Creating a Noble & Healthy Mindset

“It never hurts to think too highly of a person; often they become ennobled and act better because of it.”  - Nelson Mandela

We’re entering the time of year again when we start to consider our own health, motivation and ponder creating New Year resolutions.  Time after time we go through this self-reflective and sometimes painful process.  Introspection and self-reflection are admirable qualities and it’s important to ponder on our lives.  However, let’s admit it; one of the hardest things to do is to accept our own goodness.  It easy to find fault within ourselves, consider our unfavorable habits or less than perfect features.  The challenging thing to do is to acknowledge our amazing abilities, our warm hearts and endearing personalities. So this year when thinking about which things you want to start or stop, also think about the wonderful qualities and traits you already have and give yourself a pat on the back.  I was recently reminded of the following story and think it provides a great analogy for our own health and mindset. 

On one particularly anxious and distracted afternoon a high school history teacher told her class to stop all their academic work.  She let her students rest while she wrote on the blackboard a list of names of everyone in the class and then asked each student to copy the list.  She instructed them to use the rest of the period to write beside each name one thing they admired or liked about that student.  At the end of class she collected the papers. 

Weeks later on another somber afternoon before Winter break, the teacher stopped the class.  She handed each student a sheet with his or her name on top.  On it she had pasted all twenty-six good things the other students had written about that person.  They smiled, giggled and gasped in pleasure that so many beautiful qualities were noticed about them.

            Three years later this teacher received a call from the mother of one of her former students.  Robert had been a challenging student, but also one of her favorites.  His mother sadly passed on the terrible news that Robert had been killed in the Gulf War.  The teacher attended the funeral, where man of Robert’s former friends and high school classmates spoke.  Just as the service was ending, Robert’s mother approached her.  She took out a worn piece of paper, obviously folded and refolded many times, and said, “This was one of the few things in Robert’s pocket when the military retrieved his body.”  It was the paper on which the teacher had so carefully pasted the twenty-six things his classmates had admired.

            Seeing this, Robert’s teacher’s eyes filled with tears.  As she dried her wet cheeks, another former students standing nearby opened her purse, pulled out her own carefully folded page and confessed that she always kept it with her.  A third ex-student said that his page was framed and hanging in his kitchen; another told how the page had become part of her wedding vows.  The perception of goodness invited by this teacher had transformed the hearts of her students in ways she might only have dreamed about. 

            The end of the year is a time to contemplate our lives, habits, relationships and thought process.  It’s an amazing opportunity to begin living healthier, exercise more frequently and live life more fully.  It’s important however to not only consider ways to improve but to consider the many positive traits and qualities we already have; let’s be honest, we’re a lot more critical of ourselves than we need to be.  Developing this positive mindset will allow us to begin accepting our own goodness, the goodness in others and start the process of transforming not only our bodies and minds but the minds of others. 

Holiday Indulgence – Staying Guilt-Free

Just as we are getting over the candy corns, and mini Milky Ways, it's time to start thinking about turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie. And then there is December's fanfare! Let's face it, food and the holidays go hand in hand; it's one of the things that make this time of year special. But, while family and community togetherness is good for your health, weeks of overindulgence in your grandmother's fudge is not.

If you find the holiday season to be a constant battle between your iron will and culinary temptation, consider some of these suggestions for guilt-free festivities.

Exercise
Don't wait until January! Increasing your physical activity now will help you prevent those extra pounds from adding up in the first place, and give you a head start on your New Year's Resolution. Start with a moderate morning walk or an early evening stroll. Have family in town? Why not take a hike? It's a great way to show them the beauty of our area and spend some quality time together while burning off those extra calories.

Moderation and Conscious Choices
It would almost be a sin not to enjoy your Thanksgiving turkey or your Christmas eggnog, just remember the key is moderation. Washing down an entire pie with a quart of eggnog is neither healthful nor festive. It's OK to eat these foods, just pace yourself. If you have a special party over the weekend, stay on track the rest of the week with healthful breakfasts, balanced lunches and light dinners. Pack your meals with high-fiber, high-protein, low calorie foods and start each day with a morning workout, and you will be ready for a little indulgence at week's end.
And before you walk into the party and become overwhelmed at the plethora of food, pay attention to how you feel. Are you really hungry, or just feeling seduced by the sights and smells around you? It's fine to give in to your cravings a little, but don't feel obligated to have a serving from each of the 25 dishes in front of you, just because they are there.

