What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness is a word that has grown in popularity over the last few years. From a way of life to a trend that has swept across the globe, there are plenty of lotions and potions that claim to be the key to wellness. But what does it actually mean and can we strip it right back to our basic needs?
Wellness is the act of making ourselves feel well and whole, so surely we have everything we need at our fingertips to make this happen. Wellness means something different to everyone but here are a few ways you can get back to you, with a few small changes into your routine that are readily available.
Movement
Ever heard the phrase that movement is medicine? Well, we know we sometimes need a little extra help along the way but the power of moving your body is striking. Whether you opt for a HIIT workout, a walk in the park or maybe a stretchy yoga session, there are different ways you can move your body in order to make yourself feel good again. Get those endorphins flowing, and choose some movement that works for you.
Remember that it shouldn’t feel like a punishment or a chore, it should be a celebration of what your body can do and how wonderful it is, so experiment and settle on something that feels good. If you need some movement inspiration, you can check out the Welcome to MADE site or visit our health club in Staffordshire for some in-person experiences.
Nutrition
Next up is the fuel that you put into your body! What we eat impacts how we feel and how we move. Again, everyone is different and so the fuel we need with be different too, but taking note of the foods that fill us up and the ones that slow us down will be key to keeping our moods boosted and our bodies moving better.
Whether that’s adding more fruits and veggies or looking at a vegan diet, there are changes we can make to the food and drink we consume that will have an impact on our overall wellbeing.
Mindfulness
When we say mindfulness, a lot of people will imagine sitting cross-legged on the floor for hours on end in a meditation. While that can be true and work for many, mindfulness is a lot more accessible than that.
It can be being present and focussing on the food you are eating, or feeling grateful for the five minutes of peace in your daily shower, and anything else that can make your mind come to stillness and to fill you up with joy.
Think about adding more moments like this into your day and try to avoid multitasking where you can, it isn’t always as productive as you think!
Sleeping habits
Getting a handle on your sleeping habits and making them work for you is a huge part of feeling good and ready for what life is going to throw at you. Most fitness watches have some sort of sleep tracker on them nowadays but if you’re old school, monitor what time you go to sleep and wake up and rate how you feel out of ten in the morning.
This way you can start to work out how many hours of sleep work for you and where you could be catching a few extra z’s.
Work life balance
It is hard not to feel constantly connected to your work and tethered to a device in a digital world. However, it is important that you get the time to switch off and wind down so work on those boundaries and setting clear working hours for yourself.
It is tempting to be ‘always available’ but you will end up burnt out and over worked so make sure you take care of yourself and your needs first and foremost.
Conscious choices
Wellness is essentially a series of conscious choices to improve how you feel and how you get through the day. Everyone will have different needs to be met and everyone will work and live at a different pace. That is the beauty of it, that we are all so different and have different things to offer and bring to the world.
This is essentially about finding what works for us and then tweaking our lives to suit.
A way of life
It isn’t a quick fix or a bottle of serum that is going to make us feel better and feel whole, it is a way of life and takes time and effort to keep up. If we could bottle the feeling, believe us we would but the process and road to wellness is actually a lot more enjoyable than you may think.
You will learn a lot about yourself along the way, and come out at the end feeling whole, strong and capable.
In short, wellness isn’t something you can go to the shop and buy. It is a toolkit that you can have at your disposal in order to uplift you and make you feel like the truest version of yourself. While there are things we can add into the mix and purchase to help us on our way, that decision and commitment has to come from within.
If you would like to talk to an expert or explore fitness and nutrition in greater detail, the team at Welcome to MADE will always be happy to help and to chat.
