How To Begin A Quest For Wellness

Wellness is a word we hear thrown around a lot in today’s media. We hear about meditation and mindfulness being good for our wellness, clean eating, diet changes, and more. But what does all this “wellness” talk really mean? Wellness is more than a goal. It’s a state of being and a lifestyle. Let’s look at what beginning a quest for wellness means, how you can take those first steps, and what lifestyle changes to maintain to stay healthy, happy, and in control of your well-being. What is a Quest for Wellness? Many times, when we think of wellness we think of beautiful, fit models with six-packs and perfect hair. While this might be one definition of wellness, a quest for wellness seeks to make changes for optimum mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Living a life of wellness actually centers around your mental perspective and while making lifestyle changes will help you head in the right direction, your quest for wellness should start from within. Jill Conyers, author of The Quest for Ultimate Health & Wellness and How to Begin says that “A health and wellness oriented lifestyle is nourishment for the body, mind and soul that is incorporated into healthy habits and choices part of your daily routines. You do not need to completely overhaul your entire life all at once. These changes can be made gradually.” Let’s break that statement down into actionable parts:

• First, she states that wellness is nourishment for our body. This means taking care of your physical health by exercising, refraining from vices, and eating clean.
• A quest for wellness is also nourishment for your mind. Our brain is our most important muscle and must be exercised and tended to just like the rest of our body.
• Lastly, Conyers highlights our soul. Spiritual health means something different to everyone, but in the grand scheme of things it can mean knowing you are here for a reason and that reason is to make a difference.
• After we address all of these aspects, she shares that a quest for wellness is incorporated in healthy habits, choices, and daily routines. Each of these changes may be small, but they make a big difference.

Most importantly, your quest for wellness doesn’t need to be an immediate shift. Small, gradual changes and habits will make all the difference. Now that we understand what a quest for wellness is, let’s look at how to start. Steps Toward Wellness As mentioned, starting your quest for wellness doesn’t have to include major life changes. By looking at your life introspectively and seeing opportunities, you can grow as a person, friend, and loved one. Let’s look at small, everyday changes you can approach in your quest. Diet Changes It may be cliche, but we really are what we eat and when we put good things in our body, we feel good. Our bodies are finely-tuned machines and when we fuel them properly, we reap the benefits. Our culture is centered around fast food, quick fixes, and magic pills. But the best thing you can do for your health is eat clean, healthy food consistently (with a few splurges here and there). Below are some easy ways to eat healthier with little to no effort:

• Challenge yourself to incorporate three green things in your diet every day (and no, green candy doesn’t count). This could be a green smoothie, veggies, a green apple, or an avocado for breakfast.
• Meal prep your lunches for the week to avoid temptations. Salads may seem complicated, but they are easier than you think! Just throw a bunch of things together and there you have it. Need a little more guidance? Follow these recipes for countless perfect salads to get into the habit of eating healthier.

Exercise In taking care of your physical self, you will need to be active. But, that doesn’t mean you have to intimidate yourself with a large gym or start lifting as heavy as you can. There are many small ways to be active in your day that you might not even realize. Here are a few:

• When running errands, park further away from the entrance and walk more to get your steps in.
• Invest in a fitness tracker to challenge your friends to activity challenges. A little competition will help you pursue your goals in a fun and engaging way.
• Propose walking meetings throughout the day to get a little more movement. If walking meetings aren’t possible in your workplace, buy yourself a standing desk to stand more. There are countless affordable options available and the benefits of standing throughout the day are plenty.

Once you master incorporating small activities into your day, step it up and try to get a half hour of exercise 5 days a week. These workouts will increase your stamina, lower your resting heart rate, increase your heart’s efficiencies, and maybe even help you lose a little weight! Detox Whether it’s drinks, drugs, or desserts, we all have our vices. But luckily, our bodies are great at detoxing themselves to rid these toxins from our systems. But if your body needs a little more help or you’re showing some of the signs that you need a detox, check out these options:

• A lymphatic cleanse is great for cleansing your lymph and helping your overall health
• Rehabilitation detoxes are helpful for individuals struggling with drug or alcohol addiction or abuse
• Detox teas contain natural herbs to help kickstart your metabolism. According to Shape Magazine, herbs like lemongrass, ginger, dandelion, and milk thistle all contain properties said to support a healthy liver, one of those organs in charge of your natural detoxifying process.

Mindfulness As mentioned earlier, your mindset is often the most important step in your quest for wellness. You need to learn how to set yourself up for success, know that what you’re doing matters, and understand the importance of taking care of your mental health. To get started:

• Write down all of your goals, and be specific
• Every morning, write five things you are looking forward to in the day
• Every evening, write five things you were grateful for during the day
• Keep your loved ones close and don’t be afraid to cut toxic individuals out of your life

Starting a quest for wellness is exciting and with productive thinking and healthy life choices, you can enjoy increased emotional, physical, and mental health.