My name is Lillian. I am a small business owner in Lanark County. I am co-owner of Bend Wellness, a business that offers counseling, mindfulness, movement/yoga services to people of all ages, and most recently creator of a podcast. I live in Carleton Place with my family, and love to take advantage of living in such a beautiful area by getting out on trails and out on the water; nature is my medicine.
I’ve been working hard to love all versions of myself
I am a woman. I am a dreamer and a realist. I am content and in the pursuit of the next best thing. I am an adventurer and a homebody. I am cyclical yet continuously growing and moving forward.
Often times I feel like a different person depending on the day, and I’ve been working hard to love all versions of myself…even the one that sometimes wants to scream and give up.
When you ask me about mental health and wellness, this is what wellness has come to mean to me: accepting myself, every version, and nourishing my body and mind accordingly.
wellness has come to mean accepting every version of myself
I thrive in different ways at different times
Caring for my mental health/wellness means understanding myself and the cyclical nature of being a woman. As a woman I must appreciate that I thrive in different ways at different times; learning how to harness these different strengths and how to listen to my body are my best tools for success.
movement is critical to my mental health at any time
With that said, movement is critical to my mental health at any time; whether it be a walk, yoga, or high-intensity workout, if I do not move my body in some way it’s a sure-fire way for me to feel disconnected from myself.
When I move my body it allows me to really check in with how I am feeling and what my body needs.
Set Your Values and Your Mission
If there was one thing I could share about my journey with mental wellness as an entrepreneur it would be to set your values and your mission.
There will be times when you’ll need to remind yourself of why you started in the first place
There will be times when you’ll need to remind yourself of why you started in the first place and what you are working towards. There will be days when feeling like you can juggle 10 balls and days when you feel like you just don’t want to do it anymore.
Reminding yourself of your mission will help you take the next step, even if it’s a baby step.
Learn from mistakes.
Be brave.
Take up space.
Listen to the whispers that tell you when it’s time to rest.
Finally, remember that you do not have to do it alone. I am blessed to have a wonderful business partner that I can count on, but even if you don’t, there are networks of women out there who can help.
Reach out, and don’t be afraid to say that you need support. We all do at one point or another.
Lillian Gudmundsson
Bend Wellness
ig | @bend.wellness (business) / @Lgud (personal)
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