WHOLE WELLNESS: MIND, BODY, & SPIRIT
If you’re like most people, you may have “forgotten” about the goals, resolutions, or intentions you set out for yourself this year. Those fresh, New Year-inspired feelings almost seem like a faint memory as we’ve settled back into the grind of daily life. And now it’s already mid-February! Hopefully, at least one or two of your new year intentions have stuck in the form of healthier habits. But if you find you’ve fallen off track, that’s okay! We are human, habits are hard to break, and sometimes we just need friendly reminders. So today’s reminder is about whole wellness and how to make ourselves feel our best: mind, body, and spirit.
For this blog, I’m forgoing any formal suggestions for an exercise or diet plan. In my opinion, as long as you’re doing at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, you’re doing great. The same thing goes for dieting. As long as you are eating healthy and not over-indulging in too many vices (alcohol, drugs, sweets, processed or fast food), bravo my friend! But if you are really looking to shed some pounds and improve your eating habits there are lots of healthy diets to try, such as the Mediterranean Diet, Whole 30, Keto, Atkins, and Intermittent Fasting. Just do your research about each one before attempting and ask yourself if it’s something you could realistically see yourself doing. And while physical wellness is vital to our well-being, there are two, equally important tools in our wellness kit that can significantly launch your well-being into another stratosphere. I’m referring to mind and spiritual wellness. There has been an uptick in the trending of these two topics in recent years; however, there exists a lack of motivation & consistency around mindful and spiritual practices for many. Historically, physical wellness has soared well above mental and spiritual wellness in terms of importance and preference. But what many people don’t realize is that our entire well-being becomes out of balance if we neglect any one of these three foundational supports. Just like exercise and good nutrition is essential for our body, we also need to “exercise and feed” our mind and spirit. I know what you may be thinking: “Who has the time to do all of this? I can barely squeeze in enough time to exercise!” But the truth is, just 15-20 minutes a day focusing on your mental and spiritual well-being (in addition to 30 minutes of physical exercise) is enough to boost and balance-out your entire self resulting in “whole wellness.” And better yet, there are many practices that combine two or even three of these practices which can save you time on those “busier” days. Just remember, investing time into all three areas every week will have you noticing remarkable results in all areas of your life: family, work, and social. You will experience more patience, a sense of calm, a boost in creativity and energy, and feel happier overall. So let’s dive into some mind, body, and spirit practices that you can incorporate into your week. Pickup a couple of these new practices and I promise you will see and feel positive results.
Meditation
I started meditating about 7 years ago and let me first start by saying that I am far from being great at it. At best, I’m pretty good in terms of disciplining myself to do it almost everyday for 20 minutes; but otherwise, I’m way far from being a guru. And please don’t think that you have to sit on the floor with your legs crossed while incense is burning - I have never meditated this way. In fact, as long as you have access to a quiet space with a somewhat comfy seat, you’re ready to go. Just sit upright (or you can lay down), close your eyes, and focus on your breath (as best as you can) while listening to the guided meditation. For me, meditation is a time to center my mind, calm my frenetic thoughts, decrease anxiety, and start my day with a clearer head. Because I’ve been doing it for so long, I can no longer live without it. In fact, if I haven’t meditated in several days, I notice that I feel “off,” less happy, less creative, and more anxious. It is practice that I wouldn’t trade for anything else because I know it works. My favorite aspect of meditating is the increase in creativity and “flow” that it gives me. If what I’m saying isn’t convincing enough, consider that the most successful people in the world meditate on a regular basis to stay sharp and improve their well-being: Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, Lady Gaga, Ellen Degeneres, Lena Dunham, Howard Stern, 50 Cent, Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Jerry Seinfeld, Paul McCartney, Eva Mendes, Jennifer Aniston, the list goes on…. But this is not something that is reserved only for the famous, it is a practice that has been around for centuries and practiced by millions of people around the world. If you are new to meditation, I suggest using an app to get you started. I personally use the Calm app which has hundreds of guided meditations to choose from. Other popular meditation apps to consider are Headspace, Aura, Insight Timer, and Meditopia. YouTube is also a valuable tool to use for guided meditation. Here is the one thing that is important to take-away: unless you are a meditation professional, there is really no perfect or exact way to do it. As long as you are trying and doing your best everyday when you sit to meditate, you’re doing it correctly. Just find a quiet space, have an open-mind, follow your breath and try to let go of your busy thoughts. In just one session, you will notice a difference. And after a few weeks, you will hopefully be a believer and will continue to meditate on the regular.
