How to practice daily self-care

With your stress levels at their peak, the pace of daily life accelerates, fueled by technology. Emails and notifications flood your to-do list. How can you restore some harmony to the daily chaos? Our answer: practice self-care. Far from being a selfish act, putting yourself back at the center of your priorities is essential to harnessing your power. Want to see how?

What is self-care?

A definition that has evolved

Difficult to translate into French, the term self-care originally means “self-health”. It comes to us from Black American activists who presented the care of themselves and their community as an act of resistance .

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), self-care " refers to what individuals can do for themselves to establish and maintain good health, and to prevent and manage illness ."

Today, self-care encompasses the pursuit of health, serenity, and well-being . Taking care of yourself is key to reducing your stress levels, improving your fitness, and, above all, bringing joy back into your daily life. 

Self-care: a practice accessible to all

Self-care practices are as unique as each person's life experiences. They are not limited to a bath bomb, the latest trendy face mask, or the purchase of exclusive products.

Regardless of where you live, your budget or your desires, you can put more self-care into your daily life.

For one person, self-care might take the form of a relaxing activity like painting, a spa day, a meal with loved ones, or lighting a candle. For another, taking care of oneself is a simple act like taking a nap, showering, or making an appointment with their therapist.

To help you enjoy the present moment more, we've put together three examples of self-care activities. Feel free to pick several, try them out, and keep the ones that resonate with you. You can also create your own self-care routines . We'd love that too!

The important thing is that you feel good , in love with yourself and full of good vibes. 

3 simple tips for taking care of yourself every day

1. Practice gratitude

Seeing the glass half full has very positive effects on your mood. The good news is: gratitude is like a muscle. The more you focus on seeing the opportunities, encounters, joys, and lessons the day has brought you, the more you can approach life with satisfaction.

In 2011, researcher Robert Emmons demonstrated the benefits of recognition on the brain. His study concluded that the group that noted down daily events for which they felt gratitude became more enthusiastic and took better care of them.

He also observed a decrease in stress levels , improved sleep quality, greater determination, and a drop in the risk of depression.

The bonus: when we observe what happens to us during the day, we quickly realize our power to act. And yes, we are capable of transforming obstacles into opportunities for success!

Puissante challenges you to keep a gratitude journal for the next 30 days. In a notebook or your favorite notes app, write down 3 cool things that have happened to you.

We promise you that this daily appointment with yourself will be a big step towards greater fulfillment. 

2. Knowing how to say no

How can such a short word be so complicated to formulate? Years of conditioning, perhaps? As women, we have traditionally learned to put the happiness of others before our own. Yes, for centuries, our sole role was to perpetuate a lineage, not to have strong self-esteem.

Now that we are able to create a life in our own image , we still find it difficult to refuse a night out with friends, a last-minute mission, or to share our personal data.

Learning to say no to our loved ones is a true exercise in self-care. By setting our boundaries, we prioritize our well-being while showing others that it is acceptable to refuse.

Saying no is also proving to yourself that you love and accept yourself even if you don't fit the archetype of the nice little girl.

To regain control over your "no ," start small. Refuse a flyer on the street or a gift card in a shop. Little by little, you'll regain confidence in your voice. You'll be able to say no to a party and maybe even a family meal.

For example, your team has organized a team-building workshop on a weekend when you'd like to take a break. Politely decline the invitation, explaining that you won't be able to attend. This demonstrates transparency without over-explaining or making yourself feel guilty. 

3. Managing your money

Self-care and well-being go beyond mental, emotional, or physical health. Good financial management is just as important for staying in control of your money and achieving your savings, repayment, or investment goals.

Financial management also allows you to remain calm in the face of potential unpleasant surprises, such as a missed deadline or an unexpected expense. Developing positive financial habits is a powerful way to improve your relationship with money.  

The good news is that you can have a positive impact on your financial health in as little as 30 minutes a week.

10 minutes on your bank account

+ 10 minutes to check upcoming payment deadlines

+ 10 minutes to check where you are with your financial goals.

To make things easier, create a simple table with the dates, incoming and outgoing money. Excel, Notion, or a dedicated budgeting app—it's up to you!

As you've probably gathered, self-care is as important as it is personal. We encourage you to dedicate at least ten minutes a day to taking care of yourself to feel better in your own skin and in your daily life. Need more inspiration? Discover all our tips for developing your intuition !