How do you define your Wellness? How does it show up in your life currently? About 15 years ago, I ask myself these questions many times. When I was in my early thirties, I watched my body, my health, my emotions and my sense of “self” slip away. I did not know what it felt like to wake up with a purpose and the will to move forward. I wanted to get a handle on my life and find a better way of living, one that would enhance the quality of my life as I aged.

After researching, soul searching, educating and defining what was important to me, I’ve come to believe that incorporating wellness habits into your life on a daily basis is the key. I recognize that wellness is unique to each person; it encompasses every aspect of your life and requires work, determination and commitment to bring about change. The change needed to bring balance and harmony to your life. This means wellness is a choice. What an enlightening discovery, I thought. Once I realized that it was a choice, I found a way to tap into my “self “strength and saw a time of change as an opportunity to be a better me.

Wellness is a choice. It requires that you do something everyday to honor your body, mind and spirit. Achieving wellness means taking control and directing your life where you want it to go. It means you are in command of all aspects of your life: physical, career, relationships, finances, spiritual, environment and emotional well-being. As you know, this is easier said than done. I’ve been a wellness coach for several years and find the denial of self-improvement and the lack of effort to achieve wellness, especially for those over the age of 30, dangerous.

The dictionary definition of wellness is: “The state of optimal well-being, not simply the absence of illness, but an improved quality of life resulting from enhanced physical, mental, and spiritual health”.

Many people are not willing to do the work to achieve wellness and go into denial about how well they really are. After a while they find comfort within their denial and use it as a coping strategy to avoid bigger problems. They will continue avoiding small problems until a major crisis develops, and sometimes even then it doesn’t trigger any action. The areas of life someone thinks about in the privacy of his or her heart (or alone in the dark) are exactly the areas that need to be honored–the mind, body and spirit.

Some reasons why adults don’t incorporate wellness activities into their daily lives include lack of time, effort, desire and commitment. I was talking to a client of mine the other day and he told me a co-worker had challenged him to run in a race. My client has been a heavy smoker for years and has not been physically active. I asked him how he planned on running the entire distance. He then told me about what a great runner he was in high school — more than twenty years ago. I explained to him that he had become very comfortable with denial about his health and wellness, and that I needed him to accept the truth about his overall well-being. We then set some goals to get him through a race at a later time, which included kicking the smoking habit as a first step.

The main thing you should do is put yourself at the top of your priority list. Wellness is important, especially over 30, because getting older brings with it an abundance of new metabolic, physical, physiological, emotional and mental challenges. And while change can be unsettling, this time of change can also be viewed as an opportunity to get the most out of life.

Here are some suggestions to help you start creating a life that honors your well-being:

1. Be honest about how well you really are. Realistically look at the areas of your life: physical, career, relationships, finances, spiritual, environment and emotional well-being. Identify the area(s) that need improvement. Set goals to achieve desired results one step at a time. Buy a journal to track your activity.

2. Assess your readiness for change and willingness to embrace it. Identify and write down the benefits of wellness to your life and your willingness to make the necessary changes. Remember: every move, forward or back, is part of the normal process of change.

3. Identify and eliminate barriers and challenges that could impede your success. There are always barriers to overcome as we move toward our goals. Select one barrier to work on at time. For every negative message you encounter, turn it into a positive one. For example,”I don’t have enough time” can turn into “everything that needs to be done will get done”. Learning to replace the negative messages with positive ones is a matter of establishing new habits. It takes time and practice.

4. Set clearly defined and measurable wellness goals. Create fun and interesting ways to fulfill your goals. For example, to be more physically active at work, you may want to take a two-minute walk every hour around your work environment. Break your goals down into small, incremental steps.

5. Create meaningful wellness priorities. Take a closer look at how you spend your time on an average day. Record your daily activity. Find opportunities for wellness activities you might not have known existed and incorporate them into your daily life. 6. Challenge your wellness changes and strive to achieve even more. Make simple changes first and then take a look at the things that are harder and that will require the most change to achieve your desired results. Tackle them one at a time. 7. Design and refine your goals so you’ll get the most out of them everyday. If you don’t get the results you want in a reasonable amount of time, go back to the “drawing board.” Re-design and refine your goals to fit what works for you. You may even want to get some professional help. 8. Make lasting changes to your lifestyle. Identify and celebrate your accomplishments. Reward yourself! Review your favorite activities. Try new activities to renew your motivation.

The pace of today’s world is so fast that we expect quick solutions to everything. If results are not immediate we’re quick to quit. However, the long-term results that extend our lives are well worth the time, work and effort that we put into taking care of ourselves.

Write down two wellness habits that you create next week. Practice your new habits everyday for the next 30 days and email me your successes at Diane@LifeAccelerated.com.

