really, what is wellness?
Wellness. Such a broad term with an even broader scope for personal interpretation. After a recent conversation with my own husband and bestie, we started to toss around the idea of what wellness truly means. And the truth is, it probably means different things to different people at different stages in their lives. Wellness, is not an isolated area of one’s life, it occurs when all of the components make up happy, healthy and most importantly, balanced parts to make a person feel whole. A whole heart. A whole soul. A whole physical body. A whole being. A whole feeling of joyous fulfillment and zest for life.
If you were asked to list what comprises wellness for you, what would that list look like? Maybe…. it would include nutrition, exercise, sleep, water intake, vitamins, meditation, regular checkups, etc., but I’ve come to learn in my almost 46 years that wellness is more than that. Wellness absolutely consists of all those wonderfully juicy components that fuel our bodies and minds. But, there are others aspects unique to each individual and their lives as well.
We often refer to this buzz word of, “self-care,” when discussing wellness. Well, how does one need to care specifically for themselves? Truth be told, for me, I need complete moderation in life. That helps keep my homeostasis in check and is an obtainable and sustainable practice for me. It doesn’t feel restricting nor depriving. So, maybe, just maybe, if we look at other parts of our lives, we can really make it a priority and build a wellness practice of self-care that sticks…and also makes us feel really happy and indulgent in the process.
Maybe wellness for that mom of three includes, going to Target and walking around the aisles for two hours all by herself. Maybe wellness for that recent retiree, is trading that early morning train commute they did for 30 years for fishing at the lake. Maybe for that hard working teacher, it’s reading a book just for pleasure. Maybe for others, it’s sitting in the car from said Target run and singing 90’s hip-hop at the top of their lungs. Maybe it’s having dinner with friends, or having a vent sesh with the other moms over coffee. Maybe it’s finding the lowest prices on groceries so you can save the extra money for something special. Maybe it’s going to that yoga class by yourself, not because you want to perfect your poses, but because you want to sit in child’s pose for an hour. Maybe it’s travel. Or cooking dinner for your family. Maybe its FaceTiming your girlfriends to pick their brains or maybe it’s going to therapy for the first time to find peace with situations you long avoided. Maybe it’s dancing in the rain with your kids. Or, waking up early and stealing their Fruit Loops while watching YOUR favorite morning program. Maybe it’s carving out time to have crazy, teenage sex with your spouse outdoors. Maybe wellness is ending a relationship that just isn’t working anymore, no matter how much work you put into it. Maybe it’s about finally recognizing it’s time to take care of you in this next chapter of your life. Maybe it’s reconnecting to the spiritual side of yourself. Maybe its journaling or discovering astrology or maybe it’s just sitting still, in silence, uninterrupted.
Point being, there are so many things that constitute what we consider wellness. It shouldn’t be about just wanting to look and feel good on the outside, but also on the inside. Everything comes from the inside out. And all of the areas of our life have a direct effect on one another. They are all pieces of a puzzle that work harmoniously to fit together. When one is out of alignment, our universe can feel rocked. Remember, wellness is a beautiful balancing act. And it’s OK for that balance to be out of balance sometimes too. It keeps us growing and evolving until we are back in sync. But, what feeds your soul, heals your heart, makes you belly laugh, calms your mind and how we nurture ourselves is essential. It’s then when we usually feel at our best and can go on to nurture the relationships and other areas in our lives with a clear mind and joyous heart.
live well. like, really well.
much love + light,
jess