What Is Wellness
So back in the day, I basically mainlined CheezIt’s, Diet Coke, and vodka, with the occasional 99 cent burger from whatever convenience store…Big Gulp anyone?!
Seriously, I know you might be saying, “LDub WTF – I thought you were healthy!” Or maybe you’re saying, “what’s wrong with that – sounds like how I eat!”
Today my days begin with lemon water, followed by coffee with collagen. So now my body, hair, skin, joints, and my soul thank me for not having to prepare for battle with the toxic crap I used to put in myself!
A popular buzzword and catch-all these days, wellness means different things to each of us.
The Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as:
“The active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.”
It goes on to explain that:
“Wellness is not a passive or static state but rather an “active pursuit” that is associated with intentions, choices, and actions as we work toward an optimal state of health and wellbeing. Second, wellness is linked to holistic health—that is, it extends beyond physical health and incorporates many different dimensions that should work in harmony.”
– Global Wellness Institute
To break this down, wellness means making choices that get you to whatever is the best next state for YOU! Perhaps your choice is to do that last tequila shot that you shouldn’t have done – my British mates call that the depth charge! Or your choice is to flip off that driver who cut you off in traffic! Or your choice is to yell at your partner for what you expected them to do that they forgot to do.
The common thread in all of these examples is that we have a choice. We have choices in how we behave and whether or not we react. And choices underpin our wellness.
Unwell States of America
“If you’re like most Americans, you probably start your day with a hot shower, a cup of coffee and a handful of pills…
More than half of us now regularly take a prescription medication — four, on average…
It turns out Americans take more pills today than at any other time in recent history-and far more than people in any other country.”
– Consumer Reports
They go on to say:
“…many Americans and their physicians, have come to think that every symptom, every hint of disease requires a drug…
The question is, where did people get that idea? They didn’t invent it…
They were spoon-fed that notion by the culture that we’re steeped in. It’s a culture, say the experts we consulted, encouraged by intense marketing by drug companies and an increasingly harried healthcare system that makes dashing off a prescription the easiest way to address a patient’s concerns.”
– Consumer Reports
Does this surprise you? Or can you relate? Given we live in an era with the most advanced medical technology in history, why do we also have the largest number of unwell humans?!
We have choices.
If this resonates with you, you may want to know how you can make different choices to pursue your own better state of wellness. As they say, if we don’t have our health, what do we really have?!
Life is About Choices
As a human and an explorer of how to become the best version of me, this is one of my core beliefs:
“Everything in your life is a reflection of a choice you once made. If you want different results, make different choices.” – Anonymous
I’m here because I want to help and I get change can be hard. Let’s start by looking in the mirror and being brutally honest with ourselves. Are you down?!
Ask yourself: are your attitudes/self-care/exercise/nutrition/ relationships/careers, helping you become the best version of yourself? If not, make one choice today to change it. Remember, baby steps.
LIVING LIFE FULL OUT!, let me tell you that sure, I’ve made choices to improve my wellness, but I’ve also made choices that are so self-destructive, the stories would make your hair curl and you would say, “damn LDub!”
The most recent choices that came back to bite me were around so-called celebrating the holidays, you know, overindulging, over-eating, pounding sugary treats, too many cocktails, all in the name of enjoying the holidays. Do you feel me?!
I want to respectfully call bullshit on this and reframe the notion that celebrating anything means self-destructive behavior. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to get on my soapbox and tell you I’m never having a margarita again!
What I am saying is that it has become painfully clear to me, that I have had to reframe my own choices with what I put into my body. I want to live well and it begins with choosing to take better care of myself!
Along these lines are the usual excuses that’s “it’s boring” or “too much work” or “too hard” to make the choice to take care of ourselves with good nutrition, exercise, and tending to our relationships and emotional well-being.
Where did we learn this -the movies? Media? Did you know that last year the average American watched about 8 hours of TV a day? 8 HOURS A DAY!
Sure, during the pandemic it became an easy fix because what the hell else were we supposed to do locked in our homes 24/7 during COVID – right?!
Well, let me tell you that if you want to thrive,make the choice and take those 8 hours a day and do something good for yourself! You DO HAVE TIME to eat better, to drink more water, to do exercise -there are zillions of free videos to do any form of exercise to!
Go outside, take a walk with your kids, your dog, your partner…
As the universe smacked me yet again to get my attention, after I partied down over the holidays at the end of 2020, I made the choice to take ownership of my quest for wellness and to reframe shitty past experiences as opportunities for growth.
I can feel you about to roll your eyes here, because, sure, easy for me to say, right!
I am telling you, from the blood, sweat, and tears I’ve spent banging my head against walls and paying the consequences of my poor choices, I’m living proof wellness works!
This is why I left corporate America and am on a mission to help myself, my family, friends, and my fellow adventurers-YOU!
“Man sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die and then dies having never really lived.”
– The Dalai Lama
Imagine a Ferrari being driven off-road for much of its existence. You may be thinking, “What the hell LDub-NO ONE does this!” This is how I used to treat my body.
Throughout most of my life I’ve been able to keep up the facade of looks good on the outside, so I beat the crap out of myself for a long ass time. I know some of you are saying to yourselves, “OMG. Me too LDub!”
Fast forward to the last few years, where my body, now the vintage Ferrari, has gone into the shop again and again and again…
I’ve come a long way in my pursuit of wellness, but laying it all out there, I’ve already come clean that I do not always make good choices.
I’ve learned the hard way, to be honest and accountable to myself and have had the privilege of working with some outstanding coaches, healers and mentors.
Student of Life
As Tao Te Ching famously says,
“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear”. – Tao Te Ching
One such teacher on my journey is Coach Bryan Osuna, who appeared in my life at an interesting time. I must have been ready, after shoulder reconstruction followed a few months later by spinal surgery – no joke!
Looking back now, I laugh at the way we originally connected. I literally looked him up, emailed him that I’d just had some surgical repairs, but that I wanted to compete and take the podium. I asked him what he thought…
Since my first Spartan race was 6 months post meniscus surgery and I came in top 15 (in my age group!) without even trying, I was certain I could do this. You know that feeling, right?!
Little did I know, this was the beginning of healing not only my physical body, but that I would end up going through the process of healing emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. And so it began…
A few months into working together, Coach Bryan started casually asking if I meditated and I sighed, slightly irritated and wondering what in the hell this had to do with me being able to bust out a shit-ton of burpees and pull-ups. I snarled back, “ugh, I CANNOT meditate, my mind is always on. I meditate when I work out really hard.”
And with the grace and wisdom of a true healer, he said, “Okay, but think about giving it a try.” Lesson learned, which I’m sure those in the know understand, that as much of a competitor as I am, my physical body was not going to get better, stronger, and faster, without going through some major emotional healing.
So if meditation worked for so many, I had nothing to lose trying it right!? I still wondered how the hell I would quiet my incessantly noisy mind…After reading Tim Ferris’ Tools of Titans and discovering the Headspace app, I GET IT!
After only a few minutes a day, done consistently even after a couple of weeks, I felt calmer. IT WORKS! The choice is yours to open the door. Put the CheezIt’s and Diet Coke down!
Take the first step, do it today. Look fear in the face, take your power back and OWN YOUR CHOICES. Wellness, like the journey of life, is a work in progress. Let’s continue on our paths to LIVE LIFE FULL OUT!
Want More Tips To Kickstart Your Own Wellness?
Excellent article. I certainly appreciate this site. Continue the good work!
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Thanks for your blog, nice to read. Do not stop.
Hi Mark many thanks for your kind comments! Visit again soon or sign up to join the LIVE LIFE FULL OUT! Tribe and become part of our community!