Three weeks into the new year, and I’m feeling a little bit lost. Lacking focus. I’ve read about so many people choosing a word for the year, and while I’ve never done that in the past, I decided that maybe doing so would provide clarity and help me create a vision of what I want 2015 to be. And it has. My word? Wellness.
well·ness /'welnis/ noun • a positive approach to living • a dynamic process of change and growth • a choice to assume responsibility for the quality of your life • the state or condition of being in good physical and mental health • a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential • a balance of the mind, body and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being • a conscious commitment to positive initiatives and principles for optimal functioning • a healthy balance of the mind, body and spirit that results in an overall feeling of well-being • the quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as the result of deliberate effort • an active process of becoming aware and making choices toward a healthier, happier and fulfilling life • a life-long process of moving towards enhancing your physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, and environmental well-being.
What is wellness exactly? Those phrases above are just a few of the definitions I found. And while they all say pretty much the same thing, I think I like the last one the best… a life-long process of moving towards enhancing your physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, and environmental well-being. With that in mind, these are some of my goals…
• Be happy.
• Maintain a positive attitude.
• Develop a healthy self-esteem.
• Be aware and accepting of my feelings.
• Have outlets for expressing my emotions constructively.
• Set priorities.
• Find ways to reduce and cope with the stress in my life.
• Find freedom from addictive behaviors.
• Maintain a balanced diet.
• Get a sufficient amount of sleep.
• Add more motion to my life.
• Read for fun.
• Seek opportunities to be challenged and grow professionally.
• Find value in my surroundings.
• Look for ways to use my creativity.
• Seek and fulfill leadership roles that contribute positively to my community.
• Create a support system of people who I can turn to in times of need.
• Plan time to be with my family and friends.
• Seek opportunities for self-enlightenment.
• Make time for relaxation in my day.
• Let my values guide my decisions and actions.
• Learn to forgive myself and others.
• Learn to accept my limitations without embarrassment or apology.
• Trust my intuition.
• Look for – and work toward – balance.
I know those are lofty goals, but I’m starting small, working on one or two actions each day for 100 days. My “100 Days of Weight Loss” series was interrupted back in November because I got sick – 3 weeks of bronchitis, followed by Thanksgiving and holiday chaos – so I’m going to continue that now, but instead of focusing on weight loss, my aim will be general wellness. If I lose weight while doing so, that’ll just be icing on the cake!
Have you chosen a word for 2015?
It’s not too late! Share it in the comments.
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