Rethinking wellness

I’m getting a little tired of wellness because it is everywhere!!!! Don’t get me wrong…I think the shift towards self care and education is a good thing.

It’s good to see people engaging in positive things that are good and taking health seriously. That’s brilliant.

What isn’t brilliant is some of the toxic parts of the wellness industry which feed off of and perpetuate insecurities. Wellness influencers are akin to the supermodels of the 90’s, portraying unrealistic standards.

I would love new word for wellness that embodies feeling grounded and connected in your life. 

The pace at which things are moving is frightening at times and the expectations put upon people are increasingly ridiculous.

I remember attending meetings that began at 2pm –people leisurely walk in the door shortly after.

These days if you a couple of minutes late for a zoom meeting – people notice it.

On top of the normal pressures we face, how are we supposed to keep up when we're simultaneously expected to 'win the day,' count all our macronutrients, get 20 minutes of sunshine in the morning and afternoon (even though it rains a lot of the time), journal our feelings, strength train, do cardio, post about it on Instagram, and fit in a sea swim as well?"

And if you have enough energy left – you can muster three things you are grateful for and make sure you get 10000 steps.

I’m not say these things aren’t good. There is research evidence to back up a lot of these interventions and I do many of them myself.  

I just think we have taken wellness to another level. It’s the perfect environment for us to jump out of our own body trying to keep up.

So what’s the solution here? Well, it depends.

As a coaching psychologist and yoga teacher, I know the evidence base, the yoga poses and right questions to ask but really it comes down to you and your story. I’m good at working with someone to help them implement their own version of ‘wellness’.

If you are interested in learning more about my work, come along to one of my upcoming workshops or reach out for a free 20-minute consultation.