Reading Books
I love reading. It’s one of my favorite leisure activities, but I wasn’t always a reader. When I was young, you would never find me curled up with a book. I was usually drawing or re-arranging my bedroom or living room (a lifelong hobby of mine). Now I find myself yearning to read and try to do so whenever I have a lot of downtime. What I have learned about reading is that it exercises my brain better than any other activity I’ve tried. My listening and comprehension skills improve, my speaking, and my writing improves (is this a run-on sentence?). So yes, it’s true that reading makes you smarter. Just be sure that you’re reading content that makes you better or improves your overall well-being - too much horror, sadness or violence doesn’t really help you relax. And, try to read real, physical books. I know actual books kill more trees, but you can purchase used books if recycling is important to you. The reason for this is that although digital technology can deliver books faster and more conveniently, it is scientifically proven that readers of physical books experience a deeper understanding, connection, and recall with the story and messages - which is the whole point of reading, right? Lastly, if you are really pressed for time but still want to learn something new, try the Blinkist app. Blinkist is an app that summarizes a book into a roughly 20 minute audio or written summary. There are thousands of books in their catalog. I would recommend this to professionals who want to learn more about a certain topic or field of study but like me, can’t find the time to read an entire book. I definitely use Blinkist every once in a while and can save my favorite “Blinks” and share my account with my husband!
Art Projects
This is another favorite of mine and one that boosts creativity in all areas of your life: participating in any kind of art activity. This one is fairly easy to do, and like me, you can be a complete beginner and still get maximum results. Just pick an art form that interests you and do it: painting, crochet, drawing, knitting, mosaics, scrapbooking, etc.. Just spending one hour on any of these activities increases your creativity and problem solving in all areas of your life. When in my thirties, I once left a paint class feeling like I just had a mental massage: relaxed, happy, and full of ideas and solutions! It was a little surprising to me at first, but then I realized that I hadn’t engaged in any art activities in over a decade. Ever since that day, my love of doing artwork for fun was re-ignited.
Gratitude Journaling
I know this one has been talked about a lot in the media but it deserves mention because it works. I’ve been gratitude journaling for many years now and try to do it a couple of times a week. There are many approaches to gratitude journaling so pick one that works best for you. I loved a suggestion that I read out of “Build the Life You Want” by Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey about gratitude journaling. It basically says to write down five things you are truly grateful for (including people in your life) on a Sunday. Every morning and evening afterwards, take out your gratitude list and reflect on each item for one minute. Lastly, add one or two items to your list every Sunday. At the end of five weeks, you should notice a marked improvement in your happiness levels. I started doing this one recently and am looking forward to the results.
Pray
It goes without saying that praying is the most tried and true method for spiritual wellness. I wouldn’t consider myself devout or deeply religious. I was raised going to church every Sunday but today I’m lucky if I attend more than four times a year. I know, shame on me. But here is what I will say, I consider myself a very spiritual person. I believe in a force greater than myself, I believe in the Golden Rule, and I believe in prayer. I pray almost everyday whether its for me or someone else. It fills me with hope and faith that things will get better with whatever challenges me and my family face, and Lord knows we get challenged a lot in my house! So remember to pray and, most importantly, to give thanks when you pray.
Laugh
No matter what, find time to laugh everyday. I’m lucky to be married to someone who makes me laugh. I’m also around two children and a dog who amuse me regularly. If you don’t live with a loved one, roommate, or animal right now that lifts your spirits, there are other ways to get a laugh everyday. Pick up the phone and call someone who makes you laugh, read a funny book, go to or watch a comedy show, or watch a funny movie or TV show. There are plenty of funny videos on YouTube from cat videos to funny home videos. I subscribe to many funny people or accounts on Instagram but just make sure you don’t stay on social media for longer than 30 minutes or so. Too much scrolling and dopamine isn’t good for you and it isn’t a good substitute for real-life interactions.
Phone a True Friend
To expand upon my suggestion of phoning a friend who makes you laugh, it is important to keep your close friendships alive and healthy. Having a true, reliable friend who exists only for the sake of your friendship, and not for any other purpose, is vitally important for your mental and spiritual well-being. If you’re lucky, you may have two or three “true” friends that you can talk to on a regular basis (texting doesn’t count). It is extremely beneficial to have a live conversation with each other (whether on the phone or in person) because of the intimacy it creates between both of you. Messaging someone via social media or phone is okay for those “in-between” visits, but so much of what we want and need to express only happens when we have real, live conversations. This results in feeling more connected, fulfilled, loved, and heard. This is the essence of true friendship and it is vital to our well-being as humans. So make sure you call your friend(s) regularly and schedule time to catch-up over the phone, coffee, or a meal. I have regular interactions with acquaintances and co-workers every week, which is fun and great, but not always fulfilling in terms of true, deep and intimate conversations where I’m sharing all of my true colors. Therefore, I try to have a phone conversation with a close friend at least once or twice a week and a visit with a close friend around once or twice a month. The love and enjoyment that it yields is chicken soup for the soul.
