I’ve been using the phrase “Wellness Lifestyle” a lot, and to me that phrase is exactly what it sounds like… it's the lifestyle habits and daily routines that contribute to your overall health and well-being. That might look very different for each of you, though! Your lifestyle and YOUR wellness are very individual, personal things.
Since my current coaching package – which I’m absolutely obsessed with, by the way – is called “Wellness Lifestyle Coaching”, I wanted to break it down for you and get really clear on what the components of a wellness lifestyle actually are (to me!), and how Wellness Lifestyle Coaching might look different from person to person.
(PS: You can also listen to this topic on the go through my podcast, Be Well With Steph!)
My definition of wellness is: being in a state of good health, especially as an actively pursued goal.
I believe in this definition for one main reason: it puts health and wellness within our own control. It means that we actively make choices to propel ourselves toward being in better health. Notice, I said "better health". Not, "perfect health". There is no “one size fits all” image of health and wellness.
And, again, that phrase “in good health” could mean a lot of different things for different people, but I do feel that overall there are 7 main components that contribute to a Wellness Lifestyle.
7 Components of a Wellness Lifestyle:
1. Nutrition: nourishing our bodies. This is such a simple access point for people. It’s a quick and easy way to make little changes which have a dramatic impact on our health. This is much more than just what we eat, but it's also:
How we eat
When we eat
Making nourishing choices more easy and accessible for our lives
How we include supplements
Hydration
and more!
2. Movement / Exercise: Any activity that involves moving your body is a good place to start! Increasing circulation, increasing bone and muscle strength, strengthening your immune system, releasing hormones that boost your mood… I could go on and on about the health benefits of exercise! It's no secret that finding an exercise regimen that works for you in your life is one way to improve your health. Now, don't get me wrong! I definitely was the last person you'd find in the gym for probably the first 2 decades of my life.. you'd find me curled up with a book and some tea, and shuddering at the word "sports"! But the fact that I've finally found activities that work for me, tells you that you absolutely can, too.
3. Sleep: I really think we should talk about this more as a society, and I’m definitely getting into this right now: Sleep is when your body has the opportunity to heal itself. It’s when your brain gets a chance to rest. It’s so common for me to hear not only my clients but my friends and family in general discuss how they don’t get a great sleep, and I’m here to tell you that no matter how busy you are, there are actionable steps you can take to improve the quality of your sleep. And, when you sleep better, not only do you have more energy but you have more “brain power”! More creativity, clearer thinking, stronger resilience to stress and anxiety, better metabolism, better overall physical health...
4. Emotional Health / Stress Management: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, and again, and again:
We cannot control what happens in the world around us; what we can learn to control is how we respond.
I want to clarify that I absolutely do not want you to think that I’m discounting hardships, or asking you to ignore your emotions when life throws stressors at you. But, we absolutely do, also, need to learn tools and strategies for responding well in times of stress. When we don’t do this, and we allow stress to take over, it literally manifests into dis-ease and diseases in our bodies.
Mental health matters. It needs to be addressed as much or even more maybe, as our physical health.
5. Community: This one may seem a bit less obvious, but I simply can’t ignore the importance of community when thinking about a healthy lifestyle. Your community might be your family, your neighbors, church group, coworkers, friends, internet groups, it really doesn’t matter where or who they are. It doesn’t have to be huge, it’s quality over quantity. It’s crucial to our mental health and emotional state to develop that sense of belonging and community,
If you are looking to grow your community, or just connect with others that are seeking a Wellness Lifestyle, I’d love for you to check out Be Well Together, my online membership group! This is where people interested in learning, growing, and improving their health are hanging out. It’s free to check out for 1 week, so if you are lacking in your support system, give it a shot! Or, send me an email so I can tell you more.
6. Personal Growth: This one is very important to me, because I know that no matter how much I learn or teach myself there will always be something more I can do to grow. And it doesn’t have to be big! It might just mean, remembering that sometimes you can reflect on the stuff that you do and noticing if the stuff that you do aligns with the person you want to be.
Simply asking yourself: How am I spending my time? How am I responding to situations? How am I treating myself? It doesn’t have to be formal, or anything more than that, it’s just becoming aware and maintaining an openness to adjusting your choices, views, or opinions based on new information.
7. Finding a sense of Joy or Peace. I like to remind myself that sometimes it’s good to just pause in your pursuit of happiness and just be happy. And that doesn’t mean just pretending like everything is fine and good... sometimes things are really crappy and sometimes life is really really hard! But time is going to keep on passing and we can either sink into the crap and feel lousy, or we can actively choose to focus on the things that bring us happiness.
In choosing to create or focus on a little more peace in our lives, we are reducing stress. When we choose to see the day as a little more positive or a little more peaceful, we’re more likely to treat ourselves better. To make better choices to nourish our bodies and our minds. To move more. To get a better night sleep.
All this stuff adds up over time, and that’s what creates the Wellness Lifestyle. It’s a lot, and it’s all connected! Each area influences or is influenced by each other area, and that can definitely feel like a lot to manage – on top of everything else in our busy lives.
My job is to help you manage these areas. To help you work through them in a way that works for you – to listen to your aspirations and goals, and guide you to create or find exactly what you’re looking for. Together, we create strategies, habits, and routines that are aligned with what you want. I help clients create consistency and make overwhelming tasks feel more approachable.
When it comes to taking care of yourself, in a really comfortable and systematic way, we start to make these components of wellness become a reality – within the context of your daily schedule, your family, personality, interests. This is about YOU. It’s about creating YOUR version of a wellness lifestyle.
If you would like to talk about how nutrition, movement, sleep, emotional health, community, personal growth, or joy could become a more actively pursued part of your life, let’s jump on a call! Discovery calls are free. Id love to chat about what you are looking for, and how I might be able to support you.
Set up a free Discovery Call! Www.bewellwithsteph.com/workwithme
Prefer to listen to this topic? You can, here!
(I elaborate a lot more on some of these important, ideas, too.)
What did you think about these components? I'd love to know! Do you have any other important factors in your life, that you feel impact your wellness journey? Leave something for me in the comments! ♡
Want to talk more about how we could begin to apply some of these mindset shifts & simple strategies to your life & goals? Set up a free Discovery Call! Www.bewellwithsteph.com/workwithme
If you have any questions about any of these 7 topics, I’d love to hear them and talk it out! Drop me a comment here or on Instagram and let me know!
You are worthy of living and capable of creating a healthy lifestyle you love. 🤍