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In a time when wellness seems to only be available for the elitist – sipping on $15+ over-priced green juices, supplementing with magic elixirs, and traveling to exotic spa retreats – it’s important to emphasize the plethora of beneficial self-care practices that can dramatically improve the quality of our life.
Wellness goes beyond the lavish and common “treat yo’self”, but a consistently active and evolving process. We can make self-directed and multi-dimensionally fulfilling choices toward an existence at our greatest potential. While a magic guru is nice, and I’m all about investing into our health, I’m more so for the simple ways in which you can achieve control no matter your circumstances.
Flow supports those simple ways through welcoming all levels of practice, nurturing a supportive community, and providing various activities outside of yoga, such as the September month of wellness. Whether you participated or missed out on the various activities that introduced simple and free self-care habits focusing on six dimensions, it’s worth reading on for a review that can help us achieve balance in all dimensions of our life.
The six dimensions and related activities are:
- Physical – the treatment of our body – regular movement, nutritious food, care, avoiding harmful habits.
- Organized activities: Yoga class, mindful walk, dog walk night, mindful eating
- Social – the connection, relation, interaction and communication with others – building community, contributing and engaging in the world in our own comfortable ways
- Organized activities: Happy hour yoga, mindful walk, dog walk night, book club discussion, conscious curiosity
- Emotional – the ability to understand and express – aware, in touch with our personal development, life approach, thoughts and feelings.
- Organized activities: Journaling, restorative classes, conscious creativity, doodling, painting
- Intellectual – the stimulation and engagement of our mind’s capacity – lifelong learning, creativity, problem solving, skill building, thinking.
- Organized activities: Reading/book club
- Spiritual – the sense of meaning and purpose from which we view the world – guiding values, ethics, morals.
- Organized activities: Meditation, reading, sound bath
- Environment – the surroundings and conditions which we live and work – identifying and positively contributing to our world through work and volunteer, respecting nature and gaining fulfillment from our surroundings.
- Organized activities: Park clean up, mindful walk/bike
After participating in the month of wellness, the activities at Flow I enjoyed most that didn’t cost anything included:
- Physical: Enjoying a bike ride on the W&OD
- Social: The relationships built upon happy hour yoga interactions
- Emotional: Yoga Nidra
- Intellectual – Kombucha making class
- Spiritual: Mindful eating/meditation
- Environmental: Mindful walks (and the writing of this..while enjoying the Fall weather!)
And consider the following easy acts of wellness that you can achieve:
- Movement
- Sleep
- Space for yourself
- Mindfulness
- Conscious care for yourself and others
These five small investments we can make each day can cumulate to an incredible return on the wellness of ourselves, and thus enrichment of the world in which we live and interact. Wellness is more than going to yoga once a week and checking it off your list of things to do or dimensions to fulfill. Wellness requires introspection into what our body needs and demands. One week may differ from the other, and certainly among individuals. What balance means to me now is different than a few months ago, and what it will mean in the future.
There is an interconnectedness and overlap of each dimension and how it contributes to a healthy life. For me, that activity is exercise. Exercise is not only a physical practice but often spiritual, emotional, environmental and social. I can even argue intellectual, as it’s a time I can listen to a podcast or process current problem solving. What’s that activity for you?
Continue to find those activities that support and serve your well-being! For me, I’m grateful for a studio that emphasizes multidimensional and holistic wellness — understanding yoga is a component of our well-being and is dedicated to supporting the community in multiple ways to satisfy a healthy life.
— Amanda Presgraves
Written by Amanda Presgraves. Amanda a recent business graduate from Wake Forest University with her B.S. in Exercise Science from James Madison University. As Division I collegiate swimmer, life-long athlete, and entrepreneur – Amanda is an advocate of health and personal growth, on a constant pursuit to optimize life and inspire others through her commitment to healthy living. If you can’t find Amanda bouncing between projects, the gym, kitchen, her mat, or volunteering, you can find her online as she continues to lead and motivate others towards a happier and improved life through article contributions, newsletters and community motivation. (@amandapgraves, linkedin).