“Good health is not something we can buy. However, it can be an extremely valuable savings account.” – Anne Wilson Schaef
Once again, we are at the cusp of bidding goodbye to the year …
…getting set to welcome New Year with open hearts!
Sounds exciting? Indeed! We all look forward to the New Year with a lot of hope that it will add to our joys. If we had a difficult year, then even more. We keep hoping that the new year brings a lot of peace, happiness, health, and wealth. To enjoy all these, we need to have good health, as goes the saying: Health is Wealth!
Here I am referring to overall well-being, hence we must set some wellness goals for ourselves. We make it a critical component of our New Year resolution, not just on paper but in letter and spirit.
It is very important to understand, what wellness is all about. Does it ring a bell when we say wellness?
Let me illustrate what we mean by wellness.
Wellness is the act of practising healthy habits daily to attain better physical and mental health outcomes so that instead of just surviving, you are thriving.
Now that you know what is wellness, you would like to know why is wellness important.
Physical wellness promotes proper care of our bodies for optimal health and functioning. There are many elements of physical wellness that all must be cared for together. Overall physical wellness encourages the balance of physical activity, nutrition, and mental well-being to keep your body in top condition.
Wellness is primarily being in good physical and mental health. Because mental health and physical health are so closely linked, problems in one area can impact the other. At the same time, improving your physical health can also benefit your mental health and other life domains, and vice versa. It is important to be aware that wellness is an intentional, ongoing, and holistic approach to making healthy choices in some major areas of life functioning.
“To ensure good health: eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life.”
When the pandemic of the century struck in 2019 – Covid 19, we came to know the importance of wellness. It became super critical that we take care of our physical, mental, and spiritual health. To be in good shape is the road to a bright future. Had we not been in good shape during that time, COVID-19 would have overtaken our lives.
“Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind, and spirit.”
Not only this, the pandemic has taught us many important life lessons and not taking our health for granted is one of those. Another valuable lesson learned is the importance of cleanliness and hygiene in our lives. Besides, how important it is to have an effective immune system.
“To ensure good health: eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life.”
Not only this, the pandemic has brought to the fore how our physical bodies carry not just general stress, but traumatic stress. Increased fatigue, difficulty sleeping, tension headaches, and body aches are all common signs that we may be carrying traumatic adjustment stress or post-COVID-19-related stress. The diversity among us means that we may feel different things differently in our bodies than people we know.
Now that you are set to welcome New Year armed with a resolution to enhance your wellness quotient, you can start by trying new types of physical activities that you have never tried before, or maybe something that you have always wanted to try but just have not had the time. If you are a runner, maybe consider interspersing it with walking. If you are a walker, maybe consider listening to a meditation as you walk. If you do neither, consider incorporating gentle stretches while studying. Having positive and curious conversations with family and friends about their physical wellness may prompt new ways to consider strategies for ourselves.
“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.” – Joseph Pilates.
As I say all the above, it is not advisable to set very high goals, you can start by following small goals. Aiming too high may have adverse effects on your body and mind.
When we decide we are ready to make the change, we can sometimes get a little ahead of ourselves and aim too big like many of us do. When we fail to live up to our lofty standards it can take the wind out of our motivational sails. Instead, start small. Your goals should help you grow and stretch while still being attainable. Think of yourself as a startup. You need some time to ramp up and develop your stamina before you can go big.
If you have never swam a day in your life outside of the shallow end, it is not wise to throw on your Speedo and head right out on a six-mile-deep water swim with your triathlon-training friend. If by some miracle you do not drown, your body and ego will both be sore the next day. It makes more sense to start by getting your feet wet. Then increase your exertion and ramp up the distance as you gain strength and stamina.
Obtaining an optimal level of physical wellness allows you to nurture personal responsibility for your health.
This way you will be able to achieve your wellness goals and become HappyHo.