Food and Emotion
Many people overeat during the holidays to feed a lonely heart. Although this should be a time of joy, for many it brings stress and frustration. Set aside some time to spend with your closest friends. Talking to those who care about you will ultimately be more cathartic than inhaling a can of Almond Roca. Time alone can be OK, too, just remember to feel your soul instead of your stomach. Take a bath or read a good book to give yourself a little pampering.

The Power of Sleep
It is easy to put sleep on the back burner during the holidays, what with all of the parties, planning, shopping and excitement, but quality sleep is essential for good health. Studies show that individuals who are sleep deprived are more likely to overeat. Even a twenty minute nap during the day can make a huge difference in your energy level – so make the time if you are feeling even the least bit drowsy.

The holidays should be a time of high energy and cherished moments. Don't let the season be an excuse to add inches to your waistline. If you do find your jeans a little tighter, give yourself a break. Adding a few minutes to your daily walk, taking the stairs instead of the elevator and forgoing that caramel mocha for the next few weeks will get you back on track. With a little effort and some conscious choices, you can have your holiday pie and eat it too.

Your Biggest Life’s Challenge Solved in 5 Minutes

You’re going to know the solution to the biggest problem in your life in just 5 minutes but unfortunately you may not like hearing what I have to say. I apologize in advance but this is something that you’re going to want to consider. Anyways, sometimes a little tough love is just what we need.

There’s a problem that starts when we’re very young and the following phrases may sound familiar to you because they were familiar to me. “The other kids don’t like me.” “The other kids are smarter than me.” “The teacher just doesn’t like me.” “Everybody is just more athletic than I am.” “They grew up in a more fortunate environment.” “I don’t have the cool clothes that the other kids have.” As adults these statements may have a similar ring to them. “The other people have better contacts.” “I just don’t interview well.” “I’m not a great salesperson.” Unfortunately all of the above are simply rationalizations and here’s the problem with rationalizations.

You see I once read that a “rationalization” is simply a euphemism for the phrase, “You’ve been lying to yourself.” The problem isn’t your looks, your school or your intelligence. The issue has nothing to do with your sales ability, interview skills, clothes, genetics or athletic prowess. The simple truth boils down to initiative. If you take massive action and consistent initiative again and again you will achieve the results you’re looking for. Without consistency and action however you can’t expect anything miraculous to happen and when nothing happens, remember, don’t start rationalizing…you’re lying to yourself.

Most people won’t confront the fact that the reason they didn’t get an A on the test is because they didn’t study enough. Or the reason you didn’t get on the team is because you didn’t practice hard enough. The majority of people won’t hold themselves responsible for missing a workout because “something just came up” or “I just wasn’t feeling it today.” Having the courage to confront the fact that sometimes we are lazy will give us the motivation we need to move forward. Honestly, a healthy does of hard work, determination and consistency is the immediate cure to solve most of our lives problems.

Don't worry...........Be Happy! By Guest Blogger: Lauren Smith

Health is directly related to happiness. A healthy and wealthy person always remains happy and if you are not sure of it, please talk to a doctor or a gym instructor. They will always have a smile on their faces. Happiness, in many ways is depending on health. A person, who is ill, will not be happy in the long run. She might smile momentarily and try to hide her soreness, but she cannot consider herself to be happy. It is very important to be healthy to lead a happy life.

Happy people, in turn are always healthy. Yes, being happy is the best way to be healthy. Happiness and health go hand in hand. It is true and many researches across the world have proved time and again that if you are happy, there is a lesser chance that you will have a cardiac arrest or diabetes or hypertension and similar diseases. Happier people are less prone to such chronic diseases. We can avoid lot of heart attacks with a smile on the face along with a peaceful and happier mind and heart.

People have many and varied goals that they pursue, there is an almost universal underlying goal to virtually all pursuits: the goal to be happy. People who spend a lot of time making money generally do so because they believe that the money itself will make them happy, or will guard them against things that will make them unhappy. If the focus isn’t on the money, but on the jobs that bring the money, those jobs are generally thought to make people happy. People strive for that perfect relationship, the perfect house, the beautiful body, the approval of others, all in an attempt to be happy. Sometimes these things make us happy; other times, we stress over not having reached our goals, or we reach them and find that we’re still not happy. Other times, we focus so intensely on one goal that’s thought to bring happiness that we don’t have time for other things in our life that will make us truly happy. This can all be confusing, and begs the question: how does one reach the goal of being happy?

