You started the new year with high hopes, dreams you were ready to put into place, and wellness goals for yourself. Is it time now for a wellness reset?
In any year, at any time, our plans can get sidetracked. And life this year has gone all askew, thanks to a pandemic.
But we still have nearly a half year left. So what can we do to make sure all is not lost with the goals we carefully set on January 1?
If you’ve struggled this year to take care of you as well as you’d hoped, read on for why and how to launch a wellness reset for yourself.
Why Initiate a Reset?
Wellness is a dynamic, not static, state.
Our degrees of wellness – and illness – fall along a continuum. At one end is illness and possibly premature death, marked first by signs, symptoms, and disability, according to John W. Travis, M.D., who originated the Illness-Wellness Continuum nearly 50 years ago. Medicine treats those symptoms, injuries, and disabilities in an attempt to get a patient back to a neutral point with no discernible illness.
But a Wellness Paradigm, according to Travis, can start alongside the Illness Paradigm and move someone through illness to a neutral point. And with awareness, education, and growth, a person can continue to move further along the continuum toward higher levels of wellness.
In short, we can move toward illness or toward wellness. And we actually have a lot of choice about which direction we’re headed.
So any time you need a Wellness Reset can be a good time to start one.
What Does a Wellness Reset Look Like?
A reset depends on what you want, and what you need.
It could focus on the food you eat, the way you move, the sleep you get, and/or the stress you feel. Or it could focus on your relationships and communication, your personal or professional development, your spiritual life, or any other aspect of your holistic health.
The aim is to move further along the wellness continuum toward high level wellness.
How to Start
Reassess – First, decide what you want now. Revisit your earlier goals and reflect on the progress you’ve made so far. Then, determine if you still want to pursue those same goals. A lot has changed in the past several months, and what you wanted then may be different from what you want now. What’s the “why” behind what you’d like to achieve? Write it all down.
Recalibrate – When it comes to your life and health, ask yourself what’s working now, and what isn’t. What strengths have you developed in the past few months to help you get to where you want to go?
Reset – Create a plan to move you forward. Make sure you design smart goals. Then break your goals into smaller steps – even really small ones so you can find a bit of success quickly. Also, where can you find support and accountability for your plan? Make those connections, whether it’s with a friend or a coach.
Remember – The past is the past. Change can be difficult to create and sustain, but small, consistent steps add up. Build on your strengths and take the first step to execute your new plan. You can do it!
Hi! I’m Amy, an integrative health coach, offering grace and space for a healthier you. I help people create and sustain new habits that can improve their overall health and well-being. You can learn more about working with me through coaching, and subscribe to my Well Check emails.
