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'Include'

Jessica Jesse

The following was written by: Renee Moorefield, PhD on December 30, 2019

“As you include more of yourself in your wellness journey, you will discover a deeper level of joy, wellbeing, and purpose.” - Jeffrey Abramson, Partner, The Tower Companies

As a wellness leader, you’ve been thinking about how to take better care of yourself while helping your family and colleagues be healthier too. You may have completed the Wellness Moonshot “Are you a Wellness Leader” Quiz to help you understand how you are empowering wellness for yourself and others—and where you have opportunities to grow. You may have also come to appreciate that every change worth making starts first from within.

Still, you may be stumped by how to fully embrace wellness at work, at home, in your community, and most of all, within your own life. And there is a lot to think about.

Collectively we are in a wellbeing crisis. The systems shaping how we live and work are too often designed for unwellness rather than the vitality and development of human beings. According to Gallup’s 2019 Global State of Emotions Report, people across the world are more frightened, angry and sad than ever. One-third of the planet’s population is stressed, worried and in pain. Plus, unhealthy gaps in how we sleep, eat, hydrate and move all contribute to costly and frequently debilitating lifestyle illnesses such as Type-2 diabetes and heart disease. In addition, these gaps lead to mental health challenges, such as depression and anxiety, and burnout at work and at home.

We can all agree that now is the time to include more wellness in our lives. But where—and how—do you begin?

Include All of Yourself in the Wellness Journey

In January, you made the commitment to become a wellness leader. To find greater joy and success on your wellness journey it is important to include all aspects of your life.

Take these five steps to explore your wellness—and envision what you want it to be.

Step One: Start Where you are

Do an honest inventory of your life today. Pay attention to what’s happening in all areas. Be holistic—include emotional, social, financial, vocational, physical, intellectual, spiritual and environmental dimensions. Ask yourself, “At this phase of my life, which dimensions am I caring for and which need more attention?” Freeform how you do this personal inventory or use the ideas offered here, here, here and here to assist you. There are no right answers to this exploration; if any self-judgment appears, strive to replace it with self-compassion.

Once you’re done, take a step back to consider a deeper truth: Everything about your life, including the light and the dark, has helped shape you. Like steel forged in fire, your innate strengths, shortcomings, challenges, history, experiences, and values have forged who you believe you are. And beneath that belief is something profound: a unique and multifaceted human being. You.

Step Two: Remember, You Are Unique

The marvelous fact? There is, quite literally, no one like you on this planet. You are more than your genetics, your circumstances, or your latest personality assessment or health screening. You are greater than anyone’s opinion of you (oftentimes, even your own). On a cellular level, you are in the process of change at every moment. Indeed, new research in neuroplasticity and other fields shows that through your attitudes and lifestyle choices, you can actively participate in preventing and sometimes even reversing disease, plus promoting healing and wellbeing. Affirming this truth about yourself—and everyone else—will boost your power to live and lead wellness wherever you are.

Simply put: The first line of wellbeing lies inside you. You are already designed with an awe-inspiring capacity to thrive and evolve, perhaps greater than you’ve understood. A deep joy arises naturally when you include all of yourself in the wellbeing journey and tap into your innate capacity for wholeness and wellbeing.

Step Three: Make The Wellness Moonshot Your Own

The Wellness Moonshot helps people and organizations worldwide actively participate in the wellness mindsets and behaviors that create a world free of preventable disease. Make it your own! Create a personal wellness moonshot, an inspiring vision that matters to you.  

To begin, first close your eyes or soften your gaze on a stationary point. Take three to four enriching breaths to relax and reconnect with yourself. (Here are a few guided practices to support you.) It is from this place of inner balance and wellbeing that your clearest thinking and wisdom can emerge.

Now, write down your responses to these questions:

  • Who do I want to be?

  • What results do I want to achieve in my life?

  • What does it mean for me to be well—to thrive?

  • When do I feel most alive?

  • What naturally brings me fulfillment?

  • What matters most to me?

  • What do I most want to devote my time and life energy to—for the next 5, 10, 20 or 50 years?

  • Answers may not come all at once; in fact, you may want to explore these questions over a period of days, weeks or even months. Like step one, be inclusive—all dimensions of your life matter, from emotional health to environment stewardship. Pull your insights together in a meaningful way, such as with a vision board, a voice-recorder on your smartphone, or old-fashioned pencil and paper. Your personal wellness moonshot can empower you to handle stress more effectively, bring passion and purpose to the life path you’ve chosen and push the boundaries of your own potential.

When you’re finished chewing on these questions, note which responses give you the most energy and joy; use these to craft a holistic vision of wellness, a personal wellness moonshot that means the most to you. Return to it on a daily basis to guide your decisions in health, life, relationships, and work.

Step Four: Shift From “Me” to “We”

Implement step 3 with a circle of friends or neighbors, your team at work or members of your family to create a wellness moonshot that you all share. You will generate enduring bonds between people through your shared intentions to be well, and you’ll be a source of positive support and wellbeing for each other.

Step Five: Encourage Others to Join The Wellness Moonshot

It is up to everyone—every person, every family, and every institution—to make wellness a priority. When we do, we reduce our risks of chronic illness and overstress. And at the same time, we put ourselves on a path of better health, sustainable energy and productivity, and happiness. A mindset of wellness brings new life to how we view our current circumstances as well as the possibilities we see for the future. When wellness is central to our very being, we inspire others to be well, too.

Wellness is a Journey

You are part of a revolution to advance wellness in every corner of the globe. Post your personal or shared wellness moonshot along with a photo during the week of the full moon, February 9-15, with #wellnessmoonshot. We’ll spread your inspiration to the growing network of wellness leaders around the world!

Stay tuned and invite others to join in: For the next step of this journey, during the month of March, we’ll talk about the roles that growth and awe play in living and leading wellness wherever you are.

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