How Do You Define Wellness?

When you think of wellness, what image pops up in your mind first? Is it an image of someone running? A healthy plate of food? A daily journal perhaps?

For me, the meaning of wellness has changed over the years. Throughout high school I believed that wellness was defined by how healthy you ate, how often you exercised, and how fit or skinny you looked. Although I played sports and ate as healthy as the average teenager, I still struggled with body image. I obsessed over my physical appearance and didn’t realize the toll it was taking on my mental health.

I would count calories, try to burn them off on the treadmill, restrict myself from eating foods that I labeled “unhealthy.” If I gave in to a craving, I would consider my healthy streak over and feel guilty. It took me some time to understand how harmful my habits were and that they were in need of repair.

My mindset changed as I started watching fitness YouTubers like Krissy Cela talk about health and fitness as something that you “do for you” to feel strong, confident, and happy. Hearing those words marked a major shift in how I approached my own health and wellness. Counting calories, restricting myself, and feeling guilty about the foods I ate were only doing damage. Once I stopped comparing myself to others and setting unattainable and unsustainable goals, I was able to appreciate wellness for what it truly is— a lifestyle.

There is something so powerful about social media platforms in that they allow us to reach, educate, and inspire millions of people. But at the same time we are constantly bombarded with unrealistic images, advertisements, and expectations that can be detrimental to our well-being. Thinking that we have to live up to a specific beauty standard or comparing our own lives to the highlight reels that people post online can set us up for failure from the get-go.

Elevate, my weekly guide to health and wellness, will intend to do the former. I’m creating this newsletter to emphasize how wellness can mean different things for different people. By sharing various research based approaches to health and wellness, I am hoping to motivate you to find what will make you a happier and more confident version of yourself.

Elevate’s mission is to bring in as many perspectives to health and wellness as possible so that you’re not just hearing from me. This page will include feature articles, profile stories, interviews, listicles, resources, and multimedia content to keep you engaged and informed.

Together I want us to elevate our minds, bodies, and souls.

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Here are some things that have kept me sane this week...

Plants! When quarantine first started I decided to become a plant mom, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Caring for them has helped me care more for myself as taking the time to water them every week gives me time to reflect. Seeing a new leaf never fails to brighten up my day.

If you are looking to start your plant journey, I recommend checking out Planterina on YouTube. She has videos on pretty much everything you will need, from watering tips to step by step propagating and potting tutorials.

Also take a look at The Sill, a plant blog that offers advice as well as fun topics like “The Plant You Need Based on Your Astrological Sign” and “7 Women Owned Businesses to Support This Season”.

If you have a shorter attention span but still want to learn about plants, head over to TikTok. My favorite accounts that I follow for plant advice are alixx_in_the_hous and hanginghouseplants. It’s thanks to them that I was able to get rid of the pesky fungus gnats caused by my tendency to overwater.

I recently started a new series on Netflix called headspace Guide to Meditation which offers informative and beginner friendly guided meditation to help you clear your mind and just be. My thoughts have been all over the place lately, and before watching this show, I didn’t think it would ever be possible to rid my head of all its clutter. But by the end of the first episode, I learned how to stop thinking simply by focusing on breathing. Highly recommend!

My motivation to workout has admittedly been pretty low. Thankfully, YouTuber MadFit’s January Workout Calendar has given me a little push to get up and move my body. All the workouts are able to be done at home with minimal equipment.

Before the pandemic, I was an avid gym goer. My favorite thing to do there was strength training. Since I no longer have access to weights and the equipment I need, I have had to find other ways to exercise. I have never been a big fan of cardio, but MadFit's dance cardio workouts make it feel less like a chore and more like a fun way to get my blood flowing while listening to some tunes.

See you next week!