Why Self-Care Isn’t Optional For Business Owners

Why Self-Care Isn’t Optional For Business Owners | Guest blog

The Big Picture

Let’s be honest… we live in a reactive rather than proactive society when it comes to health and wellness. We tend to wait for problems to appear before we pay attention. 

Self-care should be a priority and not an afterthought and it starts with self-awareness and willingness to change your habits.

My wake up call

Here’s how I stumbled upon Bikram yoga which has helped me improve multiple aspects of my life, not just my health. 

I was in the midst of my PhD studies when I started getting panics attacks. It was scary. I didn’t know what to do. Taking a break wasn’t an option. I figured this was a sign I needed to change something but didn’t know what. I was still going to the gym and swimming so I thought I was taking care of my body and my mind. But I guess not.

My mom recommended that I tried yoga. And I did. Regular hatha yoga. It was not my thing. So I had to keep searching. 

How I found Bikram yoga 

One of the women I worked with shared she had just found hot yoga and loved it. I didn’t know what hot yoga was but decided to look for studios around me because I had to make a change in my exercise routine. I defended my dissertation proposal and the following day went to my first Bikram yoga class.

The Bikram yoga transformation 

Bikram yoga is hatha yoga done in a 105F degree room with 40% humidity. It has numerous health benefits such as…are you ready?

• Improved flexibility

• Enhanced strength and balance

• Increased cardiovascular conditioning

• Detoxification through sweating

• Better posture and alignment

• Weight management

• Increased joint mobility and bone density

• Stress reduction and mental clarity

• Enhanced focus and discipline

• Improved mood and nervous system regulation

• Better sleep 

• Improved immune system and digestion

• Enhanced mind-body connection

I first did the intro week and ended up going 7 consecutive days. Didn’t love my first class, didn’t love the second one either but I figured I had to get my money’s worth as a poor PhD student. By the 5th class, I was starting to get hooked. I learned to listen to the teachers and move my body accordingly. I was also feeling the detox effects, mostly nausea, which at the time I thought was due to practicing in the heat. At the end of the first week, I signed up for an unlimited month and didn’t miss a day. The panic attacks disappeared and I just started feeling good and looking better. They say Bikram yoga gives you exactly what you need and this has definitely been true for me. In addition, prior to starting Bikram yoga I was diagnosed with a hyperactive parathyroid and osteopenia. My parathyroid went back to normal and my bone density increased. I have heard stories of people reducing their cholesterol, regulating high blood pressure, healing severe neck pain, and even bending metal rods in their spine thanks to a consistent Bikram yoga practice.

My lifestyle transformation 

I have been practicing yoga for 14 years and yoga is my sanctuary. I practiced Bikram yoga through 3 pregnancies until the very end. It was the only physical activity that made me feel like myself (IYKYK). It also helped me heal aches and pains during and after pregnancy such as bad sciatica and upper spine pain from carrying a baby in a carrier. Now, three kids later, Bikram yoga is the place where I go not only to move my body but also to free my mind of all the responsibilities I have as a mom, a business owner, and a Professor. 

Here’s the interesting part. Once you subscribe to this sustainable lifestyle, you also change your habits. You start eating healthier, you reduce or stop drinking altogether, you become a tiny bit more kind (that’s always work in progress) because your worldview changes and eventually realize that how you live your life outside yoga affects how you feel in the hot room. The struggle is real but you struggle a little less when you take care of yourself. They say Bikram yoga doesn’t become easier, but you become more at ease doing it and it is so true.

The most important lesson 

So, before you are against the wall, trying to figure out what you are doing wrong and why your body is reacting a certain way, make it a priority to put time aside for self-care. This may look like enjoying a fancy cup of coffee uninterrupted, reading a book, playing an instrument, doing a craft, or simply learning to delegate/automate tasks your business doesn’t depend on you for in order to make time for self-care. 

Remember that if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of the people you care about and can’t show up for your business the way you want to. Self-care isn’t selfish, it’s a MUST! 

Bio: Boryana Dimitrova is a mom of three and the owner of Black Sea Advanced Marketing Solutions, where she helps purpose-driven businesses build a rock solid marketing foundation that sets them up for long-term success. She holds a PhD in Marketing from Drexel University in Philadelphia where she is currently an Associate Clinical Professor of Marketing with 10+ years of experience as a full-time faculty member. In her free time, Boryana loves being outside with her family (weather permitting), swimming with her kids, and doing Bikram yoga.