What does wellness mean to you?
To me, wellness goes hand in hand with both the mental and physical perspectives. Carving out time to look after myself so I can be present with everyone who needs me, whether that’s my family, children, or work. I tend to approach it by doing yoga so I can check in with myself and really commit to being present.
Any tips on fitting a wellness ritual into your busy schedule?
Committing. Don’t make excuses to skip it. It’s easy to slip out of a habit, so it’s important to commit to it the same way you would commit to other things. The hardest part is showing up, but once you have a ‘this is worth it’ moment, hang on to that. For me, sticking to my morning routine gives me the grounding I need that allows me to be that person for everyone.
Of all the wellness areas - mind, body, spirit, which are you drawn to most?
Mind - because of the reason above. For me, if I’m able to have clarity and space in my mind, the rest follows.
Do you regularly exercise? What do you love doing for exercise?
Outside of yoga, I don’t exercise regularly; I’m not good at anything too strenuous. However, about a year ago, I started playing tennis again. I used to play it as a young girl, and I’m so happy to have re-discovered it. Unfortunately, I have to take a pause from playing it in the winter as I prefer playing outside, and it’s just too cold here in the UK.
How does nature connect to wellness for you?
Immensely. I read a quote from David Attenborough, “You'll never sit more than 10 minutes in nature without something amazing happening.” During lockdown, I really grew mesmerised by the nature around me since we had to stay indoors for so much of it. It reminded me of my childhood, growing up in the countryside of Italy. Even looking at the colour green is such a breath of fresh air and soothes me. Living in such an urban environment now, I notice the beauty of nature even more.
Do you meditate? Or what’s your version of ‘you time’ to get away from the noise and to-do lists…?
I sometimes meditate when it’s offered in my yoga class. However, I find it hard to let my thoughts go. I like the challenge of it, but so far I don’t think I’m very successful at it.
A treatment/ritual/mindset that has changed your life?
In regards to a treatment, I really gravitate towards products with essential oils. A bath or shower with great oils can have incredibly uplifting effects for me and make me view them as self-care. However, a nightly ritual I’ve recently implemented is switching my phone off at night and charging it in another room. It’s no longer the first thing I look at when I wake up, and it’s given me a healthier relationship with my phone.
