I’ll never forget the day I pulled the doctor into the hallway, desperate for answers. My mother had been in the hospital for weeks, and I needed to know the truth. "What is she actually dying from?" I asked. His response hit me like a freight train.
“Basically, poor self-care.”
That was it. My mother was 78 years old, but it wasn’t some complex disease or rare condition that was taking her life. It was years—decades—of neglecting herself. In that moment, something clicked for me. Self-care isn’t just a buzzword or a luxury. It’s literally life or death.
For eight long weeks, I watched my mother fade, each day forcing me to rethink what it means to really take care of yourself. It was more than just sad—it was a wake-up call. I had always thought of self-care as something that could wait. Something you did when everything else was handled. But watching her struggle made me reflect deeply on my family, on our history, and on the very different paths two women I loved had taken.
My grandmother Irene lived to be 103. She didn’t die of disease; she simply laid down one night and passed away peacefully. She had lived a vibrant life, jogging every morning for 30 minutes well into her senior years. She carried no grudges, held no internal conflicts. Looking at her, it was clear that self-care wasn’t just about physical activity—it was about peace of mind, too.
Her life taught me that self-care is far more than a bubble bath or a weekend off work. It’s about the choices we make every single day to protect our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. It’s about the inner work we do to align our minds with our bodies.
Strategies for Real Self-Care You Can Start Today
The lesson I learned from my mother’s passing, and my grandmother’s long, healthy life, is that self-care is not a one-time thing. It’s a habit. A commitment to ourselves. So how can you start making it a priority?
1. Move with Purpose
My grandmother jogged every day for 30 minutes, and I’ve made sure to build movement into my routine too. It doesn’t have to be a marathon. Start with something simple. A 20-minute walk, a workout that gets your heart rate up, or even stretching before bed. The key is consistency. Physical movement not only boosts your body, but also your mood, creativity, and motivation—things you need to succeed in your work and life.
2. Let Go of What Drains You
One of the reasons my grandmother lived so peacefully was her ability to avoid carrying emotional baggage. She didn’t hold onto grudges, and she didn’t let conflict weigh her down. Emotional health is just as critical as physical health. Start by identifying what’s causing you stress. Are there unresolved issues you’re clinging to? Conflicts that are eating away at your mental energy? Letting go of these can free you in ways you never imagined.
3. Schedule Time for Yourself
It sounds simple, but one of the most powerful things I do is put myself on my calendar. And I stick to it. Just like you’d never cancel an important meeting with a client, you shouldn’t cancel on yourself. Whether it’s time for reflection, a workout, or even just sitting in stillness, make that appointment. When you invest in yourself, you’ll see that return in every area of your life—your relationships, your work, your happiness.
4. Reflect and Recalibrate
Finally, self-care is about inner alignment. How often do you check in with yourself? Are you chasing goals that don’t feel right for you? Are you living a life that feels true to who you are? Regular reflection allows you to adjust course when needed and stay connected to what really matters.
At the end of the day, every decision you make for your business, your family, and your life comes through one filter: you. If you’re not taking care of your mind and body, everything else suffers. Watching my mother in those final weeks was heartbreaking, but it was also a reminder that self-care can’t wait. My grandmother lived to 103 because she understood this. And now, I live by the same principle—self-care is not an indulgence. It’s a necessity.
If you’re struggling to prioritize yourself, or if stress and exhaustion are pulling you in a million directions, you don’t have to figure it out alone. I can help you get back to a place of balance, growth, and real self-care. Let's work together to ensure you're not just surviving, but thriving.
