Finding My Place in Health & Wellness – Page 2

Ready, set, go!

Featured by ETWellness, posted in Finding My Place in Health & Wellness, Fitness, Health cooking and eatting!, I Feel Good!, Lifestyles

Damn, I need valet services for parking at the health club in the new year. Sadly, it’s business as usual, with plenty of parking by month’s end! Change is challenging, but there’s much to learn about managing new resolutions. Here are a few things I’ve discovered.

January is the perfect time to focus on the power and potential of R-words! So many of us are reassessing, reimagining, recalibrating – you get the picture! We know something didn’t work for us last year and want a fresh start and do-over. “Renewal” is my favorite inspiring R-word, and it comes up in my meditation, exercise, and writing. I’m always thinking, committing, and strengthening my will to renew and find greater joy in my life. What’s your R-word?

We endured a heck of a year, and we’re so much smarter! I enjoyed walking four or five days a week last year. I proudly marked my days on a large wall calendar. Excellent job, I thought as I assessed last year, but I also concluded I need more strength training and challenging cardio. So my plan for 2023 includes new workouts and more creative, healthy ways to manage my low-energy days!

January 1st is a tough time to hit the reset button, so consider another day! One Health & Wellness article suggested change and new beginnings can begin on birthdays, any day, week, quarter, anniversaries, or any momentous day! For example, I started getting my annual physical on my late mom’s birthday. The date is easy to remember and honor her. I’m also motivated by her passion for eating right, regular exercise, and enjoying the outdoors. Her birthday is now a nice healthy habit!

It’s always a great time to embrace wellness, welcome change, and challenge our thinking about what’s good for us. Best wishes for a happy new year!

So, what do you want to be when you grow up?

November 27, 2022November 27, 2022 by ETWellness, posted in Careers, Finding My Place in Health & Wellness, I Feel Good!, Physical Therapy, Smart and Well, Uncategorized

This question remains oddly perplexing for kids and adults as we contemplate the next steps in our lives. Choices become even more nerve-racking for adults as the clock ticks away! While watching a favorite weekly drama on television, I heard some sage advice worth sharing.

Let’s start with one annoying, bright, fictional character, a firefighter on an ABC show called Station 19. She is overwhelmed by personal convictions and talent and can’t get out of her own way in life. Finally, her exasperated mentor told her frustrated mentee that the answer was in front of her! In addition, she should look at the job she already knows so well. After this, she should consider an open new role demanding her strong crisis management and people skills.

Further, the mentee’s purpose isn’t some big giant illusive thing to be discovered. Instead, your purpose will reflect everything you’ve done. Everything you’ve done connects the dots in your life and allows you to bring meaning and value to yourself and others. The mentor said that all those dots make you ideal for one area or another, and you’re perfect for leadership now!

In the last few years, I’ve focused on my dots or interests in many areas. Mine include travel, writing, reading, fitness, volunteer projects, etc. I’ve changed jobs to reflect my evolving interests and skills and pivoted away from work that doesn’t interest me.

In one good hour of must-see TV, one can learn something new or confirm what you already know! The answer to what is next is often right in front of you or in places you’ve already ventured. However, it may take a trusted mentor, friend, advisor, or just a little personal courage to see what is in front of you.

So, you think you can eat anything, huh?

Featured by ETWellness, posted in Finding My Place in Health & Wellness, Fitness, Health cooking and eatting!, I Feel Good!, Lifestyles, Uncategorized

My 50th POST! – “People are starving in this country, and you’re throwing away food!” My mother would say this and look at me in horror! I was guided by food labels and my own sense of what keeps me safe. Recently, I listened to an NPR news report on widespread confusion regarding food labels. Let’s take a closer look.

We are often confused by the sheer variety of labels, including: “use before,” “sell by,” “expires on, “good by this date,” “best if used by,” etc. The public’s uncertainty about dates on packaged foods leads to up to 20% of waste in this country, according to Frank Yiannas, the FDA Deputy Commissioner on Food Policy and Response. It seems uniform definitions and standards are lacking.

