I’m practising DO YOU

I’m not a living embodiment of DO YOU. I’m practising. As a mum, businesswoman, family member, devoted friend, partner and so on, I regularly find it difficult to identify what my own needs actually are. So I’m practising.

Read more about my thoughts on DO YOU in the article right here.

If you’d like, follow me below through a day focused on DO YOU. A day for me can involve many different activities, but most importantly, I make sure to remember to DO ME. Below you’ll find a selection of the things I do that bring me closer to happiness and that inner connection with myself. Life choices that make me calmer and more focused. Stress-free. More present. 

A slow start

Starting my day slowly has become essential for me. I like to stretch out in bed before I get up. I don’t follow any routine or specific programme; I just do whatever feels good for my body. I don’t switch on my phone anymore – I refuse to. I want to start the day in my own world, not the wider world. I sit for a while, quietly sipping my beloved coffee, as still as a rather hyperactive brain can be.

Hot drinks

I love my morning coffee. I switched to creamy oat milk a while back because I kept getting breakouts and inflammation on the lower part of my cheeks and jawline. I’m not vegan, but cutting cow’s milk out of my diet made it go away. I’d actually love a cup of green tea or hot water with honey and lemon instead, but old habits die hard – perhaps I should challenge myself a bit and start the day with something alkaline rather than acidic. Tomorrow I’ll see how I feel and where DO YOU takes me.

Article about a hot drink

Dry brushing

Ever since I was 19, I’ve been dry brushing to ‘wake up’ my skin. It’s a ritual I’ll never skip, for many reasons. On my body, I brush to remove dry skin, combat cellulite and boost blood flow, whilst also stimulating my nervous and lymphatic systems. I dry brush my face to gently exfoliate, stimulate, release tension and minimise fine lines and wrinkles, and to wake my face up after sleep. It feels amazing, and I love it so much. Prioritising 10 minutes for ME can be a challenge on busy school mornings, but I insist. I DO ME. 

Article on dry brushing

Skin-Body-Mind food

Smoothies are my way of ensuring a nutritious meal to start the day. They allow me to have breakfast containing fruit, vegetables, pulses, nuts, seeds, superfoods, oils and more. If it weren’t for my smoothie, there’s no chance I’d get so many nutrients into my body so early in the day. For me, it’s a health hack and the very definition of body respect, and if I stock up my freezer with smoothie ingredients roughly every 14 days, I’ve got time to prepare them before I head to the office early in the morning. 

Article on smoothies

Exercise

My body needs exercise, and so does my mind. My head is always full of thoughts, and with a hypermobile body that did intensive gymnastics for many years when I was young, my joints are worn out. If I don’t move, my mood turns pessimistic and my body starts to ache. I enjoy doing Reformer classes at a studio a couple of times a week, and I’ve really come to love working out at home whilst watching a good film or TV series. I use a yoga mat, some weights and my resistance bands. For me, exercise also includes cleaning my home whilst being mindful of how I’m using my body as I do so, or going for a brisk walk with a lovely friend.

Stay hydrated

Ever since I was 18, I’ve been a huge advocate of how important it is to drink enough water. I believe that hydration, light and oxygen are the key to a positive, healthy me. Add some flavour, include extra vitamin-rich ingredients and herbs, turn it into infused water, or simply drink it as it is. You can also hydrate your body by eating cucumber, melon or other foods with a high water content. Water is a fundamental part of our bodies. If our hydration levels are out of balance, we’re out of balance.

Article on STAY HYDRATED

Air & Light

We are all beautiful, bioactive flowers – we need air and light. I leave my sunglasses at home and consciously seek out the light, especially during the long, dark Danish winters. A DO YOU goal for me is to start soaking up the light around lunchtime every day. To go for a short walk, come rain or shine.

Article on daylight

Breathing

At the very core of how I feel lies my breathing. My best friend when my world occasionally shakes, and the greatest tool for being present in life’s most significant moments. I can’t do anything in life if my breathing is poor. I can master most things, as long as my breathing is deep and reaches down into my stomach. It amazes me just how important focused, deep breathing actually is. When I think about it, I believe that my most essential ‘DO YOU’ exercise starts right here. 

Home spa

My bathroom is my home spa – my sanctuary, my place for rituals – my hideaway. Taking time for myself in the bathroom has been a natural part of my life ever since I was a model and spent most evenings alone in hotel rooms. It’s also the time when I check in with my skin. I highly recommend making it a priority to take the time to look after yourself. It’s a soulful way to treat your body and mind with love, taking time to touch, feel, smell, release, enhance and explore. Consciously prioritising YOU. We’ve created four DO YOU home spa rituals that we hope you’ll fancy trying. Got 15 minutes? Then we’ve got some self-love for you right here. 

Article on the 15-minute GLOW RITUAL

Love

A hug, a smile, laughter. Sharing tears, challenges and life stories. Spending time with the people who matter most to me is what fills my heart the most. Especially if I’ve remembered to check in with MYSELF beforehand.

Scents

Our ability to process information through our senses is particularly strong via our sense of smell. It’s wonderfully beneficial to stimulate all our senses: touch, movement, smell, taste, sight, hearing and balance. The sense of smell is especially important to me. Every day, I notice how, with the help of scent, I can lift my mood. I smell things consciously. I smell the ingredients when I’m cooking, and I often switch on my aroma diffuser with fine essential oils. I make sure to take in all the scents from my skincare routine – using the palms of my hands and taking deep breaths through my nose. I smell my children’s hair, my partner’s jumper, and, above all, I smell nature. I am forever fascinated, with deep, reverent respect, by the magical world of scent around me. Smelling is one of the things I do where I can truly feel MYSELF, where time stands still, and the present moment is within me.

Article on how the sense of smell affects us

All the best,

Mette