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As a small business owner, I've heard 'be a boss babe' more times than I can count. Growing up as Miss Independent, and building a small business in my early twenties, I've decided to change my approach to life in 2024. Embracing a softer lifestyle, and learning that I don't have to do it all.
Being A Boss Babe
Now I will never put down the Boss Babe lifestyle. Being incredibly ambitious with a strong work ethic and a slight obsession over my career is how I got to where I am today. Never would I have imagined during my college days that working full time and going to school full time would someday inspire a change in my lifestyle. When the pandemic hit I started a business out of desperation for control, refusing to depend on anyone else for a paycheck.
What is a 'Boss Babe'?
A woman who is confident, successful, and in charge of her own life.
Am I going to give that up in order to pursue a softer lifestyle? No. I don't have to. I just need to go about it in a softer way.
Living A High Stress Lifestyle & Its Effects
A lot of women correlate a 'Boss Babe' lifestyle with hustling, constantly working, pushing oneself to the breaking point at times. While someone can achieve their goals a lot faster doing this, it can also raise the cortisol levels in one's body.
Cortisol, or the 'Stress hormone', is helpful to a woman's body in short bursts. However, when pushed into long term cortisol levels or 'survival mode' it can be detrimental to a woman's health.
This is where I started to pay attention to my lifestyle choices. I noticed in myself that my anxiety had gone up despite pushing myself and achieving things I never thought I could. While most of this had to do with where I lived, my lifestyle choices were not helping.
My next question was how do I fix it? Influencers will try to overcomplicate it, and most likely try to sell you a product in the process. However, a few simple changes can massively reduce your cortisol levels without spending any unnecessary money.
"However, a few simple changes can massively reduce your cortisol levels without spending any unnecessary money."
Most medical journals will say that by making a few simple changes you can drastically change the stress levels in your life and in turn, give your health the boost it needs. Some of these include:
Exercising 3-5 times per week
Eating a more balanced diet (Less processed foods really help this!)
Stress Reduction Methods (This can include things as simple as yoga or reading a book, indulging in self care or developing a relaxing hobby.)
What Is A 'Soft Life'?
One search on Pinterest will probably explain the vibes behind 'soft' living. There's a few variations of the definition as well. This is how I choose to see it.
"A life of intentional happiness, comfort, and peace. It doesn't require stress or hardships. It consists of mutual relationships, self care, and understanding that one cannot conquer the world on their own."
No where in this lifestyle does it say to give up ambition, success, or confidence. However, I believe there's a way of having those things in a more sustainable way. There's no reason to have success if you can't be at peace as well.
Taking Steps In A Sustainable Way
I've been slowly transitioning my lifestyle from a hustler's mindset towards that soft life goal I had. In the past two years I've moved across the country, developed my business in a way that is a lot more sustainable, and have created a solid foundation for my life.
Now, you may not need to make any big changes like I did (moving across the country was the scariest thing I ever did). You can start really simply. Ask yourself, where in your life can you be more intentional? Where can you choose happiness? Here is a list of small changes I'm making in 2024:
Go on walks 3x a week (I usually walk to a local coffee shop with my mom as a reward, being out in the sunshine and getting my cardio in while being in nature is always calming)
Enjoying foods that actually nourish me (I love eating foods from different cultures, cooking at home, and exploring new flavors that nourish my body)
Setting more achievable goals or "stepping stone goals" in my personal life and for work
Building a proper self-care routine, skincare mainly
Redoing my closet so it reflects my mid-twenties mindset (getting rid of things that don't fit my style anymore and simplifying my wardrobe a lot in general)
Make more of an effort to build strong relationships in my life (This could mean making a new friend or joining a church community. Whatever works best)
Being Intentional In A Crazy World
I think we can all agree that the world has been crazy for a few years and doesn't seem to be calming down anytime soon. I have a nasty habit of doomsday scrolling, which can lead to me freaking out over things I have no control of.
Sometimes the best thing we can do is choosing to be happy regardless of the circumstances.
Now this doesn't mean disregard all the bad and stressful things happening in your life. It's hard to look away from those things anyway, especially when concerns include money, jobs, life goals, etc. At twenty-four I feel like I'm constantly thinking about those things. However, choosing to focus on the good things has led me down a path of peace that is hard to describe sometimes.
Whether it's buying yourself some flowers just so there's something nice to look at in your home, learning to enjoy the complexity of coffee/tea, or spending time with family and friends in a more intentional way. There's a lot of ways to be more intentional and therefore happier. Here's a list of options:
Develop a hobby that makes you happy: reading, writing, painting, crocheting, knitting, gardening, cooking, baking, etc.
Develop a habit that makes you healthy: walking, hiking, swimming, cycling, weight lifting, running, etc.
Plan a date every month: with yourself, with a friend, with family (if that's isn't stressful), and with a romantic partner (if you have one)
Create a monthly budget: especially if money is stressing you out, creating a budget can relieve a lot of stress.
Build a routine: This can be a morning routine, a night routine, a skincare routine, etc. Anything that grounds your day and helps you build a schedule/routine in your life.
Get Outside! Vitamin D is known to relieve symptoms of depression (i.e-seasonal depression) getting outside in the sun thirty minutes a day can really help relieve stress.
Drink Water: Yeah I know, we all roll our eyes whenever we see this. I'm drinking coffee as I'm writing this, but drinking water can work to make your body feel healthier and in turn make you feel better. It really is the little things.
Eat healthier: This can be a bit tough, especially in this economy. But going to a farmer's market and getting one or two ingredients to add to your weekly menu is a great first step, and your money is going directly to the farms that way!
Sleep: I know when I get stressed out this is the first thing that gets messed up. Lack of sleep raises cortisol levels, and in turn stresses you out more. Getting an appropriate amount of sleep can go a long way in being more intentional and therefore healthier and happier.
How will you be more intentional in your life? Will you follow the softer living mindset? The boss babe? Or a mix of both? It is never too late to add in some healthier habits into your daily life. Whether you are a small business owner like me, a stay at home mom, or working that corporate lifestyle. I hope something in this blog was helpful for you! Best of luck with living a more intentional life this year, until next time!
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