Keywords: life coach,fitness,health,self care,habits, women, boomers,wellness coach, lifestyle coach, personal development, motivational,busy women, family

About the Author
Diane Randall
Life Accelerated’s Wellness Insider
diane@lifeaccelerated.com
More Details about wellness coach here. Diane Randall, Certified Wellness Coach, Writer and Author of Wellness Now! Your 90-Day Plan to Bring Value, Purpose and Wellness to Your Life. She presents workshops and speaks on Wellness, Lifestyle and Career Transition.

apples

Protects your heart

prevents constipation

Blocks diarrhea

Improves lung capacity

Cushions joints

apricots

Combats cancer

Controls blood pressure

Saves your eyesight

Shields against Alzheimer’s

Slows aging process

artichokes

Aids digestion

Lowers cholesterol

Protects your heart

Stabilizes blood sugar

Guards against liver disease

avocados

Battles diabetes

Lowers cholesterol

Helps stops strokes

Controls blood pressure

Smoothes skin

bananas

Protects your heart

Quiets a cough

Strengthens bones

Controls blood pressure

Blocks diarrhea

beans

Prevents constipation

Helps hemorrhoids

Lowers cholesterol

Combats cancer

Stabilizes blood sugar

beets

Controls blood pressure

Combats cancer

Strengthens bones

Protects your heart

Aids weight loss

blueberries

Combats cancer

Protects your heart

Stabilizes blood sugar

Boosts memory

Prevents constipation

broccoli

Strengthens bones

Saves eyesight

Combats cancer

Protects your heart

Controls blood pressure

cabbage

Combats cancer

Prevents constipation

Promotes weight loss

Protects your heart

Helps hemorrhoids

cantaloupe

Saves eyesight

Controls blood pressure

Lowers cholesterol

Combats cancer

Supports immune system

carrots

Saves eyesight

Protects your heart

Prevents constipation

Combats cancer

Promotes weight loss

cauliflower

Protects against Prostate Cancer

Combats Breast Cancer

Strengthens bones

Banishes bruises

Guards against heart disease

cherries

Protects your heart

Combats Cancer

Ends insomnia

Slows aging process

Shields against Alzheimer’s

chestnuts

Promotes weight loss

Protects your heart

Lowers cholesterol

Combats Cancer

Controls blood pressure

chili peppers

Aids digestion

Soothes sore throat

Clears sinuses

Combats Cancer

Boosts immune system

figs

Promotes weight loss

Helps stops strokes

Lowers cholesterol

Combats Cancer

Controls blood pressure

fish

Protects your heart

Boosts memory

Protects your heart

Combats Cancer

Supports immune system

flax

Aids digestion

Battles diabetes

Protects your heart

Improves mental health

Boosts immune system

garlic

Lowers cholesterol

Controls blood pressure

Combats cancer

kills bacteria

Fights fungus

grapefruit

Protects against heart attacks

Promotes Weight loss

Helps stops strokes

Combats Prostate Cancer

Lowers cholesterol

grapes

saves eyesight

Conquers kidney stones

Combats cancer

Enhances blood flow

Protects your heart

green tea

Combats cancer

Protects your heart

Helps stops strokes

Promotes Weight loss

Kills bacteria

honey

Heals wounds

Aids digestion

Guards against ulcers

Increases energy

Fights allergies

lemons

Combats cancer

Protects your heart

Controls blood pressure

Smoothes skin

Stops scurvy

limes

Combats cancer

Protects your heart

Controls blood pressure

Smoothes skin

Stops scurvy

mangoes

Combats cancer

Boosts memory

Regulates thyroid

aids digestion

Shields against Alzheimer’s

mushrooms

Controls blood pressure

Lowers cholesterol

Kills bacteria

Combats cancer

Strengthens bones

oats

Lowers cholesterol

Combats cancer

Battles diabetes

prevents constipation

Smoothes skin

olive oil

Protects your heart

Promotes Weight loss

Combats cancer

Battles diabetes

Smoothes skin

onions

Reduce risk of heart attack

Combats cancer

Kills bacteria

Lowers cholesterol

Fights fungus

oranges

Supports immune systems

Combats cancer

Protects your heart

Straightens respiration

peaches

prevents constipation

Combats cancer

Helps stops strokes

aids digestion

Helps hemorrhoids

peanuts

Protects against heart disease

Promotes Weight loss

Combats Prostate Cancer

Lowers cholesterol

Aggravates

diverticulitis

pineapple

Strengthens bones

Relieves colds

Aids digestion

Dissolves warts

Blocks diarrhea

prunes

Slows aging process

prevents constipation

boosts memory

Lowers cholesterol

Protects against heart disease

rice

Protects your heart

Battles diabetes

Conquers kidney stones

Combats cancer

Helps stops strokes

strawberries

Combats cancer

Protects your heart

boosts memory

Calms stress

sweet potatoes

Saves your eyesight

Lifts mood

Combats cancer

Strengthens bones

tomatoes

Protects prostate

Combats cancer

Lowers cholesterol

Protects your heart

walnuts

Lowers cholesterol

Combats cancer

boosts memory

Lifts mood

Protects against heart disease

water

Promotes Weight loss

Combats cancer

Conquers kidney stones

Smoothes skin

watermelon

Protects prostate

Promotes Weight loss

Lowers cholesterol

Helps stops strokes

Controls blood pressure

wheat germ

Combats Colon Cancer

prevents constipation

Lowers cholesterol

Helps stops strokes

improves digestion

wheat bran

Combats Colon Cancer

prevents constipation

Lowers cholesterol

Helps stops strokes

improves digestion

yogurt

Guards against ulcers

Strengthens bones

Lowers cholesterol

Supports immune systems

Aids digestion