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‘Wellness isn’t about perfection or ticking every box’: IMAGE’s Dominique McMullan
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As someone who's struggled with wellness for years, IMAGE editorial director Dominique McMullan has finally found the secret sauce to achieving balance – simple everyday swaps that make her feel more like herself.
For years, “wellness” was something I struggled with. Then, as a mum, it was always the first thing to go when life got busy – which it frequently did. I would tell myself I didn’t have the time, and in the foray of life with young kids, it genuinely felt like making room for something like “wellness” was absurd. But I learned the hard way that wellness isn’t a luxury or a nice-to-have. It’s an essential that allows me to turn up as my best self. When I do these small things… I am a nicer, less tired, more patient and more creative person.
The best way for me to find that time was to keep things really simple.
At the very top of my list now? Exercise. And believe me, this hasn’t come naturally. I was the kid who always had a note to get out of PE at school. That changed when I discovered reformer pilates at One Pilates in Enniskerry. Or, more specifically, when I met Una Groogan. Una is one of those rare teachers who makes you feel safe and capable from the moment you step into the room. After a few months of classes at One, I began to reframe my relationship with my body and started to enjoy the feeling of movement. I go two to three times per week. There’s something so meditative about it – the focused breathing, the dance-like movements. It’s relaxing and grounding, and it also works muscles I didn’t know I had.
My other very simple thing is drinking water. Lugging around a water bottle with a bit of lemon squeezed into it reminds me that I am putting my needs first, even if it’s in a really small way. And that often has a positive chain reaction that impacts other decisions throughout my day.
A blow dry helps me get my head in the game at the beginning of the week. I find the whole process so relaxing and it helps me feel put together and ready to face whatever the world is going to throw at me – it also saves time as the blow dry will last at least half the week. At the end of the week, I like to unwind with a sneaky sauna / plunge / hot tub. This relaxes me like nothing else. I find it a great way to meet up with friends too, and as more and more keep opening around where I live, it’s great having lots of options available.
Hosting The IMAGE Wellness Project podcast has been another unexpected game changer for my wellness routine. Every guest has left me with little nuggets of wisdom I’ve woven into my own life. Some of the ones that have stuck:
Brian Pennie, PhD, taught me the value of starting small. Now, each morning I take just one minute to sit with my face to the sun, breathe deeply and recall a positive memory. It’s such a simple practice, but it opens my brain to joy and sets the tone for the day. One minute feels doable – and that’s why the habit has stuck.
Rebecca Holland shared the power of the vagus nerve, and since then, I’ve been lying on the floor with my legs up the wall most evenings after putting the kids to bed. It’s a surprisingly powerful way to regulate my nervous system. Tugging gently at my ears does the same thing – and yes, I find myself doing that too.
Tara Rafter helped me understand the power of my internal voice. I find myself swapping simple sentences like “I have to put the kids to bed” with “I GET to put the kids to bed”, and the ripple effect of those swaps is immense.
Deliciously Ella inspired me to start my mornings with lemon water and always think about what I can add to my plate, rather than take away. Sophie Morris convinced me to change the bread we eat at home, as well as the soy sauce, coconut milk, and so much more.
And from facialist Agnes Gajewska, I picked up my beloved Gua Sha. It now lives in my car, and I take the opportunity at traffic lights to give myself a little facial massage (I can’t imagine what people looking in from afar must think!).
The difference all of this has made to how I feel – in my body, in my mind, in my work – is enormous. I know now that Wellness isn’t about perfection. It’s not about ticking every box. It’s about making space for the small practices that make you feel more like yourself.
The IMAGE Wellness Project is sponsored by Activia and Irish Life Health. Visit our IMAGE Wellness Project Hub to follow weekly updates including interviews, videos and podcast episodes with leading wellbeing experts.
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