While there’s more to happiness than just the absence of stress, there are relationships between stress-relieving activities and happiness. Dr. Michael Frisch, a Baylor University professor and another pioneer in the field of positive psychology, has found 16 different areas of life that contribute to a person’s happiness, and measuring satisfaction in these areas can help measure a person’s overall level of happiness and life satisfaction. Interestingly, many of the things that bring happiness are also things that relieve stress, such as EXERCISE, expressing creativity, maintaining supportive friendships, keeping an organized home, and enjoying your work.
When you’re overwhelmed with stress, often just relieving the imminent pressures is foremost on your mind; however, following a stress relief program that also incorporates activities known to increase overall happiness can give you short-term stress relief, and the lasting gains of a happy life. And when you incorporate into your life a general state of happiness, and make habit the lifestyle features that promote it, you’ll be better able to weather future stress in your life.
The following is a list of the 16 different features that promote happiness:

Health
Self-Esteem
Goals, values, and Spiritual Life
Money
Work
Play
Learning
Creativity
Helping
Love
Friends
Children
Relatives
Home
Neighborhood
Community

Take some of these features and put them into your life, the more the merrier. Put a smile on and wear it proud!

Lauren I Smith Is the Fitness Director at Equilibrium Fitness and is certified through NASM. Contact Lauren at Lauren@eqclubs.com with questions or comments.

"Finding Fulfillment in Physical Activity" - By Guest Blogger Cathy Sullivan

We all have areas in our life where we naturally excel, and areas in our
life where we tend to struggle. As we enter adulthood (or often well into
adulthood), we begin to understand our strengths, talents, and activities
that we enjoy. Hopefully, for most of us, this is how we determine our
career or livelihood. We also recognize areas in our life where we struggle,
and what we need to do to address those issues.

As health and fitness professionals, most of us enjoy physical activity. I
would say that fitness professionals tend to be more passionate about their
careers than their peers in different professions. After a long week of
work, I choose to unwind with a good long Saturday bike ride, followed up on
Sunday by several hours of running. How is that not everyone’s idea of a
good time?

Unfortunately, I think that this enthusiasm leads many people to believe
that exercise must be “fun”. There is a misconception that if exercise is
not fun for you, then maybe exercise isn’t for you. We all have heard, and
we all understand the benefits of regular physical activity. However, many
people have a difficult time seeing the long-term benefits of exercise when
the short-term effect is often thirty minutes of pain, mind-numbing boredom,
or listening to a constant internal monologue about how out-of-shape, tired,
or uncoordinated you might be.

In order to better understand the mindset of a non-enjoyer of exercise, I
thought about an area of my life where I struggle, and how I address those
issues in order to lead a healthy, fulfilling life. The area of my life I
chose: math. I am horrible at math. I still add, subtract, and multiply
using my fingers. It is a miracle that I survived high school math, let
alone college math. I am certain I will be one of those parents who can no
longer help their fourth grader with their math homework, because that is
where it gets to complicated. That said, I still need to create a budget. I
still need to balance my bank account, plan for savings, and pay bills. I
feel better when I know what I am able to spend, able to save, and have
available in my bank account. While I would prefer to bury my head in the
sand and not do it, I feel much better about myself when my checks clear and
my bank card is not declined.

Do you see where I am going? Exercise may not be fun for you, but my hope is
that it will be fulfilling. You don’t have to be a runner to be an
exerciser. You don’t have to love group fitness to be fit. But I do
encourage you to try many different activities until you find something that
you can feel successful doing. Try a variety of classes until you find
something that “isn’t so bad.” Work with a trainer to put together a program
that addresses your strengths, and the areas of fitness where you would like
to improve. Work out with friends to enjoy the social aspects of activity.
Once you find something and stay consistent, I guarantee that you will see
benefits. Stress reduction, more energy, increased self-esteem, weight loss,
and increased strength are just a few examples of such benefits.

Hopefully at that point, you will then feel about exercise the way I feel
about math. It may not be the highlight of your day, but doing it is much
better than the alternative.


Cathy Sullivan is a NASM-certified personal trainer and group fitness
instructor at Equilibrium Fitness for Women.

MAYBE IT'S MY FAULT

Michael Jordan provides the ultimate motivation with a journey through his legacy that challenges you to look beyond your limits and rise to your potential.

How to be Great

Think of the greatest athlete, musician, artist or business professional
that inspires you. Were the amazing talents such as Michael Jordan, Tiger
Woods and Warren Buffet each born with a special gift of abilities wired
from birth that most of us don't have?