Nature Walk
Call it God, the Universe, Nature, or whatever you believe in, we humans are called and meant to be outside, walking around in nature and taking in all of its wonders. For convenience, I prefer to walk around my neighborhood which is filled with trees, bushes, and flowers. But if you don’t have easy access to a “natural” environment, seek out a city or state park that has nature trails. Some other names or methods that relate to nature walks are forest-bathing (immersing yourself in a forest surrounded by trees), and grounding (the act of making contact with the earth by lying or walking barefoot on grass or other natural earth surface or by swimming in a lake or ocean). Whatever method you choose, the act of being in nature while walking, running, or swimming is great for the body, mind, and spirit. It’s basically the trifecta of wellness: you’re naturally getting the vitamin D your body needs, exercising, breathing fresh air, and meditating on the sounds of birds, the wind, the ocean or just plain silence - allowing your mind to rest and recharge to a calmer, more focused state. Which, if you haven’t figured it out already, it’s always best leave your phone or music at home, or at least put it in silent mode while you’re on your walk. You defeat the purpose of resetting your whole body if you’re having a conversation, listening to music, or being distracted by notifications. The great news: just 20 to 30 minutes a day of walking in nature is proven to raise serotonin levels, lower blood pressure, and calm your Vagus nerve (the one that controls your parasympathetic nervous system). In doing so, you will feel calm, energized, creative, and happier.
Yoga:
I’m no Yogi, but I do love Yoga. I incorporate yoga into my weekly exercise regimen and typically do a guided yoga class on YouTube. The stretching benefits alone are enough to keep me coming back for more. I always feel so balanced and centered afterwards, and that’s the whole point. Yoga was developed over 5,000 years ago by Hindu priests who had observed animals and wanted to mimic their movement patterns. In this way, they hoped to achieve the same balance that these animals had with nature. Yoga means union, and refers to the Hindu philosophy that strives to bring together and personally develop the body, mind, and spirit. It combines physical discipline through mindful yet challenging body poses with mental discipline through meditation and breathing techniques, resulting in whole well-being. Fun fact: Over 12 million people in the U.S. practice Yoga regularly. If you’ve never tried yoga or it’s been a while, revisit this classic practice and rediscover all of it’s wellness benefits!
Tai Chi:
This form of exercise I have not tried yet but man do I love watching it when I see it. It looks so cool the way that people move with precision and intention when doing Tai Chi. It’s quite interesting and inspiring to watch. And yet again, this ancient Chinese martial art practice combines all three of the wellness food groups: mind, body, and spirit. Known to be a gentler form of exercise (and usually performed outside in a natural environment), Tai Chi helps maintain strength, flexibility, and balance. It is a mind-body practice that originated in China from the ancient Taoism religion. If you haven’t ever seen someone doing Tai Chi, it is a series of slow motion, martial arts moves that typically follow circular, relaxed-yet-focused patterns. As you move, you breathe deeply and focus on your bodily movements and sensations. A key aspect of Tai Chi philosophy is to work with the flow of yin (softness) and yang (hardness) elements. Tai Chi is a great form of exercise for someone who isn’t looking for anything too strenuous but would like the benefits of strengthening, focus, and balance.
Any Kind of Exercise:
Listen, if you’re an adrenaline junkie, or if Yoga and Tai Chi really isn’t your thing, any kind of exercise can benefit your mind and spirit as long as your approaching it mindfully. Popular exercise methods like biking, running, pilates, barre, weight-training, HIIT, and many others can reduce your risk of chronic disease, boost your happy hormones (endorphins, serotonin and dopamine), reduce stress, detoxify your body, and improve your overall health. To get the full benefits of mind, body, and spirit with more rigorous forms of exercise, try doing these exercises in a quiet, relaxed atmosphere with little to no distractions (listen to soft or relaxing music, put away your phone, keep TV off unless you’re following a video). Mixing up your exercise routine is also something to consider. Example: strength training twice a week, nature run twice a week, yoga once a week. Whatever you do, aim for 30 minutes of exercise a day, five days a week. Just make sure that you are listening to your body when doing any kind of exercise, as overdoing it can result in unwanted injuries.
I hope you found this blog helpful and inspiring. There is no one silver bullet to whole wellness and we could all use reminders on how to nurture our physical body as well as our mind and spirit. I’m always searching for new strategies on how to incorporate all three areas of wellness into my daily life. If you have any tips on how you include mind, body, and spiritual practices into your routine, please share them in the comments section below.
Love and Be Well,
Penny
