Wellness Journey

As a massage therapist, I encourage my clients in their quest for wellness.  Whether it be water intake, regular exercise, diet or just finding balance in their lives, my clients were looking to me for wellness information.  A couple of years ago it dawned me – “I need to represent wellness if wellness is what I am promoting”.  I was emotionally drained, overwhelmed, overweight and living a very unbalanced life.  I was working too much, not exercising, making poor food choices and not developing friendships – I had very unhealthy habits.  I needed to evaluate where I was on my journey to wellness and get back onto the right path!

YOUR WELLNESS JOURNEY IS JUST THAT – A JOURNEY!  

 1- You are unique and complex 
Each aspect of YOU plays a role in your wellness.  Being out of balance in one area, can sabotage the progress in other areas.  Consider each area of wellness and be honest with where you are and document where you want to be.
EMOTIONS – SPIRIT – PHYSICAL – RELATIONAL

2 – One piece at time.
Prioritize the areas and address them accordingly.  If you address the physical first and find that you have unresolved emotional issues, it can greatly affect the physical aspect of a balanced life.  For example, emotional eaters have triggers that can cause unhealthy food choices.  So, until you address the emotional piece, you may have a difficult time managing the physical piece.

3 – Plan on “failing”.  Perfectionists may not even want to try or may give up as soon as they are slightly off track.  It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.  Embrace the failure.  Continue on your journey and seek refinement rather than perfection.

4 – Don’t do it alone!  Get a team together. 
Your team may include:
counselor and/or life coach –Very much like an athletic coach, a life coach will help you with goals and what it may take to reach your goals.  It takes discipline and determination to face change, so a life coach can encourage and inspire you on the journey to wellness to face the changes that you want in your life.

friends – There are all kinds of friends and it makes it very difficult when there is only one friend with the expectation to do it all!  Be intentional and reach out and be a friend first!  If you have friends or family that don’t understand your goals and try to sabotage your efforts, be aware of this and limit their access to your life and choices.

family – This can be the biggest encouragement or obstacle!  Let go of the expectation that family will always be there and that families should drop everything for each other.  This is unrealistic and can set you up for discouragement and failure in reaching your goals.  Consider broadening the definition of family to include mentors, community groups, support groups or the most trustworthy of friends.

food/fitness coach – A food/fitness coach can keep you accountable on the foods (and drinks!) you consume and why you consume them.  Instead of seeing only restrictions with food, keep everything in proportion to the needs of YOUR body.  You are unique and so are your eating and exercise habits!! Resources like Mr. O’s Nutritioncan help you build your knowledge on the fuel that is best for your body.  Your best is inside of you and and being the BEST and STRONGEST you can be is possible!!

5 – Let go.  Let go of unrealistic expectations, past hurts, disappointments and failures.  Embrace hope, thankfulness and forgiveness.

Everyone is on a wellness journey – where will your journey take you?