Believe it or not, research is showing that it's not that simple. In fact,
many child prodigies don't go on to major success in the area of their early
gifts. And many of the greatest performers, athletes and business people
never showed any early signs of aptitude.  So, how did they become great at
what they do?

The Research on Great Performance

In 1993, Florida State University professor K. Anders Ericsson and his
colleagues published a paper on 'expert performance' which, along with the
additional studies around the world that it inspired, made some very
interesting discoveries:

*        Nobody is "great" without lots of work. Early aptitude is not a
predictor for greatness in a given field without consistent practice over a
long period of time.
*        The most accomplished people in any field need about 10 years of
hard work before they become "world class". They call this the 10 Year Rule.


Many of these scientists are now saying that "targeted" natural gifts do not
exist at all. You are not born a gold-medal Olympic athlete, CEO or chess
grandmaster. Rather, greatness is achieved by hard, focused work over many
years.

Tiger Woods started practicing golf at 18 months, and was encouraged to
practice by his father. He had been practicing intensively for 15 years
before winning the U.S. Amateur Championship at age 18.

But you and I both know people who work very hard. Many work for decades at
a job or hobby without approaching greatness. Why don't they become "world
class", then?

It turns out that it's not just hard work that is required. What is required
is focused, consistent practice over a long period of time. Something the
researchers are calling deliberate practice.

What Does This All Mean?

We don't have to be born with a special talent in order to be great at
something. We just have to have the desire to constantly improve our skill.
Most people won't go through the long and difficult process of deliberate
practice. But this is what can separate you from the pack. This is what
makes great performance rare: most people either don't believe they can do
it, or aren't willing to do the work to become truly great at their passion.
So ask yourself, are you ready push yourself to the next level?

Get In. Sit Down. Shut Up and Hold On.

 

By Julian J. Varela

Not long ago I spotted a man standing in line at Trader Joe’s with a t-shirt that read, “Get In. Sit Down. Shut Up and Hold On.”  Since the phrasing was quite unique I couldn’t help but ask him about it.  "Get in, sit down, shut up, and hold on is the catchphrase of the Bali Slingshot located in Indonesia” he said.  The slingshot is somewhat of an amusement park attraction with a capsule that accommodates up to two people which is lowered and stretched between two towers by gigantic bungee cords. The cords are stretched to capacity and then the capsule is released and catapulted 164 ft. skyward in less than 2 seconds to maximum height before decelerating into a series of bounces and being lowered back down to its launch pad.”  “The t-shirt is right on because there’s nothing you can do except to do as it says; sit down, shut up and hold on, oh, and try not to throw up.” 

Like many things in life one thing can be a metaphor for another and the phrase mentioned above is no different.  And I think “get in, sit down, shut up and hold on” is a perfect metaphor for overcoming each challenge that we may encounter in life.  The thing is, is that we’re all pretty much the same with very slight differences.  Each of us may have different obstacles or even the same obstacles but we react to them in our own unique way.  You may be trying to give up alcohol and there’s nothing more than a nice cold drink after a long hard day at work.  The difficult conversation you’ve been meaning to have with your spouse, co-worker, family or friend is the last thing you want to do.  You may want to quit after the first 5 minutes of your run.  You may be dieting and really want that delicious plate of brownies that your friend pulled out of the oven.  Getting up early for an early morning workout doesn’t sound that fabulous after all.  Perhaps procrastination has gotten the best of you and you can’t seem to sit down and write that term paper you’ve been assigned.  Or maybe you have a list of sales leads you’ve intended to call and haven’t taken the time.  Let’s face it; we are all faced with numerous things on a consistent basis that are difficult or even downright scary.  If you want to get through the scariest part sometimes the best thing to do is to get in, sit down, shut up and hold on.  Be afraid and do what you have to do anyway.  It’s OK to be scared, fearful, anxious, nervous, lazy or ambivalent.  Feelings happen and thank goodness you have them.  Now just recognize them, accept them and hang on till the feelings subside.  Fight through the feelings and do what needs to be done in lieu of them. 

Getting in tune with our feelings, emotions and reactions to obstacles and challenges will certainly help you become more pro-active rather than re-active in almost every situation in life.  So the next time you find yourself in front of a big, hairy, audacious challenge just remember to “Get In. Sit Down. Shut Up and Hold On.”  Oh, and try not to throw up. 

