Belle's Self-Love & Self Reflection Activities

There has never been a more important time to practice self-care, self-love, and self-reflection. Wellness is an essential activity that we tend to push aside when our lives get too busy, we feel overwhelmed or stuck in pandemic fatigue. So take a minute to yourself. Try our self-reflection worksheet or test out our perfect bath recipe and make time to check in with yourself.

Mind the Gap: Self-Reflection Activities

There are so many books and strategies for decision-making and building confidence. In college, we were taught all about 10-10-10 – a strategy written about by Suzy Welch and praised by Oprah. Quite simply, when you are trying to make a decision think about how your choice will affect your life in the next 10 minutes. Now, the next 10 months. Then in the next 10 years. This strategy can help put a problem into perspective and help determine the amount of energy you need to put into your choice.

Another popular method for reflection talked about in books like Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle is ‘self-talk.’ This involves giving a voice and a character to your negative thoughts and self-criticisms. It can be a bit of a stretch to envision for some people, but others find it useful to navigate their negative feelings by developing an origin story for those thoughts.

But our favourite strategy is to simply pause, take a minute, and reflect on all the things you have accomplished. Mindfulness is essential. It’s easy to get trapped in the comparison paradox or drown under the weight of all the things you need to do. But here’s the secret, you’ve already accomplished a lot. Give yourself credit for all the things you have done as you strive towards new goals. Showered and put on something other than sweatpants? Turned in that report finally? Well done!

Manage your stress and feelings with the confidence that you have faced challenges in the past, and come through the other side with more knowledge than before.

Get in the habit of journaling or download our Belle self-reflection worksheet below. Make a habit writing in your journal of filling out a worksheet once a day or once a week if you can. Look back at your previous answers or journal entries. What has changed? How can you grow from these differences?

Connect with your Body: Self Care Activities

Stress can have a negative impact on more than just your mental health. It is important to stay connected to your body as well. Our bodies require balance, and long-term stress can have negative consequences such as fatigue, reduced immune functions and can even affect your memory.

Given the lockdown, it is harder to stay active, but it is important to get outside and go for a walk if you can. Or try an online yoga class over Zoom (you can also easily search Youtube for an instructional video). Physical activity releases endorphins, which can make a huge difference for your mood and mental state.

We love a nice hot bath to get our blood moving, helping to soothe sore or tight muscles after a long day. We are absolutely in love with the Authentique Milk Foam Bath for a luxury bath experience. Pour yourself a glass of wine and read a book, or try listening to a binaural beats playlist, which has been linked to reduced anxiety and relaxation in recent studies. It's the recipe for a perfect bath.

So pause and take care of yourself this long weekend. What are some of your favourite ways to unwind?