5 Daily Practices to Find Wellness in Your Life from The Seven Circles
You are an entrepreneur, which means you are special, but it doesn’t mean you’re superhuman. Without health and well-being, you can’t excel at your work or enjoy life. Wellness, and we’re talking about real wellness—not having the perfect body and taking Instagramable baths—is something we should all strive for.
To gain a new perspective on wellness, and to celebrate Native American Heritage Month, I read The Seven Circles by Chelsey Luger and Thosh Collins. Much of their discussion of wellness will seem familiar to you. But the authors’ understanding of why these practices are important is driven by their Native American heritage and beliefs.
Luger and Collins draw on centuries of wisdom passed on by their elders and focus on accessibility and inclusivity in all their wellness practices. There are no calls for perfection or extraordinary spending. Just small steps to be a better and healthier you.
5 Daily Practices to Find Wellness in Your Life
1. Make movement a regular practice
The word exercise can be intimidating or daunting for many people. It conjures ideas of perfect bodies at the gym, or people pushing over giant tires doing Cross Fit. But movement does not need to be competitive and certainly shouldn’t be focused on beauty and perfection.
Much like our ancestors, we need to make movement a regular part of our day. While few of us are hunting and foraging for food, we can still create space for movement in our daily practice. Whether that means playing with your dog at the park, welcoming the morning sun with yoga, or taking calls as you walk around the block, find ways to incorporate movement throughout your day.
Movement will boost your mood and energy, especially if you do it outdoors. Lugar and Collins call this the “Earth Gym.” Admittedly, leaving the house or your office may require a little extra time, but the energy and positivity you gain from that movement combined with fresh air and nature will more than make up for any lost time.
2. Make your spaces sacred
No matter the size of your home or office, make it a priority to create a peaceful space that brings you joy—what the authors call a sacred place. Visual clutter and disarray create stress. Minimalism, cleanliness, and order encourage calm and serenity which help you focus.
Caring for your home and office also engenders a sense of pride in your space and helps create gratitude for what you have – no matter the size. You don’t need to have the biggest house on the block or have the finest décor. Creating sacred spaces is not a competition. You just need a space that reflects you and gives you a sense of peace.
Make picking up a daily practice. Be thoughtful about what you add to your space and be willing to remove things if clutter has taken over. And when you feel overwhelmed, take time to appreciate the peace and beauty you have created in your sacred space.
3. Nurture your body and mind with food
As an overworked entrepreneur it so easy to treat food and meals as something to get done. Ordering takeout, eating packaged meals, or snacking your way through the day can seem good enough. Unfortunately, this type of food can drain your energy and come with short and long-term health risks.
You need to make cooking a priority. Whether you are cooking meals regularly, or prepping large batches of food for the week, find ways to incorporate wholesome foods into your diet. And make time to visit farmer’s markets or other venues where the vendors are close to the food’s origins. Learn about what’s in season and grown locally to experience the vibrant flavors that come with fresh food.
And if you’re feeling particularly inspired, consider growing some of your own food. Growing your own food is an act of nurturing and care. It also encourages you to be outside and connect with the land. Plus, nothing tastes better than a simple tomato and cucumber salad from your garden, or a salsa you blend up from your own fresh veggies and herbs.
And a final essential step, start each meal with a sense of gratitude for your food, the land where it grew, and the people who harvested and prepared it. Meals are the perfect opportunity to start your practice of gratitude.
4. Sleep is not negotiable
Do you know this myth? Entrepreneurs should wake up at 5 AM to get to work and then work long hours into the night. If you are committed to your business, you should forgo sleep. Sleep is a sign of weakness.
This of course is all nonsense. No one can function at their peak if they aren’t sleeping. Exhaustion leads to poor decision making, frequent mistakes, uncontrolled temper, and even illness. Sleep creates focus, efficiency, and resilience. It is the glue that holds your wellness together.
Unfortunately, for many of us, even if we aren’t working long hours, a good night’s sleep can be hard to come by. Lingering stress and an attachment to devices keep our brains turned on well into the night. Luger and Collins recommend creating a night time ritual that will help your body recognize that sleep is coming.
This means turning off your screens at least an hour before bed and keeping them out of your bedroom. Then find something that brings you calm like a light tidying of the house, reading a book, or taking a warm shower. And do these activities with a sense of gratitude, recognizing their value in your overall well-being. Commit to doing this ritual every night, and your brain will start to recognize it as signal that sleep is coming. Then, once you get your body into bed, your brain will be ready for sleep.
5. Find purpose in your community
Whether your community is family, neighbors, a slow pitch softball team, friends from childhood, or a group of supportive entrepreneurs, make the people in your life a part of your daily focus. Community brings us joy and fun, but it also gives us purpose and meaning.
Having a sense of responsibility for others “fosters self-worth, belonging, leadership, empathy, confidence, and compassion.” These are assets you need to be a successful entrepreneur and a fulfilled human being.
Your community does not need to be large, and it does not need to include everyone you meet. In fact, it is best to create a “sacred circle” of the most essential and supportive people in your life and build real, meaningful relationships. Buoy the people in your sacred circle when they are in need, and they will do the same for you when you face hardships. This love and support will keep you going no matter the challenges you face.
Small Business Book Review: The Seven Circles
I have been feeling pretty overwhelmed with work, so The Seven Circles came to me at the right time. It was a great reminder of the little things I need to do each day to rejuvenate myself and create more happiness and energy. And I appreciated the complete lack of judgement, competition, or perfectionism that they brought to the discussion of wellness. The book was also full of education about diverse Native American practices and the painful history their community has had to overcome.
I wouldn’t call this book a ‘must read’ for small business owners, but it’s a valuable gift for anyone looking to reconnect with themselves, their community, and the earth on which we live. I give this book a 4 out 5 stars for small business owners.