Julian J. Varela holds a Master’s degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion and is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist.  Julian co-owns Equilibrium Fitness and Equilibrium Fitness for Women.  Contact Julian at Julian@eqclubs.com with questions or comments.  Follow Julian’s blog at julianvarela.blogspot.com.

"Got Motivation?" - By Guest Blogger Natalie Rossier

Got Motivation?

We hear it almost everyday and know that we need to workout, eat a balanced diet and build strength to live longer, healthier lives. However, funny as it may sound, sometimes we need a little extra push more than our health to get to the gym.  We live in one of the 'happiest places on earth,' so why not take advantage of it!  Start hiking, trail running, biking, swimming, try playing beach volleyball or take a walk down Avila's Bob Jones Trail.  Taking advantage of our beautiful scenery and outdoor playground here in SLO is a great motivator to get to the gym.  For myself, working out and staying healthy and in shape is fun.  Why, you may ask? I use these outdoor activities to get my own tushy into a combat class, cycle class, or my own strength workout.  This way, my workouts do not only benefit my body and overall health, they allow me to hike to the top of Madonna Mountain without passing out;)  Getting involved in fun physical activities you enjoy can lead to achieving your ultimate health and fitness goals such as losing weight, running a race, building bone density and gaining control of your future health.  Motivation for your health can be found anytime, anywhere but sometimes you might have to look for it.  I ask you this, what is your motivation?

~Natalie Rossier, ACSM Certified Personal Trainer and your biggest fan

The Best Path Isn't Always the Easiest Path

Interestingly enough many individuals who approach me regarding advice on how to improve their health have many other challenges that they are dealing with other than just poor fitness levels.  Once we start focusing on overall health, time management and a balanced lifestyle, confidence tends to improve in conjunction with fitness levels.  Once the clients confidence level increases he or she usually starts to look at other challenges in their life with more confidence and what do you know...they tackle those as well.  Overcoming obstacles isn't an easy task but focusing on health has a way of providing a certain level of confidence and gives the ability to tackle other sticky spots in life.  Once of my favorite Native American stories on overcoming obstacles is below.  Enjoy. 

A Native American Story
There is a legend among Native Americans concerning the two paths of life.  One path slopes gently down some low hills to the valley below. The legend says that this is a broad and easy path, but it leads into the desert where death waits. The other path winds upward over a steep and rocky trail. It is filled with many difficulties, and only the strong can reach the heights of the mountain where the eagles soar. Through this legend, Indian parents teach their children that the easy way is not the best way. Strong character is built by facing the obstacles and overcoming them, instead of trying to avoid the difficulties by seeking a life of ease.

SOURCE:
“Sower’s Seeds Aplenty”
Brian Cavanaugh, T.O.R.
Paulist Press

Check out this video from Dan Buettner on "How to live to 100+" - Enjoy!

One of our favorite videos - 212 Degrees. Enjoy!

The Road to Failure

Aren’t you sick and tired of reading health and fitness columns repeating the same old information on how to lose weight, improve strength and feel your best? Well I’m a little tired of those too, so I thought I’d shake it up a bit by giving you all the tips you need to successfully fail with your health and fitness program. Now you’ve probably figured out by now that a true health and fitness professional would never intend for their clients to fail so please think of this as “reverse psychology.” Follow along closely and you’ll soon learn effective strategies to ensure the failure of any health and fitness program!


o Don’t Set Goals – Goal setting? Why should we set goals? Most people suggest that to succeed at something you should set SMART goals, or goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Reward-Based and within a certain Time Frame. If you don’t want to succeed, then don’t bother setting goals.

o Don’t Ask for Help – The best way to fail at any health and fitness regimen is to try it on your own. Working with a fitness and health professional will only help you achieve your goals more quickly, improve your self-confidence, teach you tools necessary for long-term success and help hold you accountable. Who wants that?

o Don’t Plan a Schedule – Time management is only for individuals who want to accomplish a lot throughout the day. If you prefer inconsistent workouts and subpar results consider avoiding consistent workouts altogether!

o Eat However You’d Like! - Diets aren’t important if you don’t care about losing weight! Really! Maybe you’ve heard that if you exercise, you can eat whatever you want. Not so. Unless you watch your daily caloric intake, you won’t lose weight, and could even gain pounds, even while exercising. But if a stable, healthy weight and feeling great is not important, don’t pay any attention to your diet.

o Think Short Term & Give Up Easily! - Who said immediate gratification is a bad thing? Failure with your exercise and diet goals is guaranteed if you exercise intermittently, and pay attention to your diet just once in awhile. If you aren’t getting the results you want right away? Hey, why not just give up. Who wants to be healthy, anyway?

o Follow Trends Closely! – Five-Minute Abs, The Thigh Master, Lose 10 pounds in 10 Days, and many other televised products generate lots of excitement because they promise mega-quick results with little effort. And they will surely let you down. For certain failure, these quick gimmicks are the way to go!

