SWAN EGG, Part 2: Putting it into practice

Putting SWAN EGG into Practice

In my previous post, I introduced a wellbeing framework I created a few years ago - SWAN EGG. I shared about how it came about and what each of the letters represents. Sleep, Water, Art/Creativity, Nature, Exercise, Good/healthy food, God's word/prayer/faith/grounding in something bigger than myself.

I want to share how I actually use it in everyday life.

Ironically, as I've been preparing to write this follow-up, I've realised I haven't been applying my own framework particularly well lately.

Sometimes life feels a bit like a game of Jenga. One or two wobbly pieces isn't usually a problem. But when several areas start to become unstable at once, it's easy for the others to follow. I notice myself feeling less balanced overall. I have less energy, less motivation and less capacity to care for myself well, which can make it feel surprisingly difficult to get back on track.

That's one of the reasons I find SWAN EGG so helpful. It isn't a rulebook or another list of things I "should" be doing. Instead, it gives me something to come back to when life feels overwhelming or I'm not feeling quite like myself. Sometimes there's an obvious reason I'm struggling, and sometimes there isn't. Either way, the framework helps me pause, check in with myself, and ask, "Which area needs a little attention today?"

The beautiful thing is that the same interconnectedness works in both directions. Just as neglecting one or two areas can make the others feel harder, strengthening one area often creates momentum for the rest. A little more sleep might make it easier to exercise. A walk outside might improve my mood and help me make healthier food choices. I don't have to fix everything at once. I simply have somewhere to begin.

The examples below aren't meant to be a checklist or a set of rules. They're simply some of the ways I've learned to care for myself over the years. Some may resonate with you, others might not. My hope is that they'll either give you a practical idea to try, or spark an idea that's a much better fit for your own personality, circumstances and preferences.

Sleep

Sleep is probably the area I work on the most.

My biggest challenge isn't actually sleeping once I'm in bed – it's getting to bed in the first place. Like many neurodivergent people, I find bedtime surprisingly difficult for a range of reasons. I'll discover a strategy that works for a time, then once it stops working I need to try something different.

One approach I often come back to is working backwards from the time I want to be asleep. Rather than only setting a bedtime alarm, I'll set earlier alarms to remind me when to pack up what I'm doing and when to get ready for bed.

Getting into my pyjamas and brushing my teeth earlier in the evening also helps. Then, if I get caught up in something and my bedtime alarm goes off, I only need to stop what I'm doing and get into bed. I don't have extra tasks creating barriers once I'm already tired.

I've also found it helpful to think about what my body is doing while I sleep. The day shift clocks off, and the night crew starts work. I want to give them the best chance possible to do their job. They don't need the daytime CEO hanging around interfering!

Water

A few years ago, I realised how much the experience of drinking water matters to me.

Stainless steel water bottles keep water much colder than plastic ones, and I discovered that temperature makes a huge difference to whether I actually want to drink it. Choosing a bottle with a design I love also means I'm more likely to keep it nearby and reach for it throughout the day.

I also have a pretty double-walled glass mug with dried flowers sealed between the layers. It doesn't hold much for hot drinks, but I love using it for water. It's a small thing, but making hydration feel enjoyable makes it much easier to do consistently.

Art and Creativity

I've learned that creativity doesn't have to mean spending hours making art.

Sometimes it's working on a creative project alongside my children at the kitchen table. Sometimes it's pulling out my alcohol inks or pouring paints and simply experimenting without worrying about the outcome.

I also play the piano. Some days that's simply revisiting pieces I enjoy. Other days it's focused practice. Both feed my creativity in different ways.

Creativity looks different for everyone. It might be painting, music, photography, writing, sewing, dance, gardening or something else entirely. The important thing isn't how we're creative, but that we give ourselves opportunities to create.

Nature

Enjoying nature doesn't always require a hike through the bush.

Sometimes it's taking my breakfast outside, looking up at the trees and listening to the birds. Sometimes it'ssimply slowing down and looking around my garden, counting the lemons on the tree, noticing new growth on the roses, or rubbing a sprig of mint between my fingers and enjoying its scent.

One of my children currently loves collecting little treasures from nature on our walk home from school. I love sharing his excitement as we discover interesting leaves, colourful gum nuts or pieces of bark that look like they have faces.

Exercise

There are plenty of forms of exercise I don't enjoy. Over the years, I've discovered that walking and running suit me best.

I've attempted Couch to 5K several times. Twice I made it to around Week 7 before unexpected hospital stays interrupted my progress. Last year I used a podcast that combined coaching with music, which made the sessions much more enjoyable.

Even though I didn't complete the full program, I reached a point where I genuinely enjoyed heading out for a 20-minute run a few times each week. That was enough to help me feel physically and mentally healthier.

Tracking my steps and activity levels on my watch is helpful. Even if I don't go out for a run or a walk or any other intentional exercise, it can be encouraging to see how active I've been just by doing grocery shopping, hanging out washing and doing school runs.

Good Food

Healthy eating tends to come in waves for me.

When I notice myself slipping into habits that aren't serving me well, I don't try to overhaul my entire diet. Instead, I choose one meal at a time to improve.

I've also learned to work with my own quirks. Fruit is far more appealing to me when it's already cut up. Vegetables are much easier to eat when they're added to soups, omelettes or bolognese than when they're sitting on the side of my plate.

Understanding how my own brain works makes healthy choices much more sustainable.

God's Word, Prayer and Reflection ... Grounding myself

For me, this part of the framework is about grounding myself in something bigger than myself.

At this stage of life, I often find it easier to listen to a dramatised audio Bible than to sit and read. I also use different forms of reflection depending on what I need. Sometimes that's journalling. Sometimes it's recording a voice memo or creating a mind map when my thoughts feel tangled.

Other times, I'll sit with a single thought while colouring. Depending on what's on my mind, that has even included grabbing a crayon in my fist and scribbling across an entire page until every bit of white space has been filled.

Bringing it Together

One of the things I love most about the SWAN EGG framework is that these areas aren't independent of one another. Whenever possible, I like to "stack" them.

Last year, after dropping my children at school, I often walked around the perimeter of the school while listening to Mozart's symphonies, working my way through the full catalogue. I was combining exercise, nature and music before 9am. I've also noticed that if I go for a run in the morning, I'm far more likely to make healthier food choices throughout the rest of the day.

The opposite can also be true. When a few areas begin to slip, it's easy for the others to follow. That's exactly how I've been feeling recently.

That's why I keep coming back to this framework. Not because it expects perfection, but because it gives me somewhere to begin again. It's simply a gentle way of checking in with myself, noticing what's been neglected, and identifying one or two practical ways to nurture myself. Often, caring for just one area creates the momentum to care for another.

The goal isn't to do every part of SWAN EGG perfectly every day. Life has seasons, and some areas will naturally receive more attention than others.

Instead, I hope this framework helps you become more aware of your own patterns, work with your own personality and circumstances, and discover simple, practical ways to care for your physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

In the next post, I'll dive into some of the fascinating neuroscience behind why these seemingly simple practices can have such a significant impact.