Getting Your Wellness Started
You're ready to adopt a healthier lifestyle, but you don't know where to start. Here are 3 steps to help you on your way.
Beginning a health and wellness journey is very much like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” type of experience. There are many twists and turns, things aren’t always what they seem, there will be setbacks and other pesky obstacles, but nonetheless, you will prevail! You’ll make it through the tough times because you can. It’s that simple. You are more resilient than you think. It’s going to be a lot of work, but that’s OK, work can also be very rewarding, pleasurable and satisfying.
Making changes, lasting changes, isn’t easy and it’s not an-overnight- quick-fix-kinda-thing. It takes time, effort, trial and error, consistency, commitment, sacrifice and more.
It really is a lifelong journey, the practice of wellness, and is precisely why you need let go of the ending and focus on the process and the experience that you’re having with wellness instead.
The idea isn’t to just check wellness off the to-do list and get it done. It needs to be more thoughtful and more integrative than that. It needs to be for you. Not your list (ego) or other people (externally motivated). Wellness starts with you and more specifically, it starts within you. You’re in charge of your life, not your to-do list or anyone else.
Before I get to the 3 basic steps to get you started on your path, I wanted to share a few other tips that might also help you on your way. I have found these things crucial on my path, I think you’ll find them useful too:
Try to find silver lining, if you can’t, just trust that it’s there, you just can’t see it yet.
Embrace moments of joy.
Have a good sense of humor.
Play with your perspective and stretch your mind.
Strive for balance, not perfection.
Embrace the work. It is a steady effort, that is the truth, so just own that and move on.
Just like anything, it gets easier with time and experience.
Keep your eyes on your own page - what works for others doesn’t have to work for you.
Choose curiosity over criticism.
Get comfortable making decisions for yourself.
Know that you can always pivot your path.
Now, let’s get you started. There is no better time than now to care about your health and wellness so let’s do it!! Get excited, this is your life!!
Step 1: Assess the situation.
The very first step that everyone should take is to assess their current situation. Be honest with yourself, no use in fudging the information, it will only throw a wrench in your path. This is for you, it’s not for anyone else, so don’t worry about judgment. Be free! Take the time to get an accurate picture of what your life looks like right now in terms of wellness. Think of this part as more of an observation, a time to get a clear picture of what’s going on so that you can make edits based on educated choices. It’s crucial to recognize you’re environment before you alter it.
Things to look at:
Daily routine — What does it look like? Do you have one?
Eating habits — Time of day, number of meals, where do you eat, eat fast/slow, chew enough, etc.
Food journal — at least 5 days worth, a couple weekdays and the weekend at the bare minimum. If you can do it for two weeks, even better.
Sleep habits — what is the quality of your sleep?
Bowel movements - regular/irregular, shape, consistency, etc.
Any aches or pains, make note
Any other issues that stand out, think gas, bloating, headaches, acne, rashes, digestive issues, trouble with sleep, sore joints, etc.
Career — are you happy?
Relationships — with friends, family, coworkers, classmates, peers, etc., are they fulfilling or draining?
Finances — assess the situation, how are you looking?
Spirituality — What does that mean to you? When do you feel most spiritually connected? How do you support your spirituality? Religion is one vehicle towards spirituality, but it’s not the only one. There are plenty of ways to discover your interior landscape.
Step 2: Prepare for your adventure.
There are endless route options that you can take when it comes to wellness so I know it can be overwhelming, but it’s so important you take the time (and if you can’t do it on your own, this is where a health coach comes in) to create a plan of action and choose your adventure wisely.
And by take your time I don’t mean this should take 6 months and be used as another form of procrastination, I just mean you should be thoughtful about it and take the time to actually sit down and critically think about the topic.
Before I give you a list of things to consider, I want to share a couple common mistakes that I see people make all too often. These mistakes negatively impact the long term success of adopting lasting healthy habits. The path will be bumpy, but I’d like to help you manage, prepare for, and even eliminate some of those bumps by sharing my experience with you — both personal and observed.
Don’t adopt any single diet (unless a professional/expert has suggested it). We’re all individuals, health + wellness are not one size fits all, plus, it’s more fun to have options rather than being stuck in a box. Remember, you’re choosing your own path.