I hope you had fun with the deliberate and well-intentioned sarcasm of this week’s column. As a health and fitness professional, my job is to help everyone succeed.

Setting appropriate goals, working with a professional, managing your time, mustering determination, and working at it diligently and consistently will make you a happier, healthier, more successful person. The road to failure in this week’s column serves to alert us of the potholes that can de-rail us all. Watch out for them!

Zen & the Art of Health - The Final Chapter

In our last two articles on Zen & the Art of Health we discussed the concept of health and its many components. We came to the conclusion that health is much more than a stunning physique and the mere absence of disease. Fundamentals of health also include the creation of a healthy mindset, and a meditative practice focusing on such things as equanimity, love, joy and acceptance. Finding balance among body, mind and spirit can help us quiet our mind and ease tension and stress. Many of our talking points have been somewhat abstract, so let’s bring those theories into the real world – your world. Here are a few tools to help you find a more healthful balance in your life.

When I was in my early twenties, the death of my mother added insomnia and depression to an already unhealthy lifestyle. One day, while sitting through a required health class at Ventura College, I had one of those life-altering epiphanies. True wellness, said the lecturer, consists of many different parts, and the sum of these parts creates the level of wellness we experience. Once I recognized that real wellness was more than just physical, and that all these components worked together, I was then able to recognize where the unhappiness in my life came from, and make the proper adjustments. This was one of the most significant moments in my life, and it prompted me to immediately change my educational major from business to the field of health and wellness. So how did I “make the proper adjustments,” you ask?

The elements that make up true health can be divided into the following ten categories, with each category representing a different area of wellness and happiness. They are: Career & School, Finance, Health & Self-Care, Diet & Nutrition, Physical Activity & Exercise, Friend & Family, Significant Other & Romance, Spiritual & Personal Growth, Play & Recreation and Physical Environment. To give you a clearer picture, I’ve included a “Wellness Wheel” from the pages of one of my dear friends book, Jean Steel. If you haven’t heard Jean present on this topic, you’re really missing out. And if she’s not “appearing soon at a venue near you,” you can pick up a copy of her book at www.jeansteel.com. Jean’s book delves more deeply into the well of wellness (pun intended) while making us laugh: one of the healthiest things we humans can do. Ok, now back to class. Let’s start by looking at each of these elements a little more closely.

Career & School – Is the mission of your work or studies in line with your personal values? Do you feel like you are making a difference? Do you look forward to your work or studies?

Finance – Do you live within your means? Do you have emergency savings? Do you have a financial plan?

Health & Self-Care – Do you get your annual medical check-ups? Do you even have a doctor? Do you smoke? Are you able to manage your stress?

Diet & Nutrition – Do you try to avoid processed foods? Do you drink enough water? Do you know how to eat a balanced diet?

Physical Activity & Exercise – Do you exercise vigorously at least three times per week? Are you active every day? Do you perform resistance training, aerobic and flexibility exercises regularly?

Friends & Family – Are you open and honest with your family and friends? Do you let go of relationships that drag you down? Do you play well with others?

Significant Other & Romance – Do you consider your significant other your best friend or soul-mate? Do you spend time together and apart? Are you in a jealous relationship? Do you communicate in a healthy manner?

Spiritual & Personal Growth – Do you participate in life-long learning? Do you live in the now rather than the past and/or future? Do you engage in self-reflection?

Play & Recreation – Do you have outlets for play? Are you able to enjoy relaxation? Do you watch too much TV? Do you do activities you love consistently?

Physical Environment – Do you consider your home your oasis? Is your home/work environment organized? Do you love your home, town and community?

Spend some quiet time reflecting on your wellness wheel. If each “slice” of your wheel is full, you’ll have a much better chance at a smooth and healthy ride through life. If however, some slices are a bit thin, that ride could be rough and rocky. Remember that recognition is the first step, and there’s no better time than right now to be proactive and take charge of your health.