In a world that puts a premium on productivity and success, looking after your well-being can seem like a frivolous affair. But as the last few years have taught us, good health equals true wealth. On World Well-being Week, we asked renowned wellness experts around Asia Pacific share the wellness insight and practices that impacted them the most. Read on and book a self-care DayAway while you’re at it.
Naomi Whitfeld
Founder of the organic skincare and spa lifestyle brand iKOU and author of iKOU: Energise Your Life
What does having “a sense of well-being” mean to you?
I love the words “sense of well-being.” Just hearing them makes me feel alive! To me, this description evokes feelings of being energised, radiant and in flow with life. It is when my entire ‘being’ is well. This includes my body, my skin, my mind. I include skin in this description because my journey to well-being started with my quest to cure a stressed skin condition that I had from the age 11 until I turned 30. As I sought to cure my skin I became even more aware of the effects that skin health and stress play in true well-being. Wellness goes beyond simply not being sick, but functioning at your healthiest and happiest self.
What’s the most precious wellness advice you’ve ever received?
Consistency! Healthy patterns and the small daily things have the power to make the biggest difference to your well-being—what you eat in every meal, the amount of sleep you get each day, the time you get in nature. This has become my mantra for well-being. It helped me through some challenging times, including several years ago when I had a bad cycling accident that resulted in four rounds of surgery over two years. Reminding myself it was the consistent things I did each day for my physical rehabilitation, rest and nourishment that helped me get back to the full use of my body again.
Is there a particular revelation that would you like to share in your own wellness journey?
I’ve learned to work with the body I have today—not the body I used to have or the body I want to have but supporting myself for where I am right now. One of the biggest things I have found helpful is a system I have shared in my book iKOU: Energise Your Life where I encourage collecting Wellness Tools that can serve as jigsaw pieces to achieving well-being. These include simple things like food, sleep, exercise, gratitude, and relaxation among others. The more jigsaw pieces you put together, the better the complete picture of your health and happiness.
Experience iKOU in spa at Park Hyatt Sydney’s DayAway, An Aromatherapy Escape
Dervla Louli Musgrave
Founder of Compare Retreats, a leading booking platform for the world’s best luxury wellness retreats
What does having “a sense of well-being” mean to you?
Having a sense of well-being for me means being content in my body and mind. I take a moderate approach to well-being and I love walking, working out, eating well, and having fun. Flexibility is key—there’s always room for vices.
What’s the most precious wellness advice you’ve ever received?
The most precious wellness advice I’ve received is to reduce stress, sleep more, and listen to your body. Now I no longer work out or diet in extreme ways. I’ve swapped ultramarathons for daily walks and stringent diets for a relaxed lifestyle. I also now understand the importance of sleep.
Alison Carroll
Gymnast, professional ballerina and co-founder of BalletBody, a fitness studio in Singapore where workouts are taught by former ballet dancers
What does having “a sense of well-being” mean to you?
Well-being for me is feeling balanced both mentally and physically.
What’s the most precious wellness advice you’ve ever received?
To pause and take time for yourself. Be it just five minutes of being present with yourself in a day, going to be early, less screen time, it’s the little actions and intentions set aside that add up to our overall well-being.
How has this piece of advice impacted your life?
Tremendously. Running a business means I’m constantly on the go both physically and mentally. After teaching classes, it’s easy for my body to stop moving, but it’s my mind that doesn’t stop racing. Learning to take time to pause has helped me feel less overwhelmed, have a clearer mind and stay focused.
Is there a particular revelation that would you like to share in your own wellness journey?
As simple as it sounds: take things one step at a time.
Related: The Best Spas in Singapore for an Elevated Self-Care Experience