Like anyone, Elle Macpherson can find herself in the grip of anxiety, overload and a racing mind. She explains how she brings herself back to balance
Like anyone, I can feel out of my comfort zone…
When the boys were little and they needed my attention 24 hours a day, it was a hard juggle. I was learning to be a new mum, adjusting to the world of broken sleep and the resulting all-day tiredness, while trying to maintain my professional life. I used to stay up until 2am working and then be up again at 6am the next day - I thought I was being super-efficient. However, what I was doing was burning out my adrenals and forgetting about how important self-care is. What I have learned is that in order to be the best mum, wife, boss or whatever it is I am doing, I need to look after myself first. It’s all about finding the right balance. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, eating well, exercising daily and meditating, are even more important when I’m busy, maintaining all those things better equips me to deal with situations where I am out of my comfort zone.
I know I'm stressed when...
I have trouble drifting off to sleep. It’s part of the reason we developed our Sleep Welle Fortified Calming Tea . It’s made with an effective blend of herbs that can assist with anxiety, sleep and stress. It contains Valerian root – sometimes called ‘nature’s Valium’, a natural remedy for insomnia.
I always have a notepad and pen next to my bed, I find it really helpful to jot down what I am thinking about, to get it out of my head and then hopefully I can drift off to sleep. I find I am in that situation less these days as I have included a few things in my bedtime routine to help me wind down. One of them is brewing a cup of our Sleep Welle tea before bed. Even the art of making tea has a calming effect. I also do a yoga pose which is meant to help induce sleep. It involves lying on the bed with my legs up the wall (in the privacy of my bedroom of course!). Plus I am strict with no screens at least half an hour before bed. Luckily I have never had chronic insomnia. I have had periods of finding it difficult to fall asleep thanks to a racing mind, but with these techniques, I am now usually able to drift off relatively easily.
MORE GLOSS: Elle Macpherson's travel and jet lag tips
I have learned over time to be the glass half full person….
One of my mantras is "don’t sweat the small stuff", and I know it’s easy to say, but when you have your priorities straight, for me family always comes first and everything else falls around that, it’s easier to live by the mantra. To help me stick to this, I simplify and declutter my life as much as possible. I focus on the essentials, quality over quantity. I have tried to be strict like any parent with social media, but it’s hard! My eldest had a secret Facebook account for a year before I found out! If we are at home together in the evening we have a no screens rule from dinner onwards, we try and make it about spending time together.
If I’m feeling down or stuck…
Going for a run along the beach is guaranteed to lift my spirits. It allows some brain space to gain perspective and getting those endorphins pumping is always a good thing.
If someone has said something upsetting…
It affected me when I was younger. Now I try to let it go. As I’ve said, I try not to sweat the small stuff. If I am leading a balanced life, eating properly, exercising (trying to find 45 mins a day) and sleeping well (seven hours a night), it makes it easier to let it go.
I’m both an introvert and an extrovert...
They call it being an ambivert. Sometimes I feel like being the life of the party, and other times all I crave is solitude and the quiet simplicity of home. As for therapy… I’ve always gravitated towards natural and holistic therapies as part of my overall approach to health and wellbeing. I have regular acupuncture and massages, I’ve tried kinesiology, reflexology and reiki. When I was in Australia recently, I had a wonderful session with an acupuncturist where I had acupuncture whilst doing a led meditation. It was amazing.
When I need wise counsel…
It depends what I need advice on, but I am so lucky to be surrounded by some amazing women in my WelleCo co-founders. It’s an honour and a privilege to work with Andrea Horwood-Bux , she is a deep and dynamic woman who as an inspired creative and innovative business partner has become a wonderful friend to me in the process. In addition, Dr Simone Laubscher has been my nutritional doctor and wellness mentor for years. What’s amazing about her is she is able to apply her extensive scientific knowledge and research to everyday life in a holistic and real way, she is all about balance, which is so refreshing.
It’s important to remember to play – and laugh...
When I think about what I loved as a kid: riding bikes, water sports, skiing, swimming, exploring in the bush, really anything that involved being outdoors, it’s those same activities I gravitate toward now as an adult. I love doing sport outside, moving my body in a way that’s fun. For my boys, I have always been a supporter of team sports, it keeps them active, and gives them responsibility, to themselves and a team. And I love to laugh! Anything when I am at home, feeling relaxed and surrounded by friends and family. It’s the simple things!
Love, Elle
Find out more about Welleco at www.welleco.co.uk
For all of Elle Macpherson's monthly columns for GTG click here.