching for winter wellbeing
Coaching is about being present and future-focused, working towards reaching your dreams and aspirations. But it’s also about holding a safe, calm space for you to talk with someone whom you feel comfortable opening up to and trust. With the transition from autumn into winter nearing, you may have noticed a drop in your energy levels and motivation and could do with some additional support right now to get you back to where you want to be. I got you!
Know that you are not alone. I partner with ambitious professionals and entrepreneurs to prioritise wellbeing and purpose on their journey to flourish. Let’s decide if we are a good fit to work together; I invite you to book a discovery call.
Our coaching conversations will create space for you to feel present, listened to, understood, cared for and empowered to take action. You will gain insights and clarity on your goals and way forward in a sustainable way.
Come as you are.
🌅 How do you feel about this article?
Love ❤️
Impressed 💃🏾
Surprised 😯
Unsure 🫤
Something else, entirely 👀
I really appreciate you taking the time to read this article. Let me know how you feel about it in the comments or connect with me on your socials, I’d LOVE to hear from you! Consider sharing the link to this article on your socials and with your nearest and dearest!
Be kind to yourself. Be Your Own Date.
~ Amy-Jo ☀️
Disclaimer: The content of this blog is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. For that, you will need to speak to your GP and/or local health provider.
