For many of us, this time of year means gift-giving season. So what can you buy that might tangibly improve your loved one’s lives? I can’t speak for everyone on your list, but for high-achieving women like myself, I have some ideas! We’re the ones who tend to need reminders to slow down and give ourselves what we most want and need. Maybe you’re one of us, too?
Whether you’re shopping for your friends, colleagues, family, or yourself, here are 9+ fun, practical gift ideas to help your favorite high-achieving women up their self-care game this winter.
Self-care gift ideas
1) Humor
This tongue-in-cheek intention candle by Nomad Wax Co. will crack up even your most serious girlfriends. Plus, this small woman-owned business in Omaha offers a Random Acts of Kindness giving program.
2) Movement
Our bodies are designed to move. And the key to sustainable fitness, especially given the self-pressure that so often accompanies exercise, is to do something you genuinely enjoy. What’s fun is different for each of us, so try a gift card to a sporting goods store or specialized fitness studio with a handwritten note. Pictured: my fave trail running shoe, the Hoka Torrent 2.
3) Simplicity
My Tender Loving Self-Care Journal offers *easy* ways to give yourself more of what you need and want, no matter how busy you are. The extra-soft paperback workbook includes 150+ self-care activity ideas and brainstorming prompts so you’ll know what action to take especially when under stress; 50+ journaling prompts to inspire calm, creativity, clarity, and change; 12 stories from my life about learning to thrive with grief, depression, and anxiety; 7 self-care goal setting exercises so you can achieve what matters most to you; and 50+ lined pages for whatever else you need.
4) Mastery
Smart women like to challenge their brain outside of work, too. For that, I recommend Wingspan. This woman-designed board game is… well, okay, the truth is, what first attracted me is that it’s adorable! Unlike the seemingly endless war-related games out there, this one is a beautiful game in which you can learn about real birds. It’s a challenge even when playing solo.
5) Intention
High-achieving women set ambitious goals. Now, we can decorate our modern homes with artful reminders of those intentions. My friend Kate White (woman in tech, artist, entrepreneur, mom) recently launched Ruju where she offers minimalist home decor to support a mindset of positivity and gratitude. Pictured: the Community print from the SUPPORTED collection. Bonus: Shipping is free through 2021.
6) Sleep
Sleep is critical! But how well-rested are you and the people you love? According to the CDC, more than a third of American adults aren’t getting enough sleep. Gift ideas to boost your bff’s sleep routines: Nocturne tea by Artemis, a goofy eye cover like these from ban.do, and a white noise machine.
7) Indulgence
Positive Intent is a Black-owned beauty business with awe-inspiring intentionality behind each product. My current favorite is the Spirit Body Scrub, a luxurious exfoliant with an incredible smell and this mantra: “Today, I am tuned into divine universal wisdom, and I will listen with understanding and acceptance.” The idea is to inhale the scent and repeat the mantra three times while using the product, thereby creating a sensory association between the aroma and intent. It’s a lightning fast way to set a calm tone before a busy day.
8) Expression
You’ve experienced the power of getting your messy thoughts and feelings out in writing, the kind of writing you hope no one ever sees. How cute would it be to gift a lockable journal? They’ve come a long way from the dangling hearts and tiny metal keys of our youth. Note: I have not personally used this item.
9) Brain power
A couple of years ago, I elevated my morning beverage routine from grocery store tea bags to loose leaf teas and have never looked back. There’s so much flavor there! For an herbal afternoon (or late evening) intelligence boost, you have to try Artemis’s Einstein blend. It’s a minty mix that gets that brain moving without sleep-interrupting caffeine. For the gal who needs her caffeine, I recommend Dragon Well Chinese green tea from Tea Smith.
Whether you’re shopping for others or looking for a way to treat yourself, let these self-care gift ideas get your wheels spinning about what you most want and need right now.
xo