Well-being Wednesday: “we have been training for this for years” said a mentor, when I saw her recently. Meaning that Covid might be anxiety inducing, but as professionals in the wellness industry, she’s right. It’s game time.
The 3 pillars of health are movement, diet, rest/sleep (time in nature and spiritual health too the list too). I’ve been balancing these as best I can, based on my knowledge and training while listening to my body (though rest, admittedly, is my more challenging pillar). And I have been for years. Well-being and health are like a savings account – you make daily choices to add to it, accruing benefits over time. It’s the long game in mind – slow and steady; a well state of being doesn’t come over night. And efforts at optimizing your wellness can be derailed for some in times of challenge (like Covid, situation and motivation depending).
What are you doing now to be your most healthy? Your most well? (And importantly, from there are you able to access what makes wellness and life worthwhile – Joy?). How has Covid impacted your wellness routine and goals?
Importantly, wellness and it’s health pillars are impacted by privilege (including gender, race, and economics). And wellness and health should not be moralized (Ex there are no “bad” bodies – all bodies are amazing; people that get sick don’t “deserve” it, it isn’t karma – sometimes an illness is bad luck). We can only do the best we can in the systems we are in (while dismantling harmful systems where we can). And, my mentor is right, it’s game time – the social stress and individual stress of Covid (and it’s fallout) are significant and require us to honor our health as best as we can, for the greatest resilience, individually and collectively.
The current Covid situation had me appreciate that I was able to travel to New Orleans this past fall (a city of my heart). Here is a pharmacy museum front – a gaper and snow globes historically symbolized apothecaries and pharmacies. Maybe those of us in wellness should pick the tradition back up? 😬 I’m sure my neighbors would appreciate it (Sorry, gaper, you’re a bit creepy – thinking you’d keep clients away).
Wishing you all well-being during this challenging time. You’ve been training for it for years. #allbodiesaregoidbodies #wellbeingwednesday #resilience #movementmedicine #holistichealth
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Written by Dr. Allison Mitch, PT (DPT), copyright protected, please cite accordingly. Originally posted to social media on 7/29/20. Image is mine.
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**Please note that as I mention in this post briefly but will return to for future posts, our health and well-being are influenced by our culture and social systems and connections. A pillar of health on its own (ex social determinants). These larger based considerations remove the moralizing and victim-blaming that is pervasive in the wellness industry. Yes, we have some responsibility to our selves and our bodies, but we also have a responsibility to each other and need to honor the magnitude of the impact of connections, culture, and systems of oppression**