From mantras to meditation, from mindfulness to manifestation, Well Intentioned offers an intimate look at how to make room for self-care through meaningful measures, big and small.
If there has been a year in history in which we were able to dedicate more time to self-care, it has been 2021. Between the pandemic, the unstable political landscape, economic fluctuations, supply chain problems and closures and school reopenings (and again closings), we could all use a little introspection. To be honest, it’s a miracle you managed to read these lines! But we’re glad you’re here. Because What better way to start your own commitment to thank, breathe, and listen to your body (and soul) in 2022 than to hear how other people managed to do it in 2021? Since launching Vogue’s inaugural Wellness column, we’ve spent 12 months collecting tips, tricks and hints from some of our favorite people, and along the way we’ve learned some seriously valuable lessons: that Sharon Stone swears by the Thigh Master to exercise her body and clear your mind; that Kathryn Hahn would make an excellent professional closet organizer; and that the spirit of Gwyneth Paltrow is neither more nor less than the current Gwyneth Paltrow. So, as the clock ticks on what will likely be remembered as both the shortest and longest year on record, pay attention to the points we highlight below; If not as purposes, at least as ideas to build a productive path to move forward. To paraphrase Counting Crows, the wise pop band of the 90s, “maybe this year will be better than last.”
1. Be aware of your worth
“One of the great secrets of well-being that I have recently discovered is to ask myself a very simple question: ‘What does this get me?’ For a long time, I felt guilty for doing it. But now I realize that it is not selfish to think about yourself first and decide what is good for you. There is nothing wrong with that. The thing is, no one tells you that there’s nothing wrong with asking yourself, “Is this thing I’m going to invest my time in going to be satisfying and good?” for me“If it’s not, don’t do it.”
2. Work hard, sleep more
“If I don’t sleep well I become unpleasant and I am neither the best wife nor the best mother; As if that were not enough, when this happens to me I make bad decisions for my health. I interviewed Ariana Huffington on the third season of my podcast and she asked me what was the last thing she did before going to bed. Of course, my response was: “Take a look at your phone.” So now I put it in the bathroom before I go to sleep so I don’t look at it before I go to bed. Instead, I discuss with my husband how we spent the day or read a book; right now I’m on “Bamboozled by Jesus” by Yvonne Orji. I have a simple digital clock from Amazon as an alarm, which wakes me up if my baby’s crying fails to do so. Before she slept naked, but after having a child I became more modest. Now I sleep in a big t-shirt; the bigger, the better. I need to sleep with a sound generator and an air purifier. And also with a mouth guard. And I have to wear my leopard print mask. Last but not least: I use custom-made earplugs. I ordered them from the same supplier that makes the radio announcers’ headphones. They are fuchsia and I have two pairs: one for bed and one for traveling on the plane. And I take Natural Calm every night. The orange one is my favorite. I yell at Justin, “I’m making my drink!” He gives me peace and makes me fall asleep very naturally, and he helps me go to the bathroom!
3. Be aware of what enters your eyes and ears
“It’s hard to control the amount of news we receive. Over the last year I’ve gone through phases where I couldn’t stop voraciously paying attention to every word that was said about the pandemic, or what Dr. Fauci said. But sometimes I needed a break from the news and social media. They can be very toxic. I understand that they emerged without malice and that their intention was to unite people and create a social community, which is very positive. But all that glitters is not gold: many people stand in front of their computer making hurtful comments to other people. And I’m not strong enough for it not to affect me. So I don’t read the comments anymore. I am kind to everyone and try to help as much as I can, and reading certain things is devastating. I find it terrifying that there is that negativity, rage and anger out there. It all comes from insecurity, but that is no excuse. So once I’ve taken care of the dogs and enjoyed my coffee I try to make time to meditate (about 20 minutes) and journal instead of scrolling through Instagram. I have the InsightTimer application installed on my mobile. I don’t use a guide, although sometimes I do one of their courses, because they have beautiful ones. It has been very useful to me during the pandemic. They had one on how to reduce anxiety and another on how to create gratitude. After those 20 minutes of meditation I take out my journal. Some days it’s just a download of consciousness for about 10 minutes; other times I write thanks.”
4. Savor the chaos
“It is important to follow an order to get closer to the lifestyle you want. But I am not talking about closets, but rather the chaos of family life. Life can be hard and sometimes it seems like you don’t have a single free minute, but my husband He always sees the funny or happy side of every situation. And maybe something has rubbed off on me. If your baby keeps you up all night and when he finally falls asleep he wakes up right away because he pooped, normally I would be upset. My husband finds those things hilarious. It is important to know how to turn a situation around and appreciate its lightness. My house can be a mess after a full day with the kids, but that’s fun too, right? I’m Marie Kondo and my house is messy! How can I not laugh?”
5. Singletask, not multitask
“When I was a monk I learned the concept of single-tasking. We are more productive, more creative and more effective if we do things one at a time.. Multitasking is a myth. Studies show that only 2% of the world’s population is capable of multitasking. The problem is that when people hear that they think they belong to that 2%. But most of us are, obviously, in the 98%. We think that by doing many things at the same time we increase our productivity, effectiveness and efficiency, when in reality they most likely decrease. Monotasking does not mean that you do not have many things going on, it just means that the moment you are doing something you dedicate yourself fully to it.. I make videos, I have a podcast, I write books, I’m doing this interview… We all have a lot of things in our lives. But when you have chosen one of them you must immerse yourself in it until you finish it. Monotasking doesn’t stop you from doing a lot of exciting projects or filling your schedule. The only thing it asks of you is that you be more aware of where you are at all times. When you do it this way, you retain more, you build deeper personal relationships, and you are overcome with a sense of calm and determination that we don’t feel when we run from one place to another. Tea is another great way to create moments of mindfulness. I hold it in my hands and feel the heat, breathe the smell, look at the color. “I finally taste it and notice every nuance of the flavor as it touches my tongue.”