let's start from the beginning ... what is wellness? by definition " the state of being in good health, especially as an actively pursued goal." these practices can be drinking more water, exercising, meditating, eating healthier, and indulging in self-care.
so what is a wellness journey? it is simply about putting these practices into action and adjusting your lifestyle to better support your needs.
in the last few years, wellness has become very mainstream and very capitalistic from expensive products to treatments to craze health diets and more. we want to focus on the core because wellness starts from within and what feels good to you!
so you don't need to drink green juice, meditate every morning, or work out for 50 minutes every day, you just need to do what is best for you. wellness can be simple and affordable and that is one of our missions!
we also need to acknowledge that these journeys are long-term and that positive and effective practices don't happen overnight they are built, and worked at. with wellness becoming uber-popular and the aesthetics of " that girl" and "soft life" making waves on TikTok. we are shown a very cookie-cutter version of wellness.
while wellness is whatever feels or is right for you! there is no right way to do your wellness journey. so we want to share some tips on how to start and maintain your wellness journey because remember it's a journey, not a race. you will not figure any of this out overnight, but getting up to start is the hardest part of it all.
1. identify your why or intention
when getting started on any journey you should always define your why for example: "why did you decide to dedicate time to this and why is it worth it?". your why should never include anyone else, this journey should be for you. in a world where we are constantly doing things for the approval of other people. your wellness journey should focus on yourself and your happiness. you are enough, this journey is to help you!
2. develop well-defined and realistic goals
lose the urge to achieve instant and noticeable results because this will cause burn out and that will be the opposite of what we are looking to achieve. so be patient with yourself, ease in slowly and once you formed your new practices you will feel more confident. you want to set SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic timely) for your wellness journey.
a few ideas:
- drink ‘X’ oz water/day
- get outside daily
- no more than ‘X’ amount of time on social media every day
- attend one social event each week
- journal every morning
- meditate daily
- unfollow negative accounts online
- get 8+ hours of sleep/night
- develop a skincare routine
- develop a morning/night routine
- make time for at least 15 minutes of self-care every day
- focus on more foods that feel good to eat
- no work after (set specific time)
- walk more
3. form a positive mindset
achieving these goals and forming the habits of these practices will take time. so make sure to work on your mindset as well. don't base the success of your journey solely on results because results will vary day to day. find joy in the little steps, the little moments, and the little achievements that are happening. for example, you didn't have time to do a full 20-minute walk but you still managed to complete a 10-minute walk. keeping a positive outlook on your journey will make all the difference. a wellness app such as the shine app can be very beneficial.
4. grab your journal
there is something very restorative about reading about how far you have come on days you feel off. reflecting on your progress can be very valuable to your wellness journey. that is why keeping a journal can be very helpful throughout your journey. also incorporating a habit tracker such as the done app can help you reflect on how well you are doing with your new wellness habits.
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remember to have fun while on your wellness journey, and enjoy the process. this shouldn't feel like a chore or a job but it should work for you and make you feel good! give yourself grace each step of the way, be flexible, and make sure to have balance.
