Mentoring a Generation: Embedding Self-Care as Essential, Not Optional

Guiding midlife women back to the most important relationship of their lives, with themselves, through the art of self-care ensuring through their thriving, they are enabled to take their brilliance out into the world with energy, confidence & joy, role modelling for generations to come.

Mentoring a Generation: Embedding Self-Care as Essential, Not Optional

As we step into a new year, let's consider the legacy we're creating—not just for ourselves but for the generations watching us.

This month, we turn our attention to a critical topic: mentoring young women and people to embrace self-care as a cornerstone of their well-being.

The State of Young People’s Health

The statistics are sobering.

• Mental Health: In 2023, about 1 in 5 children and young people aged 8 to 25 years had a probable mental disorder. Young people today face unprecedented levels of mental health challenges, with anxiety, depression, and burnout becoming alarmingly common.
• Physical Health: Physical inactivity and poor sleep hygiene are on the rise among young people, contributing to a cycle of stress and disconnection.
• Emotional Well-being: Many young people struggle to navigate the pressures of achievement, social comparison, and the relentless pace of modern life.

Self-care can often become the first thing sacrificed, viewed as indulgent or unimportant in the face of these demands

Why Normalising Self-Care Matters

What if we could rewrite this narrative? Imagine a generation that grows up understanding that:

• Self-care is not selfish but a foundation for resilience.
• Tending to personal needs enhances—not detracts from—productivity and creativity.
• Caring for oneself leads to deeper, more fulfilling connections with others.

By embedding self-care practices into education and normalising these conversations, we have the potential to foster a generation of healthier, happier, and more balanced individuals.

Role-Modelling Self-Care: The Responsibility We Hold

Young people learn as much from what we do as from what we say. If they see us consistently overextending ourselves, dismissing our own needs, and glorifying busyness, what message are we sending?

When we prioritise our self-care, we show them that:

• It’s okay to pause and recharge.
• Their needs are valid and worth meeting.
• True strength comes from nurturing oneself, not ignoring one's limits.

Let’s be the role models who normalise self-care, not as a privilege for the few but as a necessity for everyone.

Practical Steps for Embedding Self-Care

Here are a few ways we can mentor young people in self-care:

1. Teach through conversation: Share openly about your own self-care practices and why they matter.
2. Encourage micro-moments: Promote small, actionable habits like a five-minute walk, mindful breathing, or journaling.
3. Redefine success: Celebrate achievements that include balance and well-being, not just results.
4. Advocate for change: Support policies in schools and workplaces that prioritise mental health days, physical activity, and emotional learning.

In Conversation with Ruth Keily , CEO of Mentoring Plus - Bath & North East Somerset , youth charity.

This month, I invite you to reflect on this question:

Are you modelling the kind of self-care you hope young people will emulate?

Let’s commit to showing them that self-care is not only acceptable but essential for living a thriving life.

Together, let’s be the generation that redefines self-care for ourselves and the generations to come.

Here’s to a New Year filled with intention and inspiration!

YvonneB

Interested in young people's health? Here are some handpicked articles to review:

Mental Health of Children & Young People in England - 2023

How Dangerous Are Smartphones For Children - And Should We Ban Them?

Why Are A Rising Number Of Young Britons Out Of Work?

Burnt Out Gen Z Employees Miss One Day Per Week Due To Mental Health Struggles

Meet this month’s guest, Ruth Keily :

Ruth is CEO of Bath-based youth charity Mentoring Plus, which supports children and young people struggling with education, family difficulties and emotional wellbeing. Her previous career included co-running a data science consultancy and heading a comms team within an international investment bank. Born and educated near Bristol, she returned to the southwest with her husband to raise her two daughters, now in their 20s.

To find out more about the work of Mentoring Plus and how you can support local young people through volunteering, fundraising or donating, please go to www.mentoringplus.net

Are You Ready To Thrive?

Permission To Thrive, is an online community bringing brilliant midlife women together to shift from the external self-worth measures often driven by fear, blocking meaningful self-care & high performance, to a mindset focused on creating new habits with ease & flow, habits that support the prioritisation of self-care, boost productivity & performance, and help them excel in personal and professional lives, whilst staying focused and energised.

Check my profile & stream for ‘Permission To Thrive (PTT) posts and Thursday Live Events at 12.30pm. Plus we’ll be hosting a FREE interactive PTT event in February – details coming soon!