6 Strategies for embracing your personal wellness today

“What’s it going to take for me to embrace my own wellness?”

You keep trying to make yourself a priority, but something (or someone) always happens to push your wellness down the list.

You can’t say no, can you?

You’ve tried scheduling time on your calendar for yourself, even a “spa” bath at home. Nothing works.

And then, it’s another day of having no balance.

You want your own personal wellness, not someone else’s path. You feel overwhelmed at the thought of trying to put yourself first.

The truth is, if you don’t take some time for yourself, your wellness gets worse and other issues will arise. You must prioritize your wellness. You need a strategy.

#1 Creating enriching experiences

“Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

Enriching experiences add value to your life. Telling you to go have an enriching experience is easier said than done, especially when you have so much going on in life already.

Being present can be enriching. Are you fully present when you’re with others? Or is your mind wandering, thinking of all the things you must do? What can you do to stop the circus in your head?

• When you feel your mind wandering, close your eyes and take a couple of slow, deep breaths. This exercise will help still your mind and bring you back into the present.
• Depending on the situation, a quick minute of exercise (such as running in place or jumping jacks) can release endorphins, which helps to quiet the mind.
• Tune in to music that’s playing around you. When you hear the mind chatter start up in your head, take a moment and listen to the music. Music helps to calm brain activity.

Practice one or all these techniques. It takes practice but works. The more you do it, the more you find it comes naturally. And the quieter the mind chatter becomes.

#2 Laughter is the best medicine

The body doesn’t know the difference between fake laughing or real laughing. So, give it a try!

Burst out laughing for 30 seconds, then 1 minutes. Practice it. After a while, how do you feel?

Laughing provides short-term benefits of more oxygen intake, which benefits your heart and increases endorphins for your brain.

In the long-term, laughter can improve your immune system, which helps positive thoughts override the negative thoughts and release neuropeptides. Those neuropeptides help fight stress and other illnesses.

And best of all, laughter is free.

#3 Learn something new

Have you been wanting to learn something new? Or to train for something? Maybe you want to learn to draw, run a 5k, learn a new language, etc.

Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) offers this reality: our brain chemistry changes when we learn something new. We all have white matter in our brains and the more we practice a new skill, the denser our white matter becomes, which helps us learn even better.

Not learning new things means you aren’t using your white matter. When you actively learn new things, you give your brain a fighting chance to stave off dementia. Dementia has been linked to the loss of white matter in our brains.

What can you do now to learn something new? It doesn’t have to be complicated. Just do something new.

#4 Unplug

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” ~ Anne Lamott

Let’s face it, technology really isn’t the problem. It’s us humans and how we spend our time.

Technology can be addictive, if we aren’t careful. Do you find yourself saying?

• “I can’t put my phone down”
• “I have to check my email NOW”
• “Just one more minute” (which turns into an hour)

If so, you may be addicted to technology. Addiction can only be understood when the object is taken away.

Ping.

Or worse, when someone says – you didn’t read my message – what they really mean is, why was I not important enough for you to read my 2-second message? The reality is you are more important. Put your own wellness first.

And then there’s another ping.

A group of students at University of Maryland, College Park conducted a study of going 24 hours without technological devices.

The students found without the distraction of social media and technology:

• They were more productive in their coursework and they learned more. This is good for brains and the white matter.
• They also paid more attention to the people around them and what was going on. They were more present.

If students, in a short 24 hours, were productive in their coursework and in life by focusing on what was going on around them, imagine what you could do for your own wellness in 24 hours.

Go ahead, give it a try. It really is refreshing.

#5 Getting back to simple

“Life is not complex. We are complex. Life is simple, and the simple thing is the right thing.” ~ Oscar Wilde

With simplicity comes less stress. How do you simplify in a complex world? Try these tips:

• Live below your means. Being stretched to the max on spending and trying to pay off bills gives you stress and anxiety, which affects your heart, brain, and blood pressure.
• Declutter your house. Get rid of what you’re not using. Decluttering is energizing and helps build self confidence because you’ve achieved something. Having a clean and organized space reduces anxiety and stress.
• Find 30 minutes of alone time. Sit in a comfortable chair (or lie on the floor) with your eyes closed. Quiet your mind chatter with deep breaths and relax. Relaxation helps to alleviate stress.

#6 Say “No”

“You’ve gotta keep control of your time and you can’t unless you say no. You can’t let people set your agenda in life.” ~ Warren Buffett

Saying no is simple in theory. It takes courage to say no to someone, though.

You don’t want to let anyone down, so you say yes. By doing this, you let yourself down. You have prioritized the other person’s wants above yours.

Saying yes to a commitment may mean you say no not only to your own wellness, but that of your family.

What are your other commitments taking you away from? Is your calendar filled with non-family commitments? If so, you have given the commitments priority over your family and your wellness.

Who’s setting your agenda?

Family is part of our personal wellness – let’s not ignore them for the sake of saying yes to someone else. What’s important, keep important. Say no to minor things. The world will not cave in.

Here are a few tips:

• Don’t wait to say no. The longer you wait, the harder it is. Also, the other person will wish you had said no sooner. When you say no, they need to find someone else.
• No need to give an explanation. It comes of as being apologetically apologetic – it’s your business and your wellness. A simple, “I’m sorry, I really can’t at this time” is sufficient.
• Be sure to thank the person for asking, with a smile. This helps to reduce any negativity the person might feel otherwise. If you stay lighthearted, they will, too. If you come across as stressed, nervous, or anxious about saying no, they will become that way, too.

Not saying no to commitments also means you’re stretching yourself too thin. This can also lead to burnout. Embrace your wellness now.

Embrace your wellness, for your sake

Not knowing where or how to get started with your own wellness becomes overwhelming. It can feel like you’re running around in circles with no one stopping you.

Especially when you feel as though you can’t even get some alone time for yourself.

But you must learn to say no. When you spend all your energy on commitments, you have no energy left for yourself, or your family.

Just imagine being able to spend more time on what’s important to you.

Imagine having your personal wellness in balance.

To start, recognize you must put yourself first, for your own wellness.

Then, try one of the strategies above to rejuvenate your wellness.

Do it today.