Wellness strikes a chord in us that is beyond routine blood tests and the outward appearance of looking like we are okay and saying we are doing just fine. Wellness implies “feeling.” It implies feeling well…, alive…, happy…, and vital… in totality, as opposed to tired…, unmotivated…, suffering…, compartmentalized…, or lacking spunk and joy. In community, it is as if we collectively know this but have not yet figured out how to squeeze the juice out of the importance of the idea that health is measured as much through testing as it is through our feelings and experience of wellbeing.
As a physician, bridging the gap between pain and emotional satisfaction can be a wide divide. Yet, sometimes the answer to healing and recover is in that space between active treatment and caring about a patient’s whole life. This is perhaps where we can find the key to our own wellness and our best wellness partners.
Healing, or the change of disease to ease, the shift from unwell to well, often takes time. Too often our attention falls short the moment we are out of pain and our fears or acceptance of permanency are lifted. It seems our society more readily accepts premature aging, poor posture, inflexibility, minor aches and pains, arthritis, prescription medication, fatigue, an extra ten pounds around the midriff and the risk of diseases that go along with it. We may have also accepted working long hours, not making it to the gym or outdoors recreation. It is more common than not to be living with dissatisfaction, high stress and taking care of others with a higher priority than is reasonable or longstanding.
Rather than let that be the norm and potential pathway to disease; lets welcome the idea to listen more deeply to our thoughts and feelings about our health and wellbeing and begin to take the extra time, knowledge and inspiration required to prevent preventable disease processes and find the happiness that really comes with being truly healthy. In other words, delight in the wellbeing of not taking prescription drugs , enjoy feeling strong and beautiful in our bodies, appreciate waking up from a good night’s sleep, delight in the inspiration to go for a walk or take a yoga class or invite friends over for an enjoyable dinner party.
There is a spirit to wellness and it is catching on. We need to talk as much about how we are “feeling” in our bodies (flexible, stiff, in pain) as we do about how we “feel” in our minds (safe, vulnerable, stressed, relieved), as we do in our emotions (anger, grief, love, appreciation, joy), and in our spirit (inspired, moved, touched, connected, disconnected, high, low). Using the word spirit loosely, in whatever way it can be interpreted to mean an energetic way of being or a place of compassion, appreciation, love or connected vitality. Being able to communicate this intertwined mix of feelings more clearly will allow a more defined focused plan that will begin to close the gap in healing. Healing therefore requires language and attention on the physical body and all of the connections to life and lifestyle factors.
I am pleased to be witnessing a broader inclusion of wellness as, and a desire for wellbeing in client communication. There is a lot of information to sort through and individuals require unique health practices, practitioners, lifestyles, foods and attention to detail for each body, mind, emotional pattern and capacity and spiritual connection to come into an alignment that allows the best expression of how people “feel.” Different things make different people happy. Health is an expression of happiness.
If we can keep the FOCUS on the powerful possibility of FEELING well I believe we will begin to experience more of the things we desire not only in health, but in life. Things like being pain free, drug free, emotionally free with the spirit of wellbeing flowing and tasting as refreshing as the fresh squeezed juice of life.
This week I have experienced an outpouring of generosity and support for our upcoming Ladies Wellness Fair. The vendors are passionate about connecting with ladies in our community. Local businesses continue to contact me offering to participate. Wellness is alive in our community. Please come by our Ladies Wellness Fair, April 27, 11 AM-2 PM and visit with our vendors about health and wellbeing and enjoy their mini treatments, special offers and time in the spirit of the wellness bubble with your lady friends. I, WE, look forward to seeing and meeting you.