create your powerful wellness vision
Most of us have health goals we want to achieve, but find it difficult to get started. We usually have a pretty good idea of what we’re supposed to do to be healthy, but find it hard to get motivated or stick to an activity long enough to make it a habit.
If you are looking for a first step you can take on your journey to a life of wellness, start with creating your vision. A vision is the best foundation you can have to start making long-term and short-term goals for yourself. A wellness vision is your roadmap that contains your jumping-off point and desired destination.
The dictionary definition of “vision” in this sense is:
The act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be
A vivid, imaginative conception or anticipation
Creating your vision for health means getting specific about who you want to be and what you want to grow into in this one life.
Add vivid details. Make it exciting and inspiring, to you. Not what you see other people doing out there on the internets.
This is your permission to get carried away and throw in the “could I ever really do that?” ideas and not care what someone else might think about your dreams.
This isn’t a time to worry about how you will make your vision come true. The how will come later after you work on the what and who you want to be.
The benefits creating your desired vision of health
Many of us (myself included) just want to jump into a new routine we read about once online without doing any prep work or thinking through, will this help me in the long run? We want quick actions and quick results. Even though we know most things in life don’t work this way.
Today we are inundated with numerous voices shouting at us to do these “3 quick tips,” or just take this supplement, or just do this one exercise, and you will be the pinnacle of health.
Of course wellness is more nuanced than a couple hacks. I’m all for tools, tips and inspiration. And, I think it’s also important to take some time and really think through how you want to experience life. That’s where creating a wellness vision comes in.
Here are a few benefits of taking the time to sit down and create your roadmap:
Provides direction for where you want to go. If you don’t have a destination on your roadmap of health, you will end up wherever the wind takes you
With your vision of what health actually means to you, you can work backwards to create specific goals to get to your destination
If you create a fun, compelling vision it will act as a powerful motivator to help you work on your goals
Pro-tip: the destination is amazing, and we need to set the point on our map so we know what we are aiming to achieve. But the whole point is to become who we want to be along the way as we encounter bumps and detours on our journey (ie: do we want to become someone who quits at the first obstacle, or become someone who is resourceful enough to figure out a different way?)
A great thing about thinking through your vision is that it can always change. You are not married to this dream version of yourself forever. Our context of life will evolve. We learn new things, have new experiences, move to a different town/Country etc. and we are allowed to change any of this at any time.
Feel the restriction of getting this “right” just poof…release.
Figure out who you want to be
This can be some of the most powerful work you can do.
I used to have a strong vision of my health when I was a teen and 20-something. I was a competitive athlete who swam in college at the Division I level. I ate well enough and spent a lot of time outside. I endured many stressors, but wasn’t too stressed out.
Then I found myself living on daily autopilot when my 3 babies were young. I was living the routine of caring for others, no problem and no shame there. But I was struggling with my physical and emotional health. I felt anxious, irritable, and had major GI distress.
I had forgotten what I wanted my life to be like, who I wanted to be, and how I wanted to experience this life.
My coaching program reminded me about the importance of creating a wellness vision. I read books about people creating their own possibilities and living in expansion, instead of just “making it through the day.” I learned that I couldn’t wait for someone or something to magically come and create the joy and strength I was looking for.
So I got to work on creating my wellness vision as a mom and business-starter. As a result of designing my roadmap, and then actually taking the steps on my map, I’ve become physically stronger and more emotionally resilient. I handle my kids’ big emotions calmly (most of the time, and that’s OK). I create experiences of joy, fun and gratitude daily. This is the way I want to experience this one beautiful life. I much prefer it to autopilot-Sarah who was irritable and loosing muscle mass.
Take a moment to think about who you want to be.
2. Include all areas of health and wellness in your vision
Think about all areas of an impassioned life including not only physical, mental, and emotional health, but also spiritual, intellectual, financial, career and social wellness.
This means deciding if you want to be someone who:
Is strong in your body and mind
Works out and lifts weights 3 times a week
Is able to run around and play with your kids and future grandkids
Makes decisions that create health and sticks to them, no excuses
learns a new language or musical instrument
Spends time in quiet and stillness every day
Intentionally rests with activities you enjoy
Let’s go of thoughts that are damaging and creates powerful thoughts that support health
Seeks out connections with your favorite people
Deposits 10K into your bank account each month
Finds meaning and purpose in your chosen career
Sits on the front porch with your neighbors once a week
What bullet points are on your own list? Write them down. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
We spend a lot of time at my house looking at the moon in the evenings as the kids run “relays” down the sidewalk before bed. (Their energy is to be admired). We talk about the owls in the trees across the street. We hang out together after our busy days. Social connection is absolutely one of the most important categories you can add to your vision. These small moments do add to overall wellness and good vibes in your body.
