Start Your Holistic Wellness Journey Here: A Practical Guide for an Easy Start

Embarking on a wellness journey can be like taking a vacation. You don’t want to wing it. You want to plan where you're going. Here are some simple steps to get you started on your journey.

Know What You Want

What is most important to you regarding your health and wellness? Is your goal to improve your sleep or reduce stress? Lose weight or excess fat? Control blood pressure and cholesterol levels? Reduce aches and pains? Do you want to prevent or reverse chronic diseases like Diabetes or cardiovascular problems? When you focus on the outcome you desire, you’ll have a clearer path toward achieving your goals.

Know Your “Why”

Once you have a specific outcome in mind, knowing your Why will help keep you on track.

Click here to read a recent blog post It’s All in Your Why. Understanding your own personal reasons for reaching a goal will help you stay on track when obstacles arise. This is where being honest with yourself and understanding this is a lifestyle change from the inside out is important. Each of us is motivated by different outcomes. What is your Why?

Visualize

Close your eyes, take a couple of breaths and visualize what your life will look like in six months or in a year if you change nothing. How will you feel, move, look? Will you be healthy? What will you struggle with? Imagine how this makes you feel.

Now, keep your eyes closed, take a few more breaths and visualize what your life will look like six months or in a year from now when you make the changes you envision. How will your life be different? How will you move, look and feel?

Prepare for Roadblocks

Creating a healthy lifestyle is a holistic proposition, part of who you are. We’re not talking about diets or bootcamp challenges. We’re talking about creating a healthier space in which you will flourish– physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. When we realize that even in a healthy lifestyle, there will be times when there are roadblocks. Time, money, space, family, weather and anything else we can think of can all become roadblocks. Accepting that there will be roadblocks is essential for long term growth and success. There will be seasons in our lives when we need to give ourselves a little space. We may be taking care of a loved one, traveling for work, babysitting grandchildren or helping a family member or friend. Knowing there will be times when resources are limited for optimal self-care, doing our best to care for ourselves under those conditions is key. When my dad was diagnosed with multiple myeloma my mom devoted her time to care for him. Although she gave up her beloved exercise class and book club gatherings, she continued to take walks, read and enjoy her evening baths. Self-care doesn’t always have to look the same. Your exercise routine may change but continue to exercise. Your nightly ritual may change but continue to wind down. Your meals may change but continue to choose healthy foods. Consistency and flexibility will be your friend in your health and wellness journey.

Find Ways to Hold Yourself Accountable

We all have different personalities. Some of us live to hit a certain number of steps on a fitness tracker, others need a friend or coach to check in with and some of us just want to get on the scale and see that the number is going in the right direction. What makes you tick? Finding what works to keep you accountable is going to help you stay the course. I work with many clients who have been with me for years. They’re intelligent and capable individuals who know if they have to show up with me either in person or on Zoom, they will stick with a regular and consistent self-care schedule. They get results. They continue to build muscle, stay out of pain and keep themselves healthy and active. Personally, I work with a business coach, not only to work through ideas and issues, but to hold me accountable to get my tasks finished in order to move my business forward. A health coach can do the same for you. I’m a Certified Health Coach through the Integrative Institute of Nutrition. Click here to learn more about what health coaches do.

Just Start Get Started

Every journey begins with one step. If you’re feeling overwhelmed at making some big changes, start slowly. Choose one thing that will help you move in a more healthful direction and be the start of many big changes down the road. Adding an after-dinner walk, reading food labels, packing lunch instead of going through a drive through or taking the sugar and sugary creamers out of your coffee can all add up over time. The one positive change you make can create a feeling of success and optimism that can create momentum to keep you moving forward. Consistency is key. Finding a change that you can stick with will make a big difference over time.

If you know you want to make a change and you’d like some help, click here to find out more how we can work together to set you up for success.