The Foundation of Living a Wellness Lifestyle

In a previous article, I wrote about the art of self-preservation. I summed it up by saying. The art of self-preservation is a way of life, a mindset, and a process. It is a lifestyle you design to achieve your highest potential for well-being. Self-preservation is a skill you cultivate and master over time for a wellness lifestyle. 

In this article, I want to dive deeper into a wellness lifestyle. The Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as the active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health. 

The foundation of wellness is built on two key pillars: self-responsibility and love. When it comes to your wellness journey, these are the areas to focus on to achieve optimal wellness. 

Let’s take a closer look at each of these pillars. In the Wellness Workbook, How to Achieve Enduring Health and Vitality, by John W. Travis, M.D. and Regina Sara Ryan, they describe the pillars meaning the following:

Self-responsibility means

• Developing awareness of your processes and patterns
• Discovering your real needs and meeting them
• Realizing that you are unique and the expert of yourself
• Making choices to live courageously in uncertainty
• Creating the life you want
• Asking for what you need and want from others
• Effectively expressing yourself-both, your ideas, and your feelings
• Respecting your body through personal care and safety.
• Creating and nourishing close relationships with others
• Engaging in meaningful projects

Love means

• Honoring your uniqueness and others
• Listening to your own heart and inner wisdom
• Responding to challenges as opportunities for growth
• Caring for all aspects of yourself – physical, mental, and spiritual
• Exercising compassion for your weaknesses to forgive yourself and others
•  Experience yourself as your best friend, and remain faithful to yourself, especially in rough times. 
• Being authentic to yourself and others

When your foundation is strong, freedom and flexibility are natural states. In all the goodness and messiness life offers, freedom and flexibility allow you to balance all aspects of your life to reach the desired outcome so you can live a healthy, vital life. 

Are you practicing self-responsibility and love?

 1. Do you believe the responsibility for your health lies within you rather than with others?

2. Do you actively participate in your medical treatment, or are you a passive recipient?

3. Do you experience loving relationships with others? 

4. Do you forgive yourself for your imperfections, or do you beat yourself up for not being perfect?

5. Do you respond to life’s challenges as opportunities instead of problems? 

6. Do you listen to yourself, your heart, and your body? 

7. Do you believe you are unique? 

8. Do you check in with your body and listen for any signals it needs attention?

9. Do you participate in your community and contribute to worthy causes?

10. Do you believe you are the expert in your own life?

No matter your current state of health, you can begin to appreciate yourself as a growing and changing person. You can achieve optimal wellness by caring for yourself with self-responsibility and love. You can prevent disease, save money, slow aging, improve energy, and improve mental health. What are you waiting for? Start by making small changes today!