The Prioritization of Wellness

As the new year rolls around, people all over the world are reflecting on the last 12 months of their lives and making big plans for change: Getting healthy, getting organized, exercising more - you’ve probably heard it all and even committed to trying it out some years.

While most enter into their resolutions with the best intentions, these declarations are often short-lived. This year, I want to guide you through a different approach to the new year - an opportunity instead of punishment and nourishment instead of sacrifice. And above all else, a prioritization and celebration of wellness - honoring yourself in the deepest sense of the word.

With the changing seasons on the horizon, it’s a beautiful time to consider your plan of action and intentions for the next 12 months and what you might want to leave behind.

Forming healthier habits and infusing positivity into all our love is an excellent way to make sure you’re not making short-term resolutions to be abandoned but creating a more conscious objective for your new year: a focus on personal wellness.

One of my best suggestions for those looking for direction in the new year is to write out your goals for the next day before bed, so you wake up with a clear purpose in mind; this will help you set daily intentions. Respect your own time by procrastinating less and taking immediate action towards your goals, passions, and daily tasks.

When you leave procrastination behind and start chipping away at your projects and goals, it’s that much easier to remain on a forward trajectory and stop feeling stuck. If you struggle with anxiety about the day ahead, this tip will be particularly valuable for you.

My next wellness prioritization tip is to make sure you’re making and keeping your wellness appointments this year. 

We find the time for socialization, vehicle service, and financial appointments all while working five days a week (or more) - so why does it feel impossible to make and keep dental, doctor, vision, and other health & wellness appointments for ourselves? 

It could be that we’re not used to prioritizing our own wellness, so it feels uncomfortable to take the time and space to do so—this has to change. 

This year, I want you to make sure that you are truly taking care of Is there a wellness screening you need to attend but you just don’t have the time? Start pre-planning these appointments ASAP so you can begin the year with your health and wellness top of mind. 

Tip: Put a reminder on your calendar in advance, and write your future self a message of encouragement and support. Some examples are:

Wellness visits should include mental health appointments, too, which are vital in the prioritization of holistic wellness. Remember that everything you do in your life will come to you much more quickly, naturally, and positively when you respond to your body's mental and physical requirements. You must be your greatest health advocate, so when you find yourself taking care of everything and everyone around you, remember that you require care too.

Other ways to honor yourself in the new year?

By moving from resolutions to habits, you are committing to change. Even small things like consistent brushing and flossing daily (flossing regularly may reduce cognitive decline),exercising for mental and physical benefits and taking care of your skin from the inside and out can produce substantial changes in your well-being. Learn more about those tips here.

When you ground your approach to the new year in wellness and respect towards yourself, it’s so much easier to commit to making a change.

Grounding

Grounding, or direct contact with your skin and the earth, is so amazing for our health and wellness that scientific studies have proven its massive impact on reducing inflammation and improving wellness. Grounding is a free, easy, and accessible way to prioritize wellness - it can be as simple as walking barefoot in a field or sinking your toes into some dirt or grass before starting your day.

Community and social bonding

Having healthy and mutual social bonds in our communities can help us feel better, have more fun, relax, and is even linked to an increased lifespan by multiple research studies. Close, bonded relationships release certain wellness-boosting hormones, like dopamine and oxytocin, and help promote good mental health. Human beings evolved living in communities and groups for survival, and we all know how unpleasant it can feel to be overly isolated - especially in the winter season. Commit to prioritizing friendships, social bonds, and involvement in your community this year for a more positive outlook.

Prioritizing healthy relationships

Having a loving teammate to walk through life with is an enriching, elevated experience. Healthy relationships, both platonic and romantic, are absolutely vital for good mental and physical health. Suffering in a toxic or unfulfilling relationship can have disastrous effects on our wellness and raise our cortisol levels through the roof. Everyone deserves healthy love, so this year, focus on honest, open communication, being present in your relationships, and finding new ways to bond with your partner. Healthy relationships should provide support, comfort, inspiration, collaboration, and safety. Reassess relationships in your life that feel draining, one-sided, or consistently negative.

Setting boundaries for yourself

I can’t speak enough to the importance of boundaries. Boundaries are not an act of aggression towards others - they are an act of compassion toward yourself. Boundaries could mean not answering the phone after a certain time, not allowing others to make comments about your body, gently reminding friends that you don’t engage in negative gossip, or removing triggering accounts from your social media accounts.

Boundaries are an excellent way to protect your own peace and maintain healthy relationships in your life. When you’re clear about what you want and need with people in your life, you’ll be able to engage in healthier, more fulfilling friendships, romances, and engagements with family members. If someone is unwilling or unable to respect and honor your boundaries, this is information you can use to decide what part they should play in your life going forward. Boundaries help you say “no,” and for recovering people-pleasers, this is a revolutionary act of self-care.

The dawn of a new year certainly does feel like a clean slate. What will you do with yours? I encourage you to consider all the areas of your life that could use some tending to, and put yourself first. Prioritize your own wellness and positive intention, and the rest will come naturally as you move into your light for the year - and beyond!

I’m honored to walk alongside you in your journey.

How will you honor yourself this year?