What is wellness?
I have been thinking about this a lot lately and I had the opportunity to share these thoughts with some of my colleagues yesterday.
In the last few months, I've lost friends and colleagues to addiction, health issues, etc. One of the biggest lessons I learned over the years that was magnified during the pandemic:
"Tomorrow is probable, but it is NOT guaranteed. Therefore we need to live our best lives today."
I'm often asked about what I do to train for my endurance races. First off, people see pictures of me on top of mountains, or at finish lines of races. So they assume that I am some super talented athlete. Frankly, I am very average. I don't win anything. I like to push myself to see what I am still capable of achieving. I just try to get better every day.
Wellness is so much more than physical health. I want to emphasize that I look at wellness from a holistic perspective addressing these four categories:
1. Physical - try to move everyday. Mix it up. lift weights, resistance training, body weight, stretching, swim, bike, run., etc. It doesn't have to be extreme, just move - every day!
I am mindful of what I put in my body for food. I try to eat clean- fresh fruits, vegetables, limit my processed foods. I am not perfect with this and have a weakness for certain foods that aren't so good for me. The cleaner the fuel, the better the engine runs.
2. Mental - Take time each day to enlarge your mental game. Learn something new, read a book, listen to a podcast, engage in stimulating conversations. I try to live in curiosity. I look for ways to grow my professional skills so I can be a better dentist. I try to be open and to enlarge my perspectives.
3. Emotional - Find ways to explore and experience your emotions to the fullest every day. Express your joy, your sadness, your gratitude, etc.
IT'S OK TO NOT BE OK. It's not ok to stuff it or ignore it when you're struggling. Ask for help - via people you trust, or seek professional help, mentorship, coaching, etc. It takes courage to ask for help, but it will pay off!
4. Spiritual -This could be religion, it could be nature, it could be work. Basically anything that gives you energy through action or intention (anything that grows your spirit).
Find your purpose and do everything you can to actively live in your purpose. Then share your purpose with the world in you own unique way.
I take time everyday to pray, to reflect, to journal - all to help me gain clarity in my life. Mindfulness practices have been much more impactful to my successes in life and have been invaluable for me especially when I am struggling.
Many of these practices are combined. I will often listen to a podcast or audiobook when I am running or biking. They all feed into each other.
These are not my original ideas. These concepts are what I actively practice on a regular basis.
Please recognize that I am far from perfect in my practices. It is part of our humanness to be imperfect. And one of the most important aspects of serenity is accepting our humanness. When I am intentionally spending time in these four areas, I am truly living my best life that day.
There is no quick fix. Consistently living intentionally in these areas form habits and change will happen over time.
A Chinese proverb comes to mind- "The best time to plant a tree? 20 years ago. The next best time to plant a tree - TODAY." We can get paralyzed by perfectionism and/or overwhelm. Small improvements, disciplined practice over time produce amazing results. Every day is a great day to start!
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