“if you can be in your wellbeing for a minute, you can stay in it for a week”.
I often find myself telling friends, family and clients that “if you can be in your wellbeing for a minute, you can be in it for an hour, if you can be in it for an hour, you stay in it for a day, and if you can be in your wellbeing for a day you can stay in it for a week”.
So how does one “step” into a state of wellbeing exactly?
Firstly, it’s about understanding the mind body connection, which is something that my work with both Neural Integration System and Emotional Freedom Technique have allowed me to understand more deeply.
The Mind Body Connection:
Anyone who has experienced pain in the body knows that the experience is very real, as is the physical experience of stress. What is interesting, is understanding that pain levels can change, healing can accelerate and stress can be reduced, by changing ones mindset around the state of dis-ease we are in.
Recently, while working with one of my international clients who had been experiencing chronic pain for a number of years, we discussed what she referred to as a “Catch 22”.
Experiencing physical pain, so not feeling able to shift into a a wellbeing mindset; and by not being able to experience a wellbeing mindset, she felt that she was stuck experiencing pain.
While I can really empathize with the difficulty of changing ones mind while experiencing physical pain in body, I always encourage people to start with the small wins. Start with the 1 second in a whole day where you feel better than you did in all the other seconds. Celebrate that moment, savour it, and return to it as often as you can, reminding yourself that it was possible – if only for a moment in the beginning.
Secondly, develop wellbeing practices. When you eat health foods, spend time in the sunshine and fresh air and in nature, it naturally translates into a better mindset and supports you in bridging that gap between your current state and stepping into your wellbeing.
Simple Wellbeing Practices:
- Be Present – Sit with the breath and let go of resistance
Sit or lay down and just take in your surroundings, tune into yourself and breathe. It is okay to acknowledge any pain or discomfort you are feeling, but try to stay neutral and not to judge it or fight it. Just a simple acknowledgement and letting go of any resistance you feel to anything at all.
- Adopt a Wellbeing Mindset
I have found affirmations are a really good way to achieve a wellbeing mindset. I would recommend educating yourself by finding a person whose words you resonate with, and listening to them often. I listen to a variety of people including: Bruce Lipton, Esther and Jerry Hicks, Louise Hay, Nick Ortner and many more.
- Acknowledge When You Are in Your Wellbeing
This is one of the most important steps. Celebrate the small wins, feel the gratitude for the feeling of wellbeing, and spend longer and longer in those states.
- Develop Your Own Practice
There are lots of wonderful wellbeing practices that are freely available to everyone in the world. Some of my favourites include going for a walk in the forest or on the beach, go barefoot, make a nutritious meal and feel the self nurturing, expressing creativity, meditation, yoga and breathing practices. Find some that make you happy, and start using them like a tool kit for your wellbeing journey.
- Be Patient and Persistent
It takes practice to step into and stay in your wellbeing, so it helps to be gentle with yourself and whatever you do, just keep working on it.
If you have any questions about this article, feel free to direct them to me via email, or to book a session with me, you can call 03 525 8416.