Practice.
Many things in life require practice. When we are little, we practice tying our shoelaces. In our teenage years, we practice driving. And as adults, many of us practice brewing that perfect cup of coffee each morning. Recently, I’ve found myself practicing the art of getting out of bed with my 9-month, globe-sized pregnant belly while my dear husband practices suppressing laughter.
In the world of wellness coaching, the word practice comes up often, many times in relation to gratitude. While I definitely view practicing gratitude as an essential to wellness, it is only a component of the bigger picture of an overall wellness practice.
Ready to take a look at that big picture? Here’s where to start:
Design alliances with your coach and the others in your wellness support system. There’s nothing like having partners with you on your wellness journey!
Define what wellness means to you and what your goals for wellness are. At this point, it’s helpful to think about all the aspects or dimensions of wellness, where you’re at in those areas and where you want to be.
Develop your practice for wellness. This means not only putting into action what you know you need to do, but also doing it over and over until you are proficient (or you achieve your ideal outcome). Tip: don’t try to take on every area at once! Gratitude is an amazing place to start and will greatly benefit you on this journey. Check out this previous blog post for more information on getting started.
Don’t give up. Coaches and clients alike were probably told that “practice makes perfect” when they felt like giving up on something. I encourage you to not put pressure on yourself to be perfect, instead put on a growth mindset and be patient with the process. Remember, the journey of becoming well can be equally as rewarding as being well.