I surveyed my own kitchen and noted many products with NO date! You’d think those foods are suitable for a lifetime! At first, I thought I might have tossed the packaging, but no, many products simply have no date at all! I’m sure our food preparation and safety standards are better than most in the world. The U.S. is an advanced country, but there still seems to be a measure of “buyer beware” here!

To be safe, I follow a few personal rules:

I look at food labels and try to remember the labeled dates. Some properly sealed foods last longer. I also always refrigerate any suggested food after opening.
I’m cautious regarding dented cans and anything that insults my senses. I’m not going there if it doesn’t look, or smell right or food contents have separated.
I won’t risk my stomach on mere “taste tests” with questionable items in the refrigerator or cupboard.

Old-fashioned cooking may address some problems, but I can’t be thrifty and cavalier and expose my digestive system to something that raises red flags.

After a hard upbringing, a friend of mine hated wasting food! He’d proudly claim he has a stomach that can handle anything! This was true until he ate the wrong thing, suffered from food poisoning a few times, and ended up in the hospital. He learned how painful this could be as his body fought an invasion of poison and bad food!

Photo by Jean van der Meulen on Pexels.com

So, a reasonable consumer is wise and educated. The best offense is a strong defense. Your healthy gut is relying on you! So, here’s to good food and healthy, and happy times in your life and home!

I’m not going back there!

Featured by ETWellness, posted in Finding My Place in Health & Wellness, Lifestyles, Uncategorized

I rushed into the local store smiling and salivating at the thought of enjoying an old favorite treat. Actually, I hadn’t had it in years and couldn’t believe my luck when I called, and the manager confirmed it was in stock. I grinned with satisfaction only to soon discover my treat wasn’t so special anymore!

I remember my first incredible steak, my first perfect cocktail, and my first and most fresh seafood. Who hasn’t shared tales of their first experience with their favorite foods?

Call me simple, but I eagerly anticipated Baskin-Robins’ German Chocolate Cake Ice Cream! I recall my first apartment, my job after college, getting off the train, and running to the store for a big scoop on a sugar cone. I lived for this moment at least three times a week! So, after a long work day and a grueling, crowded trip home, a visit was heaven!

I now realize this habit was expensive and terrible for my waistline! Once I changed jobs and moved, I stopped visiting the ice cream shop. I found plenty of good flavors, healthier choices, and less expensive brands in local groceries. I learned to enjoy ice cream but in moderation. Today, I’m also not fond of overly sweet, creamy desserts full of candy, nuts, caramel sauce, etc. For me, “less is more!” and I’m healthier and happy with my new grown-up reality.

My first experience with just one food (ice cream!) was memorable and oddly connected to my early adult years. I was learning how to work, manage a difficult commute, and cope with stress. Yes, it seems our first initiation with people, products, and services can be intense and strong. Sometimes, we get a whiff of something we like or love, which stays with us! Time and personal growth have helped me see things differently.

Just forget & move on, you say?

Featured by ETWellness, posted in Finding My Place in Health & Wellness, I Feel Good!, Uncategorized

Photo by Oleksandr Pidvalnyi on Pexels.com

Have you ever wished people would forget the past and just move on? I sometimes thought this as I listened to the drama of family, friends, and co-workers. I now see this is easier said than done! One sunny afternoon, this thought resonated with me.

While running errands, I suddenly stopped and parked in front of a home I once lived. I had great dreams, hopes, and plans when I moved in! But I was also in the same position as most people: starting a new school experience, a new job, or even a new relationship. You know that place where we sit with so much hope and promise before life happens!

I soon compared my dreams and hopes to my actual experience. I had good times and success along the way, but I also endured a few setbacks and disappointments too. At one point, I even wondered if I had initially made the right decision to move here! I left my car to walk and ponder this period in my life.

Suddenly, I had an epiphany! My experience was necessary and got me to this point in my life! This home and neighborhood came with valuable lessons and personal growth. And yes, I could say the same about my university days, my job, and my relationships along the way. They represented key moments in my life, and so I’m glad I never missed them! I realized it’s not wise to second-guess and obsess about the past! I drove away convinced I should focus on the present and future.

