How To Create Your Perfect Wellness Routine

Creating a wellness routine was something that evolved subconsciously for me, over time. I didn’t sit down and think to myself, “OK, today is the day I start a wellness routine.” Mostly what happened was that I would continue to be surprised by how much better something made me feel – whether mentally + emotionally or physically. As time went on, I started to incorporate all of those little things into my daily (or weekly – we aren’t all perfect) life and since then, it’s been a journey to figure out how to maintain my wellness routine even in the midst of constant change.

Since having a wellness routine, I’ve noticed the immense benefits and so it’s something that I occasionally talk about here at JTB. But then I realized: not everyone has a wellness routine.

Some of you might be thinking “what the hell is this girl talking about?” or “what does that even mean?”

This post is for all of you who resonate with that. If you’re curious about how to begin your own wellness routine or if you had one once but then lost it, you can use this to begin again and start fresh.

IDENTIFY WHAT WELLNESS MEANS TO YOU

Wellness means something different to everyone so start by figuring out what it means for you. Grab a pen and pepper and start jotting down everything that comes to mind when you think of the word wellness. Now, do the same for the word self-care. Essentially, these are the same thing but each word might bring up something different for you. This list is what you want to focus on in your wellness routine.

I’ll give you an example. For me, wellness is about feeling holistically balanced, in control, calm and joyful. So, to reach these things I’ve discovered a few things that work best for me. I try to eat greens every single day and eat a strictly vegetarian lifestyle. I try to sweat once a day through some form of exercise. This could be yoga, a HIIT workout, dance, etc. Sadly, I really hate running so that’s not included in my wellness routine. I try to meditate or practice deep breathing when I’m overwhelmed or before bed to calm my mind. Lastly, I try to practice gratitude each day by keeping a gratitude journal.

IDENTIFY WHAT WAKES UP YOUR SOUL

Do you ever notice yourself feeling really, truly, alive when you’re doing something in particular? It could be something simple as the head space you’re in after a morning run or the intense feeling of calm that washes over you after a yoga class. Maybe it’s being surrounded by laughing children and witnessing their unbridled joy or having your family sitting around the dinner table every Sunday.

Grab that pen and paper and write it all down – what makes you happy? When you think of what wellness means to you and what feeling you want to achieve from a wellness routine, what activities bring up those feelings for you? What makes you feel inspired?

For me, my soul feels so alive when I’m by the ocean. Whether I’m just sitting near it, listening to the waves, or swimming and surrounded by water, I can’t even begin to describe the happiness it brings me. Other things that do this for me are drives through the country in my hometown, with the windows down so the wind blows my hair around like crazy. Being around animals – dogs, cats, horses; holding babies; deep, meaningful conversations with my friends over wine or brunch; traveling to new places; walking through forests.

START SMALL

Pick 1 – 3 things that you think you could realistically add into your daily life. Or, maybe it’s a weekly thing. Like “Wellness Wednesdays” or “Self-Care Sundays”. Whatever works for you.

If your idea of wellness begins and ends with the physical, then maybe you’re going to be incorporating one vegetable-based meal each day, or joining a sport’s team, or creating an at-home fitness program that suits you.

If your idea of wellness is about mental and emotional clarity, maybe you’re going to be focusing on mindfulness, focusing on the breath, and making a daily effort to connect with yourself.

DON’T OVERTHINK IT

Your wellness routine isn’t meant to be stressful. If what you’re doing feels right, keep doing it. If it’s stressing you out, drop it. This doesn’t need to be complicated! It can be as simple as waking up, pouring your coffee and focusing only on that before looking at your phone.

I hope those four suggestions help you to start thinking about the type of wellness routine you’d like and helps you launch it into being. I could have taken this in a different direction and simply given you a wellness routine to follow, but I find that our wellness journeys are very personal and specific to us and believe that you will get more out of your own wellness routine if you take the time to do a bit of soul searching and develop it on your own. However, if you would like some guidance, feel free to drop me a message by filling out the box on the bottom of this page.

I would love to hear about your wellness routines in the comments below! What works for you? Or what do you plan to incorporate into your life?