Five magic ways to improve your well-being and nine obstacles on your wellness journey
Photo by Sam Barber on Unsplash
Before you start working to improve your well-being and health, you’ve got to recognize the obstacles that could get in the way. And they will.
What’s in the way is the way.
When have you ever walked a path without something getting in the way? I’m not talking about things like work, kids, time, money, or even a pandemic. I am talking about bigger-picture obstacles. Obstacles that are more mercurial in nature.
To be able to recognize the obstacles on our wellness path, you must be mindful and develop a deep sense of self-awareness. In fact, you must begin with self-acceptance, so you know where you are. As the saying goes, “You are perfect as you are, but there is always room for improvement”.
Although wellness is far from some big self-improvement projects, it does take effort. It is a way of life. You don’t dance to get to the other side of the floor–you do it for the experience. You are on a wellness journey to feel good regularly, not when you arrive somewhere.
The more self-aware you are, the more likely you are to make choices in the direction you want to go. If you are paying attention, you know when you have gotten lost. You can recognize the obstacles when they arise and realize they are simply part of the wellness journey.
You can get back on track over time with guidance along the way (because a path implies that someone has trod on this before). Thus, you must approach your wellness path in a more forgiving, somewhat humorous, and kinder, self-compassionate way. Only then is it sustainable.
At last, what are the five magic ways to improve your well-being?
Exercising
Eating a Nutritious Diet
Sleeping
Managing Stress
Nurturing Your Relationships
Three things to have in mind on your wellness journey.
As overarching, general wellness recommendations these five work because if you did them, you would definitely improve your well-being and health along your wellness journey.
But what constitutes stress management? Is it meditation? Breathing? Painting? Cultivating gratitude? It can never be that simple because:
1.) Each person is unique.
There is no generic plan that works. What kind of exercise is right? What is the best way to improve your nutrition? What kind of supplements might you need?
There are eight aspects of wellness: Physical, Mental, Spiritual, Social, Occupational, Intellectual, Financial, and Environmental. What needs your attention right now?
Just like any relationship that grows and changes, what is needed at different points in our life changes?
The path always has twists and turns, and we need to pay attention. We need self-awareness.
2.) It is a romantic view of wellness.
It is the happily ever after story. You get to the point where you meet and fall in love but never get to the part of who is cleaning up the floor or dropping off the kids.
There is no such thing as perfect compatibility. The fact that you are looking for just five simple answers implies that you are looking for the perfect, newest, coolest, wellness product or service that once we find will solve your problems.
Should you try being vegan or paleo? Should you do a detox or intermittent fasting? A HIIT workout or go for a walk? Take extra Vitamin D? Melatonin for sleep? How about a nice hot bath or a weekly massage?
The answer to them all is YES. And it depends. You must stop looking for love in all the wrong places.
3.) We all have a Know/Do gap problem.
Does it even matter if it is just five ways to improve your well-being and health? We, humans, are flawed. We disappoint. We annoy ourselves. Don’t follow through. Know what is right but do not do it.
We have good intentions but do not know how to set up habits and behavior changes to hack our lack of motivation. We must approach our wellness with kindness and self-compassion and work to create realistic habits.
Setting unrealistic goals on your path to wellness can leave you stranded. Photo by Jordan Whitt on Unsplash
The nine obstacles that appear on the yoga path also show up on the wellness journey
If you are going to be kind and forgiving as you try to keep up your exercise, diet, sleep habits, stress reduction, and relationships, then you have put yourself on a long-term stakeout. You must keep an eye out for hindrances.
If you know hindrances are coming, you can approach them with friendliness, instead of getting sidelined by them. Remind yourself when roadblocks show up that they are part of the journey and they are not a problem.
Luckily for us, the ancient yogis outlined these big-picture obstacles thousands of years ago, and they still are just as relevant today. Here is what is bound to show up.
Vyadhi – Physical illness or disease (dis-ease)
No surprise here. When you do not feel well and have physical pain or sickness, it is hard to do anything. It can feel like your health and well-being are beyond the reach of your control and it can lead to a downward spiral, leaving you despondent.
You can fall into negative self-talk, which exacerbates the situation. You need to remember the truth of impermanence.
With the help of self-awareness and self-empathy, you can appreciate where you are and still move forward on your wellness journey. With a little extra self-care, you can learn to work with a setback.
Styana – Apathy, lack of interest and enthusiasm, boredom
I call this the “so what” or “whatever” attitude. Life in the 21st century has made our search for constant stimulation like the next coolest wellness product or service or fitness craze. We get tired of our routines.