The emotional dimension of wellness offers a window into the heart, mind, and soul. Indeed, I sometimes sort through old messy thoughts but inevitably focus on today and tomorrow. I also ask myself hard questions and face the answers with honesty and courage. Finally, I discovered this practice allows me to process everything and move on!

So, who are you following?

Featured by ETWellness, posted in Finding My Place in Health & Wellness, Smart and Well

It’s good to hang out with people and groups that share your passion for wellness. To start, they offer advocacy, education, networking, and research. As I listened to a Global Wellness Institute Master Class on “2022 Trends Making Headlines,” I realized how much I value this connection. I listened intently as self-described “wellness nerds” spoke my language and shared my desire to understand the big and small picture.

What trends are there in 2022? A panel of wellness pros offered an update on the economy, industry jobs, return of red-hot leisure travel, metaverse in wellness, and growing consumer interest in the environment and sustainability. In addition, I was quite intrigued by the generational issues of Gen-Z, Gen-X, Millennials, and Boomers. They all think differently and have fascinating consumer profiles.

Experts addressed shifts in attitude about work, careers, money, and much more. Consumers once viewed wellness as a luxury, and now there’s a demand for democratization and accessibility. Indeed, we all want to be well! In addition, there is a greater interest in travel close to home, local destinations, and “micro-focused” community activities. Finally, a few speakers addressed the desire for less attention to fakery and obsession with body image in men and women.

Presenters looked into their crystal balls for 2023. The buzzwords for 2023 include sustainability, realness, connection with something significant (like spirituality?), hunger for more social connections, and an intense need for workplace-inspired wellness post-pandemic: For info, visit: https://www.globalwellnesssummit.com.

It’s wise to connect with professional groups that support you. Indeed, there is an endless number of professional groups, associations, and experts who offer good reliable information. However, the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) is one that keeps me challenged, committed, engaged, and excited about my journey.

Families & Wellness

Featured by ETWellness, posted in Caught In the middle, Finding My Place in Health & Wellness, Uncategorized

This post isn’t about families sharing healthy meals and exercising together. Honestly, we can’t talk about wellness and ignore challenging family dynamics that often directly impact our own. We’re social beings and connected to someone from birth. So, while bingeing on an old TV drama recently, I could see fascinating ways families strengthen and hinder our wellness.

I watched Brothers & Sisters, a 2006 drama with an ensemble cast featuring Sally Field and Calista Flockhart. Calista played a fiery, conservative talk-show host, and Field was her equally opinionated, liberal mom. But unfortunately, politics can bring out the worst in families! Wonderful gatherings quickly descended into battles with wounded egos.

Besides politics, there are other potential minefields in families. For example, just like this tv family, today’s families sometimes confront issues and questions involving abuse, divorce, faith, money, sexuality, etc. Any one of these issues and many others test the strength of family bonds.

Birth order offers a fascinating wrinkle too. The oldest felt pressures and responsibilities their younger siblings didn’t have. And, of course, those in the middle felt abandoned or ignored! But amazingly, resentments also surfaced based on childhood memories, and some memories are decades old!

Being a television show, Brothers & Sisters dramatically introduced family secrets, or those parts of our lives long-buried. But, of course, this family had big, juicy secrets and no filter! Every secret saw the light of day, and there was no respect for privacy or boundaries in the family.

As we all traverse life, sometimes we do so with imperfect family memories and relationships. Yet, being wellness-focused makes us want to live better despite the past. You may conclude that your wellness journey is more important. Indeed, I hope we all smartly navigate our family drama and history and focus on healthy, loving connections. Just look beyond annoyances and distractions, and see clearly.

Hey, are you all in?

Featured by ETWellness, posted in Finding My Place in Health & Wellness, Fitness, Lifestyles, Physical Therapy, Uncategorized

It’s easy to be wellness-obsessed and a bit poor in this country! I drew this conclusion after attending a health and wellness conference. I encountered many folks passionate about products and services but struggling to make the living they want and deserve.

