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Self-Care and Putting Yourself First with Bec Ahern

29th July 2021

Community Fitness

29th July 2021

British fashion model and upcoming fashion journalist, Bec Ahern, understands being on-the-go better than anyone. Whilst keeping up with the quick pace of the fashion industry, staying active on social media and always looking dressed to the nines, Bec manages to never neglect her self care. We sat down with her to discuss the significance of putting yourself first, her tips for squeezing in some me-time and how she gets over any self care struggles.

Tell us a little bit more about you, and how you got into modelling and journalism? 

My name is Bec and I’m a fashion model. I’ve lived and worked all over the world from The Sates, to Asia, to Australia and Europe. I was scouted by a model agency in London when I was sixteen years old, so it's been a good ten years I've been working in the industry. I’ve always loved writing but when I graduated from school I had no clue what I wanted to do, so naturally I continued with my modelling career. I remember watching a series of Youtube videos with Alexa Chung talking about fashion writing and journalism and it clicked for me…”that's it, that's what I want to do." 

Does your passion for writing translate into journalling for personal wellness? 

Journaling has been something I have dipped in and out of but I use it more for days when I have a lot of my mind. I find sometimes I need somewhere to put my thoughts and writing them down on paper is a nice way to process them. 

Why is self-care important? What does it mean to you? 

Self-care is such an important factor for me to function as my best self, in my work life and personal life. I've recently learnt that your own self-care doesn't have to be extravagant; it can be something as simple as cooking yourself a meal, taking ten minutes to stretch your body in the morning, or even having a moment of stillness within a hectic day. 

What’s your self-care routine?

I don't like to set the pressure of a daily routine so often I decide how I am feeling on the day. Most days I make space for a thirty-minute yoga practice tailored around what I need on that day; gratitude, healing or a workout. I’m a skincare nut, so every evening before bed I’ll set fifteen minutes aside for my skincare routine and that's my nourishment for the day. 

Morning or night-time routine? 

I’m partial to both but at night I feel less rushed and at my own pace to wind down. 

One self care tip that changed your life? 

Self-care can be doing the smallest of things for yourself. It doesn’t mean you need to push yourself to accomplish a whole list of little activities. Cook yourself some food, move your body for twenty minutes, or have a glass of wine. 

How do you ground yourself?

Yoga has been an amazing tool to help ground me and become more present. It's definitely a work in progress but as time goes on I feel more focused and in tune with myself and it's a further push to deepen my practice. 

Did you find yourself evolving through the lockdown? Do you have any new perspectives you’re grateful for? 

Pre-lockdown, my schedule was so hectic. I realised how little time I spent at home and by myself. Learning to be comfortable spending time by myself was such a new experience for me but one that has become a necessary part of my life post-lockdown. My life has definitely slowed down for the better. I now only put a few things in for my day and the reduction in my stress levels has been amazing. 

What aspect of self-care do you struggle with the most, if any? 

I am terrible at sticking to a routine! It's something that used to really bother me when some days I didn't want to commit myself to a five step routine. Once I realised the only person who was creating that pressure was me, I decided I can make my own schedules and routines. I still have daily essentials like my yoga and skincare, but I do them when I feel like it; as long as they are done by the end of the day.  

How do you prioritise self-care when you’re on the go? 

Our schedules can be very hectic and our lives are always changing which means our routines need to be flexible. Even if you can only fit one of your self-care must-haves into the day, that's more than anyone can ask for. 

What’s one goal you’re focused on now, and how is your self-care routine helping you to achieve it?

I think I am focusing on returning to normal life at my own pace. I’m waking up every day and trying to be more in tune with how I feel in that present moment. The slowing down of my schedule has allowed me to do this and yoga has definitely given me more space to be mentally present.

To keep up with Bec, follow her on Instagram. 

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Instead of asking, “Am I seeing results yet?”, the more useful question becomes, “Can I repeat this next week?” Remember, the most effective fitness routines aren’t created in January - they’re carried through February, March, and beyond. References Dai, H., Milkman K.L., Riis,J. (2013).The Fresh Start Effect: Temporal Landmarks Motivate Aspirational Behavior. Management Science. 60 (10), 2563-2582. Click here. Cezar, B., Macada, A. (2023). Cognitive Overload, Anxiety, Cognitive Fatigue, Avoidance Behavior and Data Literacy in Big Data environments. Information Processing & Management. 60 (6). Click here. Ntoumanis, N., Healy, L. et.al. (2014). Self-Regulatory Responses to Unattainable Goals: The Role of Goal Motives. 13 (5), 594-612. Click here. Cleveland Clinic. Overtraining Syndrome. Click here. Sebire,S., Standage, M., Vansteenkiste,M. (2011). Predicting objectively assessed physical activity from the content and regulation of exercise goals: evidence for a mediational model. 33 (2), 175-197. Click here.  
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