As I step into my forties, self-care is no longer just a buzzword—it’s a full-fledged commitment. For the first 25 years of my life, I was deeply in tune with my body as a performer. The next 15? A rollercoaster of stress-related illness, trial and error, and eventual resilience. Now, with a solid foundation, I’m setting new goals for the next chapter—one filled with balance, renewal, and mindful self-care.
To kick off this year’s self-care journey, I want to start with a concept that’s been a game-changer for me: the Wellness Wheel.

What is the Wellness Wheel?
The Wellness Wheel is a framework that highlights different dimensions of well-being, each playing a vital role in overall health:
Physical (movement, nutrition, rest) (Source: National Wellness Institute)
Emotional (self-awareness, coping, regulation) (Source: American Psychological Association)
Social (relationships, belonging) (Source: Harvard Study of Adult Development)
Intellectual (curiosity, creativity) (Source: Journal of Positive Psychology)
Spiritual (purpose, mindfulness) (Source: Mayo Clinic)
Occupational (work-life balance, fulfillment) (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Financial (stability, planning) (Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau)
Environmental (living space, surroundings) (Source: Environmental Protection Agency)
Each dimension impacts the others, and when one is out of sync, it can throw everything off. The last time I was in peak health was during the pandemic—go figure. That was a time of inward focus, and I’m using this five-year mark as a reset. The healthier I am, the more I can contribute to others.
Turning Inward in Times of Turmoil
Life’s unpredictable, but rather than letting external chaos dictate my well-being, I’ve learned to turn inward—not to escape, but to realign. Assessing where I feel unbalanced and focusing on what I can control has been a game-changer.
This is a skill I’ve developed over time (read: I was NOT always good at this). But now, I prioritize self-care that genuinely fuels me. This January, I focused on three core practices: cooking, walking, and reading—each aligning with different aspects of the Wellness Wheel.
January Self-Care Highlights
1. Cooking: Nourishing My Body & Mind
Cooking has gone from a “must-do” to a mindful ritual. It’s become a space where I slow down, engage my senses, and experiment creatively. It turns out that cooking at home is linked to better mental health and lower stress levels (Source: Cambridge University Press). And a bonus: I get to eat delicious food.
2. Walking: Moving Forward, Step by Step
Walking is my moving meditation. It clears my head, reduces stress, and keeps my body happy. Winter sometimes complicates things, but I make it work—whether it’s bundling up for a brisk walk outside or hitting 30 minutes on the treadmill. Research shows walking boosts mood, enhances creativity, and supports cardiovascular health and aim for 30 minutes a day (Source: Harvard Medical School).
3. Reading: Expanding My Mind & Finding Escape
This year, I committed to reading a book for pleasure each week. Since I’m still in grad school, I’ve chosen lighter reads to balance things out (a shift from my past intense reading habits). Studies even suggest regular reading can improve cognitive function and increase lifespan (Source: Yale University). A longer life and an escape from reality? Sign me up. This also keeps me from spending time online. While I have reduced my social media scrolling immensely over the last few years, I still like to read news online. Having a book to go to first cuts down that time, especially when thinking about how what we feed our mind is just as important as our body. I try to read for pleasure 30 minutes a day.
Embracing Self-Care as a Lifestyle
Between these three habits, I am spending at least 90 minutes a day just on me and that is a win! Self-care isn’t a luxury; it’s survival. When I was battling cortisol dysfunction, I dubbed myself the “self-care queen” because, frankly, if I didn’t prioritize my well-being, things got messy—fast.
Since stepping off the work-travel hamster wheel in late 2024, I’ve been putting into practice the self-care strategies I’d been planning for months and I do recognize for myself and others that we need to take smaller steps towards a larger goal - easier said than done in my experience.
Here’s the real takeaway: self-care isn’t always active. Sometimes it means doing less, resting more, and just letting yourself be. That’s the balance I’m aiming for.
As February approaches, I’m excited to keep refining my self-care routine and exploring new ways to maintain harmony across the Wellness Wheel. What parts of the wheel resonate with you, and what’s one small change you can make this month?
If you can't tell, I am a big fan of bowls! These are some of the meals I made in January 2025.
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