14: Greg’s Personal Wellness Journey Unplugged

What’s in this episode?

This episode is about recommitting to the investment in wellness for better health and well-being. Most people are generally moving towards or away from wellness, and during the pandemic, we have a rare opportunity to intentionally move towards wellness through embracing change.


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What’s Love Got to Do With it?

“There is no such thing as too much love, even too much is not enough.”
Author – Unknown

 “What’s Love Got to Do with It” by Tina Turner is not only a song that many of us may not remember well, but it may have been Turner’s number one greatest hit. When it comes to wellness, have you ever contemplated the notion, what’s love got to do with it? That is, what does love have to do with a living life of optimal well-being? This concept has been explored by many in the healing profession.

Three well-known physicians have all commented on observations regarding love and healing. Dr.’s Dean Ornish, Bernie Siegel and Deepack Chopra have all commented on the value of love as a noteworthy element in the healing equation. A journalist once asked Chopra if there was only one takeaway that he could leave people with, in regard to healing, what would it be? Chopra’s response: “to love.” Chopra went on to say that when we are in a mindset where we feel loved or in which we are loving another, there are chemicals released by the brain that help provide a framework for internal healing.

In last week’s blog, I shared a definition of wellness by two researchers from Arizona State University that identified four components to wellness:

  1. The first notion is that we are multidimensional beings.
  2. The second is that wellness is exemplified by positive health in an individual.
  3. The third reflects overall quality of life.
  4. And lastly, a sense of well-being.

Love may not only have an impact on all of the elements of well-being as described in this definition, but it could be stated that nearly every dimension of our well-being could be positively impacted by love. If we think of our emotions, spirituality, occupation/vocation, social life, environment, mental health and even our finances; all can be positively impacted by love.

Feeling loved and sharing love may impact well-being from other vantage points as well. Loving ourselves will likely impact our desire and intention for self-care. Our mental outlook is likely to improve when we adopt an attitude of love. Providing care for others, as well as our environment is a natural by-product of love, which according to research, may positively impact longevity. A purpose and/or reason for living life to the fullest are often born from embracing a life of love. And lastly, our ability to endure hardships may be largely influenced through the motivation of love.

As the famous scriptural quote states: “Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered and it does not brood over injury. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1st Corinthians, Chapter 13). As we continue to pursue a life of well-being during these difficult times, let us not forget this understanding: “Love’s got a lot to do with it.”  

Greg McCann is 35-year vetted health educator, fitness professional and wellness coach.

Casting Your Wellness Vision

“When you have talked yourself into what you want, right there is the place to stop talking and begin saying it with deeds.”
-Napoleon Hill, Author

When it comes to embracing a life of wellness, one of the first steps often involves this idea of creating a wellness vision. That is, you create a vision of your ideal life of well-being; where in, you see yourself as you would if you are already living it. What does it look like? What are some of the lifestyle practices and details surrounding or supporting it? One thing to consider in making this a bit more interesting is to make it as detailed as possible. Where would you live? What would you do with your time? Would you be working? And if so, what would you be doing? Would you spend more time in the garden, exercising, painting, building, writing or in the great outdoors? Once you have captured the idea, the next step is to write it out. A wellness vision is written in first person as if you were already living it. For example:

“I am involved in meaningful work, while making sure to take time for family and friends. I am fit and healthy in mind and body. I take time for daily reflection, prayer or meditation. I am living my greatest values and ideals. I am enjoying life.”

If you decide to embrace this quest of establishing a wellness vision, there are some questions that may be worth reflecting on.

  1. Who am I really? What are my likes, dislikes, personality traits, preferences, passions, etc.? Although getting these details down on paper may take time, it is well worth the investment when it comes time to determining if your wellness vision aligns with who you really are.
  2. What are my deepest held values? This is another important element to reflect on when considering your wellness vision as your values often are captured within a well-crafted vision.
  3. What are my greatest strengths? Author Marcus Buckingham once described a strength as something you can get lost in. That is, you could spend hours in this activity or activities and never feel worn out from it. Rather than draining you, spending time doing it actually energizes you. Another thing to consider when reflecting on your strengths is to ask others who really know you the question: “What do you believe are some of my greatest strengths?” And lastly, pay attention to potential feedback from those whom you may not know personally…like a statement “You’re really good at that.”
  4. What is it that you want? When it comes to living your life of optimal well-being, what is it that you are really seeking? What areas of wellness have your greatest attention?

