Wellness is a word we hear thrown around a lot in today’s media. We hear about meditation and mindfulness being good for our wellness, clean eating, diet changes, and more. But what does all this “wellness” talk really mean?
Wellness is more than a goal. It’s a state of being and a lifestyle. Let’s look at what beginning a quest for wellness means, how you can take those first steps, and what lifestyle changes to maintain to stay healthy, happy, and in control of your well-being.
What is a Quest for Wellness?
Many times, when we think of wellness we think of beautiful, fit models with six-packs and perfect hair. While this might be one definition of wellness, a quest for wellness seeks to make changes for optimum mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Living a life of wellness actually centers around your mental perspective and while making lifestyle changes will help you head in the right direction, your quest for wellness should start from within.
Jill Conyers, author of The Quest for Ultimate Health & Wellness and How to Begin says that “A health and wellness oriented lifestyle is nourishment for the body, mind and soul that is incorporated into healthy habits and choices part of your daily routines. You do not need to completely overhaul your entire life all at once. These changes can be made gradually.”
Let’s break that statement down into actionable parts:
Most importantly, your quest for wellness doesn’t need to be an immediate shift. Small, gradual changes and habits will make all the difference.
Now that we understand what a quest for wellness is, let’s look at how to start.
Steps Toward Wellness
As mentioned, starting your quest for wellness doesn’t have to include major life changes. By looking at your life introspectively and seeing opportunities, you can grow as a person, friend, and loved one. Let’s look at small, everyday changes you can approach in your quest.
Diet Changes
It may be cliche, but we really are what we eat and when we put good things in our body, we feel good. Our bodies are finely-tuned machines and when we fuel them properly, we reap the benefits.
Our culture is centered around fast food, quick fixes, and magic pills. But the best thing you can do for your health is eat clean, healthy food consistently (with a few splurges here and there). Below are some easy ways to eat healthier with little to no effort:
Exercise
In taking care of your physical self, you will need to be active. But, that doesn’t mean you have to intimidate yourself with a large gym or start lifting as heavy as you can. There are many small ways to be active in your day that you might not even realize. Here are a few:
Once you master incorporating small activities into your day, step it up and try to get a half hour of exercise 5 days a week. These workouts will increase your stamina, lower your resting heart rate, increase your heart’s efficiencies, and maybe even help you lose a little weight!
Detox
Whether it’s drinks, drugs, or desserts, we all have our vices. But luckily, our bodies are great at detoxing themselves to rid these toxins from our systems. But if your body needs a little more help or you’re showing some of the signs that you need a detox, check out these options:
Mindfulness
As mentioned earlier, your mindset is often the most important step in your quest for wellness. You need to learn how to set yourself up for success, know that what you’re doing matters, and understand the importance of taking care of your mental health. To get started:
Starting a quest for wellness is exciting and with productive thinking and healthy life choices, you can enjoy increased emotional, physical, and mental health.
Misty Jhones