Movement as Self-Care: Finding balance in the busy season

September carries two important reminders: it is both Self-Care Awareness Month and Mental Health Awareness Month. For brides, it comes at the perfect time, when wedding planning can feel like it is moving faster than you are.

Self-care is not just about spa days or face masks. It is about giving your body and mind what they need to stay steady, grounded, and present. One of the most powerful tools for that is movement.

And no, not the “wedding workout plan” kind of movement. This is not about shrinking or fitting into a dress. This is about moving because it keeps you calm, clear, and connected to yourself.

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Why movement matters for stress.

Movement is medicine. When your thoughts are racing and emotions run high, your body can help bring you back to balance.

• Walking clears your head and regulates your breath. A ten-minute walk outside can shift the course of an entire day.

  
  

• Yoga connects breath to body, lowers stress, and gives you tools to stay calm when emotions rise.

  
  

• Dancing shakes off the pressure and reminds you to have fun in the middle of all the planning.

These practices do not just prepare you for the wedding day. They support your mental health long before and after it, creating space for awareness and peace when everything else feels busy. Let's use movement as self-care.

A simple movement plan.

The key to feeling the benefits of movement is not intensity. It is consistency. Scheduling small, regular moments of movement can give you a sense of rhythm and calm in the middle of wedding planning.

Here is a simple way to start:

• Two to three walks per week. Aim for 20 to 30 minutes. Use this time to clear your head, listen to your playlist, or walk with a friend.

• One to two yoga sessions per week. Even short 15-minute practices can bring deep stress relief. Try morning stretches or evening wind-down flows.

• One dance break. Yes, schedule this too. Put on your playlist and dance in your living room. It is laughter, cardio, and stress release in one.

Tip: Put these moments in your calendar just as you would a dress fitting or cake tasting. Your movement plan deserves the same priority as any other part of your wedding journey.

Let’s make it fun: two playlists to get you moving.

Movement does not have to be serious. It can be joyful, playful, and something you actually look forward to. Music pulls us into the moment, and the right playlist can shift your energy instantly.

So let’s create a list together. I will start with two playlists: one for walking, one for your at-home dance party. Add your favorites and make them yours.

Walking Playlist (stress relief + wedding energy)

• That’s the Way It Is — Celine Dion

• Unstoppable — SIA

• Unwritten — Natasha Bedingfield

• Still Falling for You — Ellie Goulding

• I Choose You — Sara Bareilles

At-home dance party Playlist (shake off the stress)

• Papasito — Karol G

• Hips Don’t Lie — Shakira

• Levitating — Dua Lipa

• Dancing Queen — ABBA

• We Found Love — Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris

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Every season asks something different of us. Movement is how we listen, adjust, and stay steady.

So this month, let yourself move: walk, stretch, dance, breathe. Let movement carry you through the stress, and bring you back to yourself before “I do.”

And if you need someone to keep you accountable, to remind you to pause and ground yourself, I can be that partner for you. I can help you hold space for the little rituals that keep you steady along the way.