In light of International Women’s Day this year, we continue to celebrate women around the world for their great achievements and contributions. But beyond their success, how do they prioritize well-being — both physically and mentally? Below, 20 iconic women from both the past and present share their tips on self-care, resilience, and happiness.
Art of Self-Expression
Frida Kahlo, known for her deeply personal and evocative paintings, often used self-portraits as a means of exploring her identity, pain, and resilience. Her words capture the intimate relationship she had with her art:
“I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best.”
Understanding and Prioritising Mental Health
England football captain and gender equality advocate, Leah Williamson, reflects on her own journey with her mental health. She reframes challenges into opportunities for growth.
“I’m a big fan of working with a psychologist. Therapy wasn’t as effective for me because I like to work with a goal all the time. So identifying what is to come and leaving room for anything that might throw me off track allows me to absorb and use any negativity that comes my way or comes from within rather than let it crumble me. I have been in bad places so I know my triggers. But I also respect every emotion that comes my way. Emotion and feelings are what makes life worth living – but you can’t just take the good parts!”
Iconic artist and entrepreneur, Beyonce, has also spoken about her mental health journey – particularly about the strain of work and family life.
“I think like many women, I have felt the pressure of being the backbone of my family and my company and didn’t realize how much that takes a toll on my mental and physical well-being. I have not always made myself a priority…. My health, the way I feel when I wake up in the morning, my peace of mind, the number of times I smile, what I’m feeding my mind and my body—those are the things that I’ve been focusing on. Mental health is self-care too. I’m learning to break the cycle of poor health and neglect, focusing my energy on my body and taking note of the subtle signs that it gives me. Your body tells you everything you need to know, but I’ve had to learn to listen.”
– Beyonce
Me Time: Baths!
Beloved actress and activist, Emma Watson, finds a simple, yet essential, form of self-care in daily baths.
“I have a bath every single day of my life,.. And if I can have two or three—amazing. Nothing terrible is going to happen in the bath, so I always find time for that. I’ll take phone conversations in the bath, anything.”
Gaming
Tennis legend Serena Williams speaks about the importance of fun to relax. Since childhood, her love for video games and Nintendo has remained constant.
“It’s a great opportunity to encourage others to take a break, you know, and relax. I think a lot of times we kind of forgot that, and I think it’s so important to remember to relax and have fun. And this is one way to do it.”
Walks in Nature
Academy Award-winning actress Kate Winslet finds solace in the countryside, where simple joys bring her peace.
“The countryside, particularly, is very good for my head. I love that I can go for a walk, pick blackberries and feed them to the baby as I go along. I love that, as I’m doing this, I get to notice that the ones growing closer to the sea taste slightly saltier than the ones on the other side of the hedge. That’s a pretty gorgeous thing to observe of an afternoon, wouldn’t you say?”
Practicing Gratitude
In her commencement speech to Skidmore College, Oprah Winfrey credited her success to her mindset. Central to this was gratitude.
“I got everything because I practiced being grateful…I live in that space every day of practicing gratitude because I know that … wherever you are, whatever place or space in your life, being grateful changes your personal vibration.”
Power of Manifestation
Mindy Kaling, writer, actress, and producer, shares her personal experience with vision boards and the patience required for manifestation. Her story is a testament to the power of believing in one’s goals—even when they take time to materialize.
“I had made a vision board two years ago and I ended up taking it down! … It had all of these vulnerable photos of things that I wanted, and for eight months, nothing happened. In fact, a couple of the things definitely didn’t happen, …so I took it down. But in the last month of the year, three of the things I had put on there came true – and they were three big ones – and I remember thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, it was that damn vision board.’ I just had to be patient.”
Despite these remarkable women’s achievements, they remind us of something universal: that wellness is essential, as well as deeply personal. Perhaps most encouraging is that the self-care practices they shared are ones we can all implement into our own lives. Whether through creativity, mindfulness, or self-reflection, prioritising your own wellbeing is not a luxury–it’s a necessity to life.