Don’t over do it. I get that we all get excited and want to “hit it hard” and go to the gym “5 days a week starting Monday!”, but for the most part, that’s a bad plan. You’ll burn out and feel defeated or like you “failed” again, even worse you’ll validate the idea “it doesn’t work for me” and ultimately make wellness this on again off again contentious relationship that’s ultimately draining and burdensome. Who wants that?
So where should you start? Decide where you need the most support. You can find that answer by completing step 1. Based on your observations in step 1, what area needs the most care? Make that your emphasis and priority, you’re starting off point.
Next, consider how you can improve in that area. What types of things would help you? Begin brainstorming ideas - let your wheels turn, google things, call friends or family members in wellness and get a little nudge in the right direction.
You’re almost ready now, but you still have a little more planning to do. You can think of this part as getting your tools and supplies ready for your journey.
Before you’d head out on a big trek, you’d asses the situation and make a plan accordingly, right? You’d consider things like — What will I need? What do I have already? What will the terrain be like? How much can I carry in my backpack? — The same thing applies here. What tools and resources do you have at your disposal? What is your budget? Your availability? There is nothing worse than being underprepared or over prepared, trying to lug around a pack that’s quite frankly to heavy for you to carry.
Consider the following things as they pertain to your area of emphasis as discovered in step 1 when choosing your plan of action:
Budget — How much money a month can you allocate to wellness?
Your schedule — Work schedule and other mandatory commitments need to be the first things that get placed on the calendar and then you fill in from there.
Areas of Interest — What wellness services and practices interest you? Starting with things that interest you is a really good idea. If you are super new and have no idea and even this feels overwhelming, this is where “Build a Network” comes in from my first post. You need to phone a friend or find a Health + Wellness Coach to help you.
Availability and Accessibility — What are the offerings in your neighborhood? Any gyms, parks, tennis courts, pools, tracks, yoga studios, etc., near by? Try to choose things that are most convenient and in close proximity to either your place of work or home.
Locate the closest grocery stores to your home, school, place of work, or anywhere else you spend the bulk of your time.
Inquire about any farmers markets in your area.
Research licensed doctors in your area including, but not limited to dentist, general practitioner, physical therapist, psychologist, naturopath, dermatologist, acupuncturist, etc.
Research non-doctor practitioners such as massage therapists, meditation coach, financial coach, health coach, nutritionist, etc.
Step 3: Make a choice to begin.
You’ve observed and assessed the situation, you’ve researched and gathered resources and information, now it’s time to make a choice and start. Don’t overthink it, it’s not the first choice or the last choice you’re going to make and you can always pivot (we’ll discuss that later). Now, you just need to take the first step. Stick to your area of focus and start there. And remember to have fun and to enjoy the ride! Life is meant to be lived joyfully so enjoy the adventure you are about to embark on!
Things to consider for a successful start:
Keep it simple and remember, don’t overpack. It’s easy to overthink this part, but you can always pivot your path at any point in time so there is no use in over thinking or worrying about making a wrong/right choice. Which brings me to the next point…
There are no wrong choices so just make a choice and start. This is just the beginning, you’ll have plenty of time to make changes and choose different paths, but you can only do that if you actually start.
Make small changes that attainable and sustainable. Small changes are easier to accomplish giving you that positive momentum you need in the beginning. Avoid drastic measures if you can, remember overpacking can sometimes ruin your trek.
Pick 1 or 2 new habits, not 15. If mental health was your area of focus maybe you start by making an appointment with a psychologist or therapist and look into a free meditation app. Once you find an app, start with two, 3-5 minute, meditations per week. Or you can keep it even more simple and begin with a 4 count breath pattern and do that a few times a week when your stress/anxiety/depression/impatience level elevates.
Only add on when you have a good handle of the first few new habits. When I say keep it simple, I mean that. It doesn’t mean you mediate for one week and then it’s time to add on more. Try to let the new habit sink in a bit, become more natural and routine. That’s when you’re ready to add more.
Good Luck!! I hope this article helps you on your way! As always, message me with questions and I’d love to hear your comments!
XO - Vas
