5 Ways to Begin Your Wellness Journey Without Spending Much Time or Money

How much time or money should someone spend on wellness? 

If wellness means stacked gym memberships and yoga classes you can’t cancel without paying a hefty fee, flashy carbon-plated running shoes for a fun run, or a weekend away from the city to unwind and recharge, it can quickly become very, very expensive, turning the pursuit of well-being into another cost to keep up with. If this is what it takes to feel good, wellness becomes inaccessible at best and unsustainable at worst.

But shouldn’t taking care of yourself be a little less daunting than that? Is it possible to prioritize our well-being without overhauling our lives or spending a fortune?

At the New Lounge Global Destination Retreat: Pamper and Reset event in Shangri-La Boracay, international wellness entrepreneur, author, and speaker Rachel Madar shares in an exclusive one-on-one interview with Allure Philippines, five practical, accessible ways to make wellness part of everyday life. From setting intentions in the morning to journaling at night, Madar offers a gentler starting point to well-being without the pressure to spend more.

Spend five minutes in the morning to set your intentions

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“Most of the time we wake up, we go straight to the workday, we go straight to our phone, the emails, who sent me messages, right? Who sent this? What’s going on?” shares Madar of her common observation of how people usually start their day. 

But she advises that before the day gets busy, give yourself five minutes to check in with yourself and decide how you want to move through the hours ahead. 

As Madar explains, “If we pause for like five minutes, just set our intention, whatever it might be—whether you write it down, you converse with your God, you converse with your higher self. Just breathe, remember.”

Your intention could be as simple as making room for rest, or being more present in your interactions for the day, or being more patient. The goal is to begin the day with a little more awareness of yourself and what matters to you.

Set a reminder on your phone to take a pause

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As the rest of the day unfolds, our attention is usually pulled in different directions. And in the rush to get everything done, taking a moment for ourselves can easily fall to the bottom of the list. But according to Madar, the very device that keeps us constantly connected can also help us find a moment of calm. “You can use your phone to your advantage,” she says.

Her suggestion is simple: set a notification that reminds you to decompress throughout the day. “You can put a reminder on your phone that will, let’s say, every hour, every couple hours, just send you a message. Even like, [a simple note to] breathe.”

No need for another app, or elaborate routine. A simple notification reminding you to stop for a moment and breathe may seem like a small gesture, but a gentle nudge can help you regain balance from being on autopilot the entire day. 

Spread kindness through small gestures

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Wellness also extends to how we connect with the people around us. As Madar puts it, “We all need cheerleaders around us.” She encourages us to look beyond ourselves and recognize the people who make our days a little better.

“I even like to look around and see our coworkers, our family, our partner, whoever that may be, someone in the street that walked and gave me a compliment. Just acknowledge one person,” she says. “Acknowledge one person that made a meaningful comment to you today.”

For Madar, nurturing healthy relationships starts with showing appreciation, whether it’s complimenting a friend or sending a thoughtful message to your parents. “This creates a flow,” she explains. “Instead of just receiving all the time, we are channels of sharing. So we want to be like a clean pipe. We receive, it comes to us, and it goes from us. So there’s always a continuation.”

Make a habit of speaking kindly to yourself

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Madar also encourages practicing and acknowledging what we appreciate about ourselves, too. “Let’s remember one thing good about us. And you [can] write down for yourself three things that are good about you,” she says. It can be as simple as recognizing a quality you like about yourself, a strength you bring to your relationships, or something you’re proud of accomplishing.”

If you don’t have time to write, Madar advises to “look at the mirror and remember and see your greatness.” Acknowledging the things you like about yourself is a good place to start.

This practice, according to Madar, helps build self-esteem and strengthen our sense of self-worth. Rather than focusing only on our flaws or the things we want to improve, acknowledging our strengths can help us develop a kinder view of ourselves. After all, well-being is also about how we see and speak to ourselves.

Keep a gratitude journal before bed

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At the end of the day, Madar advises to take a moment to reflect on what you’re grateful for. “We go through the day, and what are we grateful for? For this breakfast, for the ability to be in this beautiful place, the ocean, the opportunity to share, to meet,” she cites as examples. 

While a gratitude journal can be done in the morning or night, for Madar, “I would recommend [it] at the end of the day.” While mornings can be reserved for setting intentions and affirmations, evenings offer an opportunity to look back on what has unfolded and recognize the support that helped you get through the day.

“In the morning, you can start your day with all your to-do lists and make an affirmation for yourself, ‘I’m going to make it, I’m going to make this, I’m going to manifest this.’ At the end of the day, it’s gratefulness to the Creator for, ‘Thank you for the support I’ve received to make it happen,’”she says.

You can begin at any moment

Starting a wellness journey doesn’t have to mean changing your entire routine or keeping up with someone else’s version of well-being. Madar encourages taking things one step at a time, choosing a practice that feels right for you, and giving yourself time to see how it fits into your life. There’s no pressure to get everything right or do everything at once. “Every day you can start from the beginning in every given moment,” she says.