What is YOUR one key step to Personal Wellness?
Several years ago I interviewed Dr. Lara Lauzon about how to create wellness and balance in our lives. Some of the ideas she shared with me then have stuck with me to this day.
The one that stayed with me the most was finding your one key ingredient for wellness. She suggested creating an individual wellness plan that fits in with your own unique lifestyle and interests. No one activity or change is going to work for everyone. Lara comes from a strong physical activity background so for her physical activity is a baseline for well-being. “If I am not active on a regular basis I get grumpy.”
We all have one thing that makes us well. This activity energizes us and when we are involved in it we are more motivated to take care of ourselves in other ways. When we don’t have time to do a lot to keep us well, making time for this one activity can impact all areas of our lives. We will be a better mother, son, wife, husband, employee or friend. For some people it will be physical exercise, for others gardening, music, reading or painting. What makes you well?
Well-being also includes connecting with others and asking for help when needed. Lara was raised to be very independent and had to learn that “you don’t always have to do everything by yourself. Working with others can help you stay well. If you are so independent you’re trying to do everything on your own, you can easily get burnt out.” How might you connect more with others?
Little bits of self-care along the way is a much better plan for living well then that crash course in wellness when you are so exhausted that it is difficult to even start. Wellness does not mean that you won’t ever feel stressed or tired. You’re not going to exercise and eat healthy every day. It is about embracing this as a lifestyle. We’ll always have our peaks and valleys. You may get off track, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get back on track and ensure you spend even a small amount of time on the one thing that makes you well.
The one that stayed with me the most was finding your one key ingredient for wellness. She suggested creating an individual wellness plan that fits in with your own unique lifestyle and interests. No one activity or change is going to work for everyone. Lara comes from a strong physical activity background so for her physical activity is a baseline for well-being. “If I am not active on a regular basis I get grumpy.”
We all have one thing that makes us well. This activity energizes us and when we are involved in it we are more motivated to take care of ourselves in other ways. When we don’t have time to do a lot to keep us well, making time for this one activity can impact all areas of our lives. We will be a better mother, son, wife, husband, employee or friend. For some people it will be physical exercise, for others gardening, music, reading or painting. What makes you well?
Well-being also includes connecting with others and asking for help when needed. Lara was raised to be very independent and had to learn that “you don’t always have to do everything by yourself. Working with others can help you stay well. If you are so independent you’re trying to do everything on your own, you can easily get burnt out.” How might you connect more with others?
Little bits of self-care along the way is a much better plan for living well then that crash course in wellness when you are so exhausted that it is difficult to even start. Wellness does not mean that you won’t ever feel stressed or tired. You’re not going to exercise and eat healthy every day. It is about embracing this as a lifestyle. We’ll always have our peaks and valleys. You may get off track, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get back on track and ensure you spend even a small amount of time on the one thing that makes you well.
Posted by Barb Small at 6/30/2010 11:11 AM 
Categories: HEALTH, Wellness, Stress Management, Motivation, Balance, chronic illness, Making Changes
Tags: stress management Wellness Health managing change self-esteem Balance
Categories: HEALTH, Wellness, Stress Management, Motivation, Balance, chronic illness, Making Changes
Tags: stress management Wellness Health managing change self-esteem Balance
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