If we can answer the above questions honestly and thoroughly, you will have what we need to begin crafting a well-crafted wellness vision. The last two steps are to choose a future date for your vision to be in place (where you are actually living it) and to begin writing some short-term action steps that will help you begin moving in that direction.

Greg McCann is a certified Wellness Coach, a certified Personal Trainer and a certified Yoga Instructor.

What is Wellness?

The word wellness is far from underutilized in today’s world. Not only do we see it applied to all categories of health care businesses, but we also see it used evermore frequently in the pet industry. Even with this extensive use, if you should stop 100 people and ask them for their response in defining wellness, you may in fact hear 100 different answers. It is for this reason, that near the turn of the century, two researchers from Arizona State University began their quest of establishing a uniform definition of wellness.

In their research “Toward a Uniform Definition of Wellness,” Pangrazi and Corbin, came up with this definition: “Wellness is a multidimensional state of being describing the existence of positive health in an individual as exemplified by quality of life and a sense of well-being.” To understand this definition most clearly, it may help to break down each part and examine it for what it is.

1. Wellness is multidimensional – This statement refers to the notion that the well-being of each person is affected by their emotional life, spiritual self, mental health, environment, occupation or vocation, financial framework, social well-being and physical health. It is a culmination of our well-being in all of these areas that provides the foundation of true health for each of us as individuals. This multidimensional concept is often depicted in the form of a wellness wheel as illustrated below.

2. Existence of positive health in an Individual – According to the definition of health as provided by the World Health Organization: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”  Health then, is more than the positive results of a physical, but rather, the complete make up of who we are. If we desire to be truly well, then a positive aspect of health will reside in the majority of the dimensions shown above.

3. Quality of life – The quality of our life is largely an internal perception. What makes up the idea of quality of life for one person may be viewed very differently by another. For example, an individual may not have financial security or even financial stability, but if they perceive their personal quality of life to be high, it likely, will in fact, be high.

4. Sense of well-being – Similar to the quality of our life, our sense of well-being is also highly subjective and will also be determined largely by our perception. Research has shown that even individuals with poor physical health, if they perceive that they are well, are more likely to productively engage in life and work.

Practically speaking, how does this information apply to our individual lives? Wellness is largely a decision, a pursuit and a practice. It is a way in which we approach various facets of our lives and the energy we put into creating the most positive state of well-being that we may have control over for any given period of time. It is both an art and a science. And although there may always be areas of our life where we may not hit our ideal mark, the pursuit toward wellness will have its own reward in helping us reach that much closer.

Greg McCann is a certified Wellness Coach, a certified Personal Trainer and a certified Yoga Instructor.

Motivation

“It’s never too late; you’re never too old or never too infirm to start again.”
– Bishnu Ghosh

My wife and I have the luxury of working in the same industry. It is one of the many common things we share. One day we were talking shop and my wife made this observation; “Many people have the desire to change, but it is the few who have the drive, dedication, determination and discipline to see it through.”

Sir Alexander Patterson is quoted as saying; “The secret of discipline is motivation. When a person is sufficiently motivated, discipline will take care of itself.”

How then do we motivate ourselves to act in a positive way toward engaging in behaviors and practices that most closely parallel with our true values? How do we break those less life-giving habits and begin enacting those behaviors that are more in line with what we truly want? It just so happens; research has proven instrumental in capturing some key building blocks toward ultimate success when it comes to motivation.

1. Be Intentional – Staying intentional has shown to be an effective ingredient when it comes to positive behavior change. With intentionality comes increased focus and awareness to whatever it is we are applying our energy.

2. Build a Plan – There is a direct correlation with effective goals and motivation. Clear, well-expressed goals that challenge the individual, yet remain realistic, have been clearly associated with increased motivation. There is an art and a science for establishing goals, so this is an area that you may want to recruit help from individuals familiar with the area of wellness that you are attempting to improve (i.e. Fitness Coach, Trainer, Pastor, Financial Advisor, etc.)