Let’s face it; wellness professionals have knowledge, products, and services that could enhance and save lives! They believe in their message, but the financial rewards may not come until later. Some wellness professionals work two jobs, side hustles, and long hours. During the first year of the Pandemic, we saw severe shortfalls in benefits, including paid personal time, sick leave, and health insurance. In addition, some businesses closed forever.

The conference included wellness professionals from A to Z, such as exercise instructors, nurses, x-ray technicians, massage therapists, life coaches, personal trainers, physical therapists, mental health workers, nurses, teachers, etc. Honestly, it would take a big tent to include every wellness professional! But, we know they touch the mind, body, and spirit of clients, customers, and patients every day. So, their connection to wellness is professional and quite personal too.

But I can see the determination and grit of people here. Wellness professionals face challenges in their work but continue to believe in it and want to help others. They continue to work hard, refine skills, improve sales pitches, and focus on the future. They believe in what they do, manage setbacks, and possess remarkable patience for the long haul. I can’t help but think I’m in great company!

My Crystal Ball

Featured by ETWellness, posted in Finding My Place in Health & Wellness

In The Wizard of Oz, everyone is looking for something (courage, home, heart, wisdom), and I’m no different. So, if I could, I’d ask the big guy to tell me what’s next in my future?

After a year of blogging, I’m contemplating a new plan. My initial goal was to start writing. I brought into the Nike campaign, “Just do it!” But going forward, I want more than this. As I look at other blogs, I’m impressed. I see many smart, well-organized sites full of glitz, glam, and magnetic products and services. I wonder, should I up my game?

A simple blog initially appealed to me because I enjoy writing, researching, and discussing Health & Wellness issues. I love a deep dive into WebMD and Mayo Clinic websites. I’m excited by online newspapers and magazines that motivate me to share. Finally, a captivating webinar, a keynote address, or a conversation with a friend or family member moves me to act.

What’s next for me? I will continue to focus on a broader picture of H&W. I can dive deeply into one subject or be light, casual, and hopefully informing and persuasive on another. Frankly, after writing for a living and offering “Just the facts, mam,” it’s nice to have fun with it as a hobby. One organization I enjoy inspires writers by its very name, “Shut Up and Write!” Just do it, with no excuses! Yes, I want to do so, but be smarter about the process.

I could confess to the wizard that I have a not-so-secret dream of writing a novel. Ideas and characters are percolating in my mind! But, as they age, I’m drawn to people managing transitions, families, relationships, and work. So now, I’m content with my keyboard and imagination, one blog at a time.

Feeling good from head to toe!

Featured by ETWellness, posted in Finding My Place in Health & Wellness, Fitness, I Feel Good!, Lifestyles, Physical Therapy

I just “graduated” from physical therapy! Today, I’m feeling like a million bucks relative to the PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, and SPIRITUAL dimensions of wellness!

As I worked on the health challenge that brought me to physical therapy, I realized how much I missed the gym! Honestly, my exercise routine suffered a lot since Corvid. I didn’t feel comfortable in the health club and avoided mine for the last two-plus years.

Physical Therapy or “PT” helped reignite my excitement about exercising! It took me back to cardio (loving a great sweat!), stretching, and strength training. Suddenly, I could hear Patti Labelle in my ears, singing about my “New Attitude!” and that “I know where I’m going and I know what to do!” I’m now excited about smartly working out, and feeling that special “high” I missed. Oddly enough, I feel freer now and yet more grounded.

I normally go in a different direction with each post. For example, I recently completed one about how much I dreaded returning to physical therapy! So, this moment is about remembering the pure joy of exercise! But it’s also about having a deeper understanding of my experience, and response to the Pandemic. I know I’m not alone.

My graduation day didn’t include speeches, beautiful flowers, family gatherings, and gift cards! But I have to tell you that I loved my t-shirt (a parting gift!). Finally, I’m grateful for a more positive outlook on life, thankful for fabulous professional support, and I look forward to the future!