The Habits of Holistic Wellness

You’ve probably heard of the term “holistic wellness” now more than ever. It’s becoming more and more popular, as we’re starting to realize just how important our mental health is to our physical health, and vice versa.

Simply put, holistic wellness focuses on the connection of mind, body, and spirit. These three assets make up who we are as human beings, and if one is off, more than likely, it will throw a curve ball in the others.

For example, the most common feeling among all of us is stress. While stress starts in our minds, if not addressed properly, it can lead to physical diseases or ailments. Headaches, anyone? The same goes for anxiety. When we are anxious, sometimes our bodies know it before we do. We feel nauseous, or worse, like we might be having a heart attack (panic attacks are often mistaken for heart attacks).

Implementing holistic health habits in your daily routine can make a world of difference – ultimately, it can change your life, and open doors for you that you didn’t think were possible. The following are a few of the things I’ve changed up, or incorporated, in my everyday life to keep my anxiety under wraps, feel good, and essentially, be my absolute best self.

Diet

This is such a controversial topic, because it seems that everyone thinks one particular diet is suitable for everyone. And that is certainly not the case. One of the most amazing things about human beings is that we are all different from the inside out – and that means, we as individuals will react to certain foods differently.

While someone may have a gluten intolerance, the next person may have trouble digesting meat. One diet is not for everyone, and I’m sure it wouldn’t take long for you to figure out which foods make you feel great, and which make you feel sick, or anxious, or bloated.

Perhaps consult with a holistic nutritionist to get the ball rolling. It may take some time, but you’ll realize that your body sometimes knows much more than the mind when it comes to your health.

Essential Oils

Another big staple in my holistic wellness routine includes essential oils. I know, these are all the rage right now, and quite possibly a little obnoxious. But in all seriousness, they work – for both your mental and physical health.

I’ve used Young Living essential oils for the past 4 years, and I’ve managed anxiety better than ever, along with utilizing them for my skin and hair, and even drink them in my water. I use essential oils throughout my entire day, and I’d be really holding out on everyone I know if I didn’t share how much they’ve improved my wellbeing.

I’d also like to note, this goes only for Young Living oils – you want to know exactly where your oils are coming from, especially if you plan on using them on your kids, your own skin, and ingesting them. Young Living products are the only essential oils guaranteed to be 100% pure, which means there are no additives or fillers. Whether you plan on getting oils from me or someone else, please by all means, make sure they’re only from Young Living.

Meditation

I can’t tell you how many people say to me, “Oh, there’s no way I can sit still for that long,” or, “Yeah, I’ve tried meditating but it doesn’t really work for me.” I’d like to politely shut down all of your qualms about meditation right here and now.

Meditation is a practice. That means, the first couple times you do it, it’s going to feel like nothing happened, and that your mind just went off on a parade of thoughts just when you thought you were reaching some kind of clarity.

Start with 5 minutes a day, and by all means, use an app! I really love Headspace, but there are plenty more you can try. Plus, there are tons of free videos on YouTube. I started with The Honest Guys – they have a meditation for literally everything/feeling.

However you can get there, make meditation a part of your daily routine. You’ll quickly come to realize just how effective it is in your everyday life – even if it’s something as simple as, you get less angry when sitting in traffic (I may have experienced this one myself…) or, you’re more patient with your kids. Simply put: Just trust me on this one.

Exercise

This one might be obvious, but it’s so important. Our bodies are meant to move, and it’s not just crucial for your physical health, but for your mental health. Ever experience that “runner’s high”? Or feel amazing after weightlifting?

It’s not a coincidence. Exercise releases serotonin in the brain, giving us that happy, every-little-thing’s-gonna-be-alright feeling when we leave the gym. I’ve found that the key is to finding your workout, just like finding your diet.

Maybe you love yourself a Spin class, or perhaps yoga is your thing, or maybe you really enjoy lifting weights. If you’re not already in an exercise routine, try a couple of different classes out and see what clicks for you.

Therapy

I was about to finish this post, but realized one huge aspect of my wellbeing that I didn’t include: Therapy. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve seen a therapist for years. I started when I was 23, and still go periodically. Actually, I’m going today.

Talk therapy has allowed me to unravel some deep-rooted things that I had no idea were affecting me in everyday life. We don’t want to look at trauma, or abuse, or negative things from the past because it’s scary – I know this. However, take it from me, the idea of looking at events in your past is much scarier than the actual act.

Our fear steps in to protect us, but when we can set this fear aside and resolve issues from the past, they simply disappear. Give yourself the chance to not live in the shadow of your trauma. You are so much more than your past, and when you let it go, you open up to an entire world of possibilities.

These holistic habits will certainly take time, but if you implement one small thing per day, you’ll look back in a month, and then in a year, and then in 5 years, and see how much your life has changed.