3. Recruit Support – When we have the support and accountability of a friend, we are much more likely to stick with a goal, especially in the beginning of a behavior change. Research has shown that peer support and modeling of a desired behavior can be especially helpful. So, whether it is a class, a professional, a peer, recruiting support can be a game changer for initial and continued momentum.

4. Accountability – Being accountable to someone is another critical link to successful behavior change. Once again, this may be an industry professional or it may be someone who has a similar goal or who has previously achieved and maintained a similar goal.

5. Building Confidence – Mastering new things, establishing new skills and succeeding at the initial small goals can prove monumental at gaining initial traction to improve motivation.

6. Give it Time – When it comes to behavior change, time is our friend. The longer we can maintain a new healthy behavior, the more likely that new behavior will remain. In regard to fitness, this is particularly true of landmarks lasting six months or more, with even greater success at behaviors lasting five or more years.

7. Perceived Failure – Once you embark on any new venture, it is natural to experience setbacks from time to time. Any initial failures or setbacks should be immediately reframed into nothing more than a temporary slip or misstep. Early perceived failures are often the very thing that many of us need to get back up and bolster our resolve to start again!

Greg McCann is a Health Zone staff member with certifications in Wellness Coaching, Personal Training and Yoga Instruction.

To Be Well…or not to Be Well?

Stay Well Newsletter – Health Zone

4/16/2020

“Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.”
~Sir Winston Churchill

To Be Well…or Not to Be Well?

It may seem a redundant question to ask someone, “Don’t you want to be well?” But in fact, anyone who has worked in the health or wellness industry will attest, not everyone desires to live a life of health and well-being.  But for those who do…those who have decided that this is something they truly desire to pursue; the question often arises…How then do I do it?  How do I live my life in such a way that my well-being will be improved?

The beauty of the answer to this age-old question, is that there is no one way to live a life of optimal well-being, but there are in fact proven strategies that when lived, will help!  These are just several examples of important fundamentals to consider when establishing a life of optimal well-being:

  1. Sleep – The appropriate amount of quality sleep is cornerstone to a life of well-being. According to various studies, adequate sleep can enhance immune function, improve our ability to concentrate, assist with athletic performance, positively impact mood states, help maintain healthy weight and help reduce inflammation. Most research suggests 7-8 hours of sleep per night as ideal for the majority of adults.
  1. Movement – The importance of regular physical activity cannot be over-stated. The appropriate amount of regular physical activity, reduces the risk of many life-threatening diseases, helps boost our immune function, helps with positive mental outlook and helps with cognitive function just to list a few! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends adults engage in a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week or 75 minutes of high intensity activity. In addition, Strength training two times per week using all the major muscle groups on non-consecutive days is also recommended.
  1. Fuel – The nutrients and type of energy that we use to fuel our body and our mind, like sleep and exercise can have a profound influence on our overall well-being. Eating a variety of whole foods, with minimal processing and in the amount that meets our needs (not necessarily our wants) can also be medicinal not only to prevent many diseases, but may in fact help reverse some adult onset diseases as well. (choosemyplate.gov)
  1. Rest – Rest is more than sleep, it is learning to balance out our work life (volunteer or otherwise) with rest, time in quietude or in quality socialization with those we care about.
  1. Purpose – One of the descriptions Halbert Dunn (often referred to as the father of the modern-day wellness movement) used to describe wellness was “A zest in your step.” When we live a life of purpose, whether it be from our profession or from something outside our profession, it will drive us to do more and pursue more than we would without it. Purpose gives added meaning to life and will often cause us to have as Dunn described a “zest in our step.”
  1. Socialization – Humans by nature, are social beings, and although the doses or amounts of socialization needed may vary from person to person, we cannot escape this element of who we are. Listen to this week’s podcast for more on this.
  1. Laughter – Never forget the value of laughter for health and well-being. Click on the following link for more information on the positive effects of laughter. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2762283/

Although this list far from covers all of the elements involved in living a life of optimal well-being, incorporating even a few into our days will certainly take us that much closer!

Greg McCann is a Health Zone staff member with certifications in Wellness Coaching, Personal Training and Yoga Instruction.