Wellness is a new buzzword. But what is it and when do we experience it?
Before I was well I weighed 100 pounds. I worked out daily, attended awesome parties, often every night of the week.
Before wellness I was often tired and unhappy but oh, was I healthy. I controlled my weight, appearance and circumstances with a death grip. Sure, I had plenty of invites, partied, and ran around like crazy. But I was all the time doing things to fill a hole and void. No wonder I felt overwhelmed. I was healthy, for damn sure, but I wasn't happy or well.
I want to be clear that everyone's got the potential for wellness. Everyone. And everyone's path there is completely unique.
It's like we've got our own swirly wellness blueprint encoded in our life experience like our thumbs' DNA.
I say this because my path is rather monk-like. So don't get turned off if my path to wellness sounds like hell to you. It probably would be. It sure isn't the only way. If it sounds awful then this way probably isn't yours!
My path involved trading partying for meditating. Sometimes. And then more and more often. It required spending time alone and liking it. Going on 10 day silent retreats to watch the process of my mind. Being clear about what made me happy and doing it. Unapologetically.
Though some of my friends didn't get it I started to fade out of the constant party scene. I'd turn down the third glass of wine but say "yes" to some healthy fats and an occasional cookie. I kept working out but not as fanatically, trading some runs for walks where I slowed down to see the flowers I was passing in the streets rather than whizzing by. I was often reflecting and writing. I prioritized keeping positive and uplifting company.
Everyone's journey to wellness is going to be essentially different and fit their own unique nature.
All of a sudden for me, after a few months of this, I became aware of a deep level of energy, joy, passion, zeal for life. Even bliss. I had never felt this way before. I was no longer just healthy. I was truly well.
The World Health Organization defines wellness as "... a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
Wellness is often used to refer to an overall sense of harmony in mind, body and spirit that contributes to a feeling of well-being. The term was first popularized by Halbert L. Dunn, M.D., who used the phrase high level wellness in the 1950s.
In my experience, wellness isn't something that just happens once and you're done. Though once it happens it's easier to cultivate. I maintain a strong, clear, and you bet, enjoyable self care practice to keep wellness flowing as my baseline M.O.
I think a lot about my own, my families friends and clients most optimum state. I explore what leads them to their own Highest Level of functioning. Since wellness is a conscious, evolving process of reaching our fullest potentials it is an ever-changing process.
Wellness practitioners directly engage this process. We get you to health. But thats just the beginning.
We go far beyond that and decode the sometimes hidden, swirly, nonlinear, super individual road-map of wellness for each person. We are experts at reading signs. At cracking the code on what wellness is exactly for you. We support people in walking the path to their fully actualized selves.
Sure, some of us are a little "woo woo."
But do we work? You betcha.
Yes, people like me, wellness practitioners, might use words like "soul evolution," "purpose," "spirit" and "highest being" every day. And yes, we absolutely mean them. If I'm any example we experience these things constantly.
We work with clients on far more than just health. We work on harmony and even enlightenment.
Good wellness practitioners don't ignore trauma and suffering. In my experience, we are able to work with oppression, suffering, injustice and their effects on the soul often even faster to bust through blocks and heal than more traditional methods.
For many of us, a destiny and desire to support others achieve their unique wellness is part of our own evolution and contribute to our sense of fulfillment and happiness.
I'm committing to my own wellness manifesto: to living, feeling and sharing wellness daily. I take this way of life and calling seriously. Ask me how I am doing:
"I'm well, thank you." I'll reply.
And I'll mean it.
I'm in my highest integrity when I'm being well daily and holding that possibility out for others.
So here are a few wellness questions for reflection:
Where's our wellness at now?
What was life like before we were well?
Or if we aren't yet... What will it be like when we are?
When did we first experience wellness, and if we haven't yet what are we going to do to get there?
Who might help us on our path?
What is our heart calling for us to do?
Let's get clear about how well we will feel and how we'll journey there.
When we are ready to commit to ourselves and our wellness we'll know and the bliss will follow.
Wishing you infinite wellness and beyond.
