Women are incredible at giving.
We give our time, our energy, our care and our attention to the people we love.
We support our families, our friends, our communities and our workplaces. We hold things together, solve problems and keep moving forward – often without stopping to ask how we are really feeling.
But what happens when we spend so much of our lives giving to everyone else that we forget to give anything back to ourselves?
This International Women’s Day, the theme is Give to Gain.
And it made me pause and reflect on something many women struggle with…
What if the most powerful thing we could give this year was something back to ourselves?
For so many of us, giving is second nature. We give our time to our families, our energy to our work, our attention to our children, our care to our communities. We hold things together, we solve problems, we support others and we keep going, even when we are exhausted.
But when we give and give without receiving, over time it can leave us exhausted, depleted and disconnected from ourselves.
Our bodies tighten.
Our breathing becomes shallow.
Our nervous system stays in constant “doing” mode.
As a chartered physiotherapist with over 26 years of experience, I see the physical effects of this every day – tight shoulders, shallow breathing, poor posture, chronic tension and fatigue. These are often signs of a nervous system that has been living in constant action mode for too long.
In many ways, this reflects an imbalance in our energy.
Our modern world celebrates productivity, achievement and constant action – what many traditions describe as yang energy. It’s the energy of doing, striving, solving problems and making things happen.
Many women have become incredibly skilled at this.
But there is another side that is just as important.
Yin energy.
Yin is the energy of rest, intuition, connection, receiving, nurturing and allowing. It is the softness that balances strength.
When yin and yang are balanced, we feel calm, resilient and grounded. But when one dominates for too long, the body and mind begin to feel the strain.
For many women juggling careers, families and responsibilities, the balance often tips heavily towards doing and giving.
And this is why this year, for International Women’s Day, I wanted to offer something a little different.
Instead of asking women to give more to the world, I wanted to create an opportunity for women to give something back to themselves.
This Sunday we will gather for a walk in nature, followed by time at the outdoor sauna for those who booked spaces – with sauna, hot tub, cold plunge and space to simply breathe and connect.
Movement, fresh air, warm water, cold water, laughter, conversation and community.
These are not luxuries. They are powerful ways to reset the nervous system, nourish the body and reconnect with ourselves.
When we walk together in nature, something shifts. Our shoulders relax, our breathing deepens and our minds quieten. When we share space with other women, we are reminded that we are not alone in the pressures we carry.
And when we allow ourselves moments of rest and restoration, we begin to refill our own cup.
Because here’s the truth: When women give to themselves, everyone benefits.
When we feel stronger, calmer and more supported, we show up more fully in our lives. We have more patience, more clarity and more energy to give – not from depletion, but from abundance.
This is the real meaning of Give to Gain.
Sometimes the most powerful act of giving is not giving more away.
It is giving yourself permission to pause, to breathe, to move, to rest and to receive.
So this International Women’s Day, I invite you to ask yourself a simple question:
What do I need right now?
Perhaps it’s movement.
Perhaps it’s rest.
Perhaps it’s time outdoors.
Perhaps it’s connection.
Whatever it is, give yourself permission to receive it.
Because when women are supported, nourished and empowered to care for themselves as well as others, incredible things happen.
And that is something truly worth celebrating.
When we give ourselves the care, rest and nourishment we need, we don’t just survive – we create the energy and strength to truly thrive.
Stay Connected
If this message resonates with you and you’d like to hear about future classes, wellness walks, retreats and events, you’re very welcome to join my newsletter community.
I share simple ways to help women move well, feel strong and nurture their wellbeing, both online and in person.
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And if you would like to join us for our International Women’s Day charity walk this Sunday, you can sign up using the form below:
Rhi Bowden
Chartered Physiotherapist & Movement Specialist