There is nothing wrong with changing things up and working with your subtle energies. However, it is important to connect back to your intention.
When apathy strikes, you must investigate whether we need a slight change of pace or identify if you are searching for some answer or new experiences that will also fade away.
Samsaya – Doubt of the self-worth or ability
This is a big one; the NGE or not-good-enough problem. It is easy to fall into the illusion of inadequacy. Believe it is just not worth the effort.
The inner critic or the voice inside your head can be very loud. The mantra is: “Don’t believe everything you think.”
See your inner critic and name them. I say, “Blanche, thank you very much for your opinion, but right now I’ve got to get back to feeling good“.
Pramada – Distraction, negligence & carelessness
Our attention has become a commodity. There are just so many things to distract us and take us off course.
All this stimulation makes it easy to escape your mind with all kinds of electronics or substances. Addictions fall right in here.
This lack of attention and monkey mind sets you up to go on autopilot. When you are on autopilot, you become negligent, careless, and often short-tempered.
When you are not thinking clearly, you lose your way and need to reconnect with your intentions. With mindfulness and self-awareness, you can pause and see the hustle and bustle.
Just like trying to tame a wild horse, you let it run until it finally gets tired out and settles down. You can do the same with yourself, physically and mentally, until you finally settle down and can collect your attention.
Alasya – Burnout, heaviness, & laziness
Remember, what’s in the way is the way. Instead of fighting the sensations of heaviness and sluggishness, you must get curious about them. Tune into the feeling.
If you are in burnout, the mind and body are not in sync. Using the breath to come into the now is the first step to feeling grounded. Applying your self-compassionate attitude, you can make realistic choices about what you can and cannot accomplish. Some nice self-care practices may be in order.
Avirati – Desire & craving
This is where some outside sensory object seduces you away from your overarching intentions. Perhaps, you want to escape an undesirable thought or feeling.
Desire and craving can be powerful adversaries, especially if the impulse moves toward self-medication or an urge to numb out and escape. You might end up in stagnation and even agitation around your well-being.
Here is where it's best to remember not to believe everything you think. Cravings eventually subside. All sensations are temporary. They arise, often increase in intensity, and then they pass away. You may just need to ride out the wave.
Bhrantidarsana – Living under illusions & misunderstanding
"I have been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened." This quote by Mark Twain epitomizes this obstacle.
We are great storytellers. We base them on our experiences and perceptions. We have opinions on how things are, how people are, and what we are capable of. We even use these stories to justify our behavior.
If we are not careful, we will let an illusion or misinformation guide us on our path. We need to be able to recognize stories as stories. They may feel real, but they are not necessarily true.
Alabdhabhumikatva – Doubting progress & ability to succeed
This is another form of doubt where it seems that there is no further potential for us or that the system is somehow rigged.
Perhaps you feel that you have reached a plateau. The sense is merely a matter of perspective. How are you measuring progress? Maybe your expectations are unrealistic.
The longer you embrace your wellness journey, the more familiar and comfortable it becomes. It may show up as a lack of perseverance or grounding.
What you want might not be easily obtained. You can lose your resolve and change directions when things get tough. When this doubt rears its head, returning to a firm and solid intention is a good place to start, combined with a commitment to patience. Things are always changing.
Anavasthitatva – Inability to maintain achievements
Two steps forward, one step back.
Your old habits of mind and old routines can easily take over. You are constantly learning and relearning.
It is not enough to reach your “goals”. Rather, you must remain focused and maintain progress once achieved. That is where you realize you do not arrive anywhere, but wellness becomes a way of being in life.
You must practice the beginner’s mind, for the beginner always arrives eager and has everything to learn. You will fall backward. You will question and doubt. You will get off course.
And just like any practice, you begin again. And again. And again. Over time, you learn to stay abreast of doubt and even appreciate it when it shows up.
Stepping stones on your wellness journey.
These obstacles apply to everything you strive toward. When you exercise with weights, the resistance strengthens your muscles and helps them grow.
Similarly, the difficulties you encounter along your path strengthen and improve your lives and develop your “muscles” of wisdom and compassion.
In effect, you become equipped with the mental skills to overcome these challenges.
If you remain aware, consistent, kind, and forgiving, not only can your intentions be fully realized, but you will be on the path to becoming the best version of yourself.
When you begin to view the problems along the way as part of the way and even opportunities, you will build a solid foundation for unshakeable well-being.
At the end of the day, doing the magic five ways to improve your well-being isn’t complicated.
If you want a guide for your wellness journey, email me: sharyn@truenorthwell.com.
Have a good practice.