Many people think of the concept of wellness as being all about reaching an optimal level of health. Influencers might make you think there is a single model of wellness that you should strive for.
However, it can be more helpful to think about it as a relative term, something that happens along a continuum. Below are some of the challenges you may face when introducing values of health and wellness into your life
Illness
You might struggle with the concept of wellness if you are terminally or chronically ill. Depending on the seriousness of your condition and your symptoms, you may find that you have very little energy.
Striving for an ideal of health can be discouraging rather than inspiring. It’s important to think of wellness as aiming not for someone else’s idea of perfection but as a kind of self-care for you.
What feels comfortable? What helps relieve pain or other symptoms you may be experiencing? You may also want to explore what resources may be available to you to improve your life in this situation.
If you’re struggling with regular household tasks, can you have someone come in on most days for a couple of hours and help you?
If more money would improve your quality of life, you could consider selling your life insurance policy as part of viatical settlements.
These are available to those who are chronically or terminally ill, and you can get a lump sum payment by selling the policy to a third party. You can review a guide that explains more about this process.
Time
Another factor that can limit your ability to pay as much attention to wellness as you would like is time.
If you work full-time and are caring for children, elderly parents or both, the idea of an hour-long yoga session or being able to go to the gym might seem like a distant fantasy.
If this sounds all too familiar, there are a couple of things that you can do. One is to ask for help from your support network.
It can be too easy to take on too many responsibilities and forget that there may be other adults in your life who can take some of them as well. Another is to try to integrate some of those practices into your regular life.
Listen to a guided meditation with headphones while you’re taking the bus to work, or get your kids in on that yoga session.
Looking Beyond The Physical
It’s important to remember that wellness is not just all about the body and physical health. You also need to boost your emotional wellbeing from the inside.
Nearly everyone needs some private time and some time with others, but the proportions in which you need each of these things will vary from person to person.
You may find that there are other practices that also help your emotional well-being, such as positive affirmations or a gratitude journal.
The mind and the body influence one another, and both need attention and care in order to thrive.