3. Figure out your why
Creating a vision for health without knowing why you want to live this way means you probably won’t take any action to actually make your vision happen. So it’s important to ask yourself questions about why you are doing this. Your answers will give you the motivation to take action and create the abundant life you want.
Why do you want to create health for yourself?
Why is this important? Who is important to you?
Why do you want to change?
What are your motivations for changing your behaviors and entertaining the ideas of a life of wellness?
What do you value in this one life we’re given?
As I went through the exercise of creating questions to ask myself about my own health, I realized that the way we experience this one life is by the small decisions we make each day.
For example, I want to be someone who can walk in very old age, all the way to the end. I envision myself still getting up to walk to the bathroom and to my own bedroom. (As healthcare providers we see a LOT of the opposite). To create my vision of old-Sarah, I take a long walk every morning and I walk around as much as I can each day, in between sessions at my computer. The added benefit is I feel moments of gratitude, awe, and inspiration during these walks. These emotions are important to me as I’ve seen how damaging it can be to live at the mercy of not understanding one’s emotional state. I’ve learned that I can create emotions for myself and that I don’t just have to react to what’s going on around me.
I also want to be someone who has strong connections with her kids (and future grandkids). So one thing I do to be present and calm with my kids is that I meditate. This has allowed me to become a much more gracious and kind mother. The kind of momma my kids want to be around.
Why are you taking the time to live differently?
What would be the impact on your life if you had these results you want to create?
What is a compelling reason to go on this health journey, with your ultimate who as the destination?
4. Create your powerful, motivating vision statement
Now, for the fun part! You created your list above of who you want to be, and why. Now you get to create a statement, a sentence or a paragraph, that describes your powerful vision of health.
Write it out in the present tense. Add the emotions you want to feel as you go about living life. Make it fun. Once you start working toward your vision you will feel more energy in your mind and body.
If you are someone who doesn’t really think in paragraphs, you can draw or cut out pictures from magazines and place them on a board. Look at your statements and vision board daily to remind yourself why you are doing the daily activities you are doing.
Stick to this work, even when it’s hard. It will be hard, and that’s OK. You’ll grow in the hard parts.
Examples of powerful vision statements:
I am walking and lifting heavy things everyday so I can move myself around in old age. I enjoy nourishing, delicious foods that my brain and body benefits from. I enjoy laughter and connection with my loved ones. I am reading books that bring me joy and inspiration.
I am intentionally resting in my favorite activities each day so that my nervous system is calm. I create joy and peace with my thoughts and actions. I am grounded and motivated in my job and I love spending time outside with my family.
I am performing my shutdown rituals at work so I can easily transition to being with my family. I take pride in the projects I finish, I volunteer time to my favorite causes, and I go on hikes to feel connected to nature.
When you have created where you want to go and who you want to be in this life, you will be able to take aligned actions that you feel good about. Change can be hard, but it can be done.
5. Follow-through and create accountability
Talk to someone you love and trust about your vision and your goals to make this real
Post your vision statement or board where you can see it daily
Set up accountability partners, it’s so much easier to start new routines with a friend
Create a habit tracker: a list of daily activities you want to track and check off so you can watch your progress and know that you are becoming your vision-self
6. Celebrate!
In years past I never celebrated what I was working on daily or any achievements I made toward my wellness. Now I understand the importance of acknowledging what I’m doing to create the life I want to live.
Think about little ways to celebrate any actions you’ve taken on your roadmap that make you feel pride, excitement, gratitude or joy.
Make a list. Here are a few examples to get started:
create a celebration Playlist and dance or take a walk listening to your jams (dating myself here…does anyone still say “jams?”)
bake or cook a lovely, relaxing meal with your friends/family
read during the day
smash something that is a representation of a habit you used to have that you no longer have (how fun does this sound)
Remember, you are enough. Sometimes we hear that we constantly need to improve ourselves and I don’t want that to be the message you receive. You aren’t broken and don’t need to be fixed. This exercise is to create intention on what you do for your mind and body so that you can feel better, if that’s where you’re at.
Now, get going. I’d love to hear about your desired vision of wellness.
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