Overcoming 5 roadblocks to WELLNESS
There is no denying it. If one aspect of our life is lagging, other aspects of our life suffer.
If you’re wealthy but don’t exercise, you may experience heart disease or depression. If you are fit but waste money, financial stress may cause you to experience higher cortisol levels and anxiety. Maybe you eat well, work out and save your money, but you lack close relationships because work, a hobby or exercise dominates your life, leaving little time for friends and relaxation.
We must attend to all areas of our lives or down the road, we will feel the pain.
Achieving the perfect balance in life is impossible. Our bio-individuality leads to different needs. But we should all aim for harmony in our lives. My idea of financial freedom is likely different from your concept of what that means. Perhaps,
you earn more than I do, yet you may feel less financially secure than I do. What feels balanced for one person may feel out of whack for another. You can achieve a happier and healthier wellness lifestyle by breaking the following barriers and addressing each aspect of your life with a little effort. Try the following to begin a more well-rounded wellness lifestyle.
1 Write out detailed goals in all areas of your life! If you don’t take the time to do this, you will be left feeling that “things are not good enough,” or “this is not working.” Write out your weekly, monthly and yearly goals for your physical health, nutritional health, occupational health, financial health and emotional/spiritual health. Be sure these are your goals and not society’s expectations. This takes some upfront time, but you will be thankful for it.
2 Break the “no time to work out” barrier! I hear this complaint from on-the-go moms and business executives. You have the time! Stop thinking that you need a gym to work out. You can work out in your office, at your kid’s soccer practice, on your breaks at work, and even try having walking meetings. Be creative. Add movement to your day.
3 Prep your meals! Complaints range from not knowing what to eat to boredom from eating the same foods. If you can, take 35 minutes on Sunday night to prep five to 10 meals for your week. If your menu bores you, sign up for a healthy home delivery system. They can deliver all the fresh ingredients to your doorstep with instructions on how to cook the meal.
4 Save your money and stop wasting it eating out! Perhaps you’re feeling a financial squeeze and gaining weight. Have you considered that the two may be connected? Every time you eat out, you pay a premium to have someone else make your food, perhaps using unhealthy ingredients. And, it costs you time. (Try replacing the time you wait in lines at drive-thrus and take the time to shop for healthy foods.)
5 Make time for a hobby with friends or family! You will be thankful you did. Combining a fun hobby with those you love to be around can be a win-win. It is important to take time for our relationships and hobbies.
We must all address each area of our lives with mindfulness every day. Stop cutting corners in areas of your life that are important to your overall well-being.
What areas do you need a little work on? The first step is to be aware of where you need to put in a little work.
Use the Happy-Whole-You Daily Matrix to see if you are addressing these areas every day (email info@ happywholeyou.com for a copy).
Anna Marie Frank is a brain health expert, a worksite wellness specialist, published author, lecturer, business owner and mother of two thriving children. Follow her @HappyWholeYou on Instagram and Facebook for information on how you can become your best self.