Choosing Wellbeing

The last decade has been one of growth and change for me as I've pursued a path to greater well-being. I know firsthand that today's busy lifestyles can often cause us to mix up our priorities and loose that sense of wellbeing.

Along the journey I have found that each of us is blessed with an innate sense of health and wellness, and I have sought out many healing modalities that support this natural state. I've personally found that the state of wellbeing is a choice, created with small thoughts and actions repeated daily.

For me, I have identified 3 things that I need to keep in check in order to maintain well-being in my life. The first is a big one - Stress! It is easy to let the stress of our busy lives overtake us. When I am stressed I am unhappy, unproductive, and usually not much fun to be around. The good news is that I have found a way to manage the stress instead of being a victim of it. Yoga, breathing exercises, walking and scheduling time off are a few of the things that alleviate stress for me.

The second thing I keep in check is my thought patterns. Negative thoughts can easily expand and sink us even on our best days. I am a believe
in "thoughts become things" and so I work daily to notice negative thoughts and turn them around. Sometimes this takes a bit of work, but with practice, I am always able to find something positive in the situation. If all else fails, I simply start making a list of all that is good in my life and all that I have to be grateful for. It instantly puts me in a better place.

Finally, I find that physical clutter in my surroundings can be a big drain on my sense of wellbeing. For me, too much 'stuff' and disorganized 'stuff' can set me on a path towards stress! I've learned it is much better to stop the cycle before I get there. One simple way I have learned to tackle the clutter is to notice how different objects are making me feel. If it creates stress, or if I notice negative thoughts and feelings associated with it - I know it's time to move it on. In this way I am able to keep ahead of the clutter so it doesnt affect my sense of wellbeing.

Much of the way I work with clients comes from personal experience. I've been able to overcome daily habits and practices that were chipping away at my wellbeing, and have replaced them with habits that are encouraging and supportive of living well. It is nice to help clients discover what is no longer working for them, and empower them to seek practices that enhance their wellbeing. To me, that is Holistic Living. n