Close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths in and out. Settle into your space and imagine meeting yourself in the future. Let’s say it’s three years from now. Whom do you see? Do you see someone who is thriving? Beaming with light and energy? A woman who is in flow with her purpose? Or do you see someone exhausted and lifeless? A woman who has lost her sense of self, mindlessly going through the checklist of the day. Take a mental picture so you can bring it with you to the present time. Now open your eyes.
If I could guess, I’d say the person you saw was the better version of you. We aim to have lives of abundance for ourselves and for our loved ones. Unfortunately, our actions today might not reflect the ideal selves we desire. We struggle with doing things we know are good for our well-being—whether it’s being more active, eating well, or getting good quality sleep. In fact, a 2016 research study revealed only a small percentage of adult Americans engage in the top five key health behaviors. As military spouses, it’s even more difficult as we face uncertainties due to deployments and PCS moves. Just when you thought you’ve figured out a routine for you and your family, something changes!
Aligning your attitude, behaviors, and habits with your ‘Why’ can help.
Your Why
Finding your Why means going through the tough process of self-reflection and self-discovery. Ask yourself, “What matters to me the most? What are the top three values in my life? How is my well-being linked to these values?
Since I became a mom nine years ago, I started to gain more clarity in my values. I transitioned from the identity of a naval officer to a stay-at-home military spouse. Now I’m transitioning to a service-based business of wellness coaching. Service to others is a value I hold dearly in my heart, along with faith and lifelong learning. To serve others gives me purpose and meaning. However, I learned the hard way that serving others doesn’t mean neglecting my own needs for self-care. In fact, when I wasn’t kind to my body, mind, and spirit, it projected onto other areas of my life. My health declined, and I became at risk for pre-diabetes. I then got anxious, which affected my entire well-being. It dawned on me that I couldn’t continue serving others to the best of my ability when I was not well.
Craft a Wellness Vision Statement
Let’s go back to the snapshot of your future ideal self. Look at the picture and write down a very specific description of what your health, fitness, and wellness look like. What are you thinking, feeling, and doing? This is the first part of your Wellness Vision Statement. A Wellness Vision is a compelling statement of your future ideal self and behaviors you want to do consistently to enhance your well-being. It works best when it’s written in the present tense beginning with the word, “I am…,” as if it’s already taking place.
The second part of this Wellness Vision Statement is a list of reasons why this vision is important. These are the motivators that will move you forward to your ideal self. I like to start this statement with a “So that…”
As an example, my Wellness Vision Statement is:
“I am strong in body, mind, and spirit. I am mindful of my emotions, maintaining a sense of calm in every situation. I have meaningful relationships and am deeply connected to others as well as myself, so that I am using God’s given purpose of serving others to the best of my ability, being a role model for my kids, and positively contributing to building a thriving community.”
It’s your turn!
Set aside some time to think about your Wellness Vision. Consider reflecting on these questions as you write your Wellness Vision Statement.
-
What does your well-being look like in six months, one year, or in three years?
-
What part of your life is most important to you? How does well-being fit into that?
-
What is driving you to make the change now?
When you have your Wellness Vision Statement written, print it out and post it where you can see it every morning. Each day, start with this vision as a reminder of how you want to live your life and most importantly, why you do it.
ABOUT ELAINE
Elaine Dusetzina is a proud mom of two girls, a Navy spouse, and is excited to embark on a new journey of entrepreneurship. Active for eleven years, she served as a Surface Warfare Officer and Engineering Duty Officer in the U.S. Navy, and was grateful to receive the post-911 GI Bill which she recently used to earn an M.S. in Exercise Science and Health Promotion. Now as a Wellcoaches certified health and wellness coach and an ACE behavior change specialist, she looks forward to connecting and guiding selfless, giving, purpose-driven women to prioritize their wellness needs and become their best healthy selves. Elaine is also the founder of Evoke Strong and the host of the Health Transformation Stories Facebook Live Show in which she features inspiring stories of women and their incredible health transformations.
CONNECT WITH ELAINE
Website | Email | Facebook | LinkedIn
