Over the last few weeks I’ve introduced you to some of my blogging friends and their thoughts on ‘What brings purpose and meaning’ to their lives. This week in the final guest series for #MakingMarchMeaningful is Peta Gillian from Strong Healthy Women.
I’ve only known Peta for a short time but she has had a huge impact on my life. Today she is writing about why we should think about ourselves more. You can connect with Peta through the links at the end of her post.
Choose YOU!!!
This month is mindfulness and I’m sure you’ll get loads of great tips on “how to” and the “benefits” during the month and I could share my view and tips as well. But… I wanted to have you think a little on choosing YOU.
I’ve been humbled over the years by women telling me their stories. Stories of health, illness, joy, sadness, and every emotion in between. The common thread is wanting to be healthy but uncovering the need for a place to be… a place to belong… somewhere that is just about them, even if for a short time.
That is why community (our tribe, sisterhood) whether on-line or in-person is an essential part of our life. Our soul needs to connect with others to feel complete.
Each morning when you wake up, do you choose YOU?
Instead of jumping out of bed, take a moment for you. It doesn’t take a lot of time.
Close your eyes, take a deep breathe and think of what you are grateful for. Then exhale out. Do these 3 times. I call these Thankful Breaths. It allows you a few precious moments to choose you before the day starts.
I remember years ago, inviting a life coach to speak at an event and we were to prioritise our list. In a room of 100 women, 2 women chose themselves first.
One of the women responded, “my family think I’m self-centred when I want to do something for myself”. “Isn’t this selfish”? Heck NO!
As women, we naturally want to support and care for others in our circle. This is one of the qualities I love about us. This quality can also stop us from caring about ourselves. Like most things in life there are 2 ways to view it.
Here’s how I like to view “Choosing You”.
- You know yourself better than anybody else.
- You understand when your body and mind is tired.
- Deep down you know when enough is enough.
Think about being your own best friend and when you keep pushing yourself to do more and more… Stop!!! Take a deep breathe… exhale out… and give yourself permission to choose you.
You’d say to your best friend, “come on, lets have a coffee and time out, you deserve it”. And you do! Try being your own best friend this week.
Being mindful is making the choose to be here, right now in this very moment. When you chose this very moment, you chose SELF-CARE and the things that are important to your life right now. But not just now… these choices, impact your tomorrows.
Self-Care can look different for each one of us:
- Colouring
- Reading
- Bubble Baths
- Massage
- Facial
- Manicure or Pedicure or Both
- Hiking
- Swimming
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Dancing
- The list goes on…
From the words of Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality “people love people, who care about themselves”.
Choose YOU!!!

Peta Gillian is a qualified fitness and lifestyle professional with 14 years’ experience working with women. Featured in Prevention Magazine, a regular on the Fit N Fifty Plus Podcast Show and a Finalist in the Australian Fitness Industry Awards, Peta is passionate about helping women 50+ to remain fit, healthy and mobile throughout their lives.
Peta is the creator of FITFlex (a fitness and flexibility program for women 50+), FastFIT and Fuelled Up and launched Ageless Confidence in 2018 from her desire to give back to the community and help women no matter what stage of life to “believe they can, and they do”.
She started her own well-being journey after watching the effects of preventable disease on the women in her family. She faced a health issue of her own in her 40’s. And then menopause hit her like a tonne of bricks, which started the process of research and finding her way through strategies that completely transformed her health and has since taught these same strategies to thousands of other women.
Peta loves skiing, hiking, travelling, staying active and loves reading to learn and grow.
Connect with Peta
Strong Healthy Women (Facebook Business Page)
Where Age, Health & Life Inspire (FREE FACEBOOK Group)
Website (currently be redesigned)
19 Comments
Hi, Peta – It’s lovely to meet you here again. Your words are very inspiring. They are also a perfect wrap-up to #MakingMarchMeaningful. Choosing to be here, right now has such a powerful impact, not only on this very moment but on our future lives as well. I cringe at the incredible amount of time I previously spent focusing on tomorrow instead of today. The good news is, it is never too late to change that!
Hi Donna, I’m always motivated and inspired when I listen to Peta’s wise words. xx
Great, motivating post Peta. Being present in the moment is something I am trying to do…I finds it slows me down and calms my anxiety as well.
And thanks, Sue, for a great series with such interesting women!
My pleasure, Nancy. There are so many interesting Women Over 50 who are living life to the full. It is so inspiring and motivating. xx
Wonderful way to conclude this series, Sue! Peta has wise words for us to ponder, and although we may have different ways and methods of self care, as she says, we all need to make sure that we are taking that time just for us.
Thanks Candi, I always enjoy my guest series. Women Over 50 have so much knowledge and wisdom and I’m continually learning even at 61. Have a great week. xx
Thanks Peta – and I have to agree that looking after ourselves/self care is not selfish and in fact a very necessary thing! This is something I learnt the hard way. I love the idea of ‘thankful breaths’ in the morning before leaping out of bed. I might try incorporating this into my routine. Thank you and thanks Sue for a lovely final post for your ‘What Brings Purpose & Meaning’ series. #TeamLovinLife
A really interesting and thought-provoking post, Peta. This is a message that continues to resonate with every generation of women. Deep down we know that we should take care of ourselves first. Then guilt, time factors, obligations muddle this very important point. You are right, Peta, that this is when “our tribe, sisterhood” reminds us of our priorities. I recall hearing a quote (anon?) “self care is the new health care.” Thank you for your wisdom Sue and the knowledge from your guests. Every post has gems that I can incorporate and that resonate with me. Bloggers I really admire brought your Sizzlin site into my radar. I am glad that they did.
Hi Erica, thank you for your kind words and I’m glad that you found my Sizzling site as well. I love to have guests and hear their thoughts because I don’t have all the answers and we can learn from each other. I love the quote ‘Self Care is the New Health Care’ just perfect! xx
Thanks for the motivation and food for thought, Peta!
SSG xxx
Hi Peta, I love this post and learning to choose me is something I am finally starting to do! I have all my life put myself last and now in my sixth decade I am taking on board the advice by a dear friend and mentor that I must value myself.
Christine x
Hi Chris, yes you are starting to do it and I’m so proud of you. Hope you are feeling better xx
It’s interesting that it takes us so long to work it out. But once you do, life becomes so much more enjoyable. And easier. Strange. How to pass it on to our daughters and sons tho?
I know Lydia it is hard to put our needs first but we are certainly happier which then flows on to the family and friends. We pass it on by living it an showing them how it is done. Have a great weekend. xx
I can relate to this…. and I love the concept of creating a life that you don’t need an escape from or the notion of building self-care into your everyday, so it’s not a ‘treat’ but a way of life!
Another fabulous post by an inspiring woman! Thanks so much Sue, for introducing us to Peta and thanks to Peta for sharing this great information about meeting our own needs.
I’m really enjoying Peta’s Online Group Deb.
I’ve been thinking a lot about self-care this past month, so this post was very timely. I like the idea of “choosing you” and the fact that self-care can look different to each person.
Hi Pat you might enjoy Janet Cobb’s theme for the AtoZ Challenge which is all about self-care. I’m looking forward to reading her posts. x