Has the pandemic taught us life lessons? Has the death of near and dear created an emptiness that you are not able to recover from? Has the job loss made you insecure? Has the anxiety of the future unsettled your mind? Has working on yourself been a difficult task? The answer lies in the lack of physical and mental wellness. Most are aware of the value of wellness in our life but not many work on it. Why and how can one incorporate this essential habit? The answer lies in the wellness mantra.
Wellness is the act of incorporating daily practices that improve our material, physical & mental health. We need to make the effort to slow down, to listen to our mind, our inner voice, and our conscience. This will make one feel more empowered, invigorated, healthy, and mentally strong. The wellness industry is increasingly popular all over the world, especially after the COVID pandemic.
When our thoughts, words, and actions are aligned when our ideas, beliefs, and behaviors are in place, we feel we are being the best version of ourselves. It improves our relationships with our loved ones, families, friends, and work colleagues. Filling our own minds with happiness and responsibility encourages those around us to do the same. We lift others by lifting ourselves. Gandhi’s famous words “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Small and simple activities every day can create profound changes. Good habits strengthen our intellect and train our minds to act objectively. A healthy morning routine sets the tone for the rest of the day. Starting the day with gratitude makes us more likely to find things to be grateful for throughout the day. The morning is the right time for study and contemplation. Read for 20 minutes and contemplate what you’ve read for the next 20 minutes. Then in the next final 20 minutes find avenues to implement the learnings during the day. Thus your thoughts and emotions are nurtured in progressive ways. One hour of mental health helps you to take care of the remaining 23 hours of your day.
Being active calms your mind increases your oxygen intake and gets your blood pumping. Physical exercise – walking, running, yoga & pilates are best designed to relieve tension and improve our physical wellness. Happiness hormones are produced in the guts and a healthy gut enhances our immunity. Our diets, moods, and physical health are so intrinsically linked. How we feed our bodies with the foods we consume has an immense effect on our overall health. Nutrition is an important aspect of wellness. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and protein consumed in moderation enhances physical wellness.
Try introspection before going to bed. Introspection is the process of running through the activities of the day from the time you wake up till the time you are going to bed. You mentally run through it without analyzing or criticizing any of the activities. This process will help your intellect to be alert during the day and will result in fewer regrets. After this process, try to analyze where you improved today and where you can improve tomorrow. This will set your intentions right.
When we are all focused on improving our physical and mental health, we feel happier, stronger, and more motivated. From a place of self-care and discipline, we are able to create space for others, practice acceptance and forgiveness, we actively support our growth and the wellness of all beings.
Text by S A Sreedharan
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