Living Holistically: A Guide to Mind-Body-Spirit Wellness

Where to Begin?

Holistic wellness is a philosophy that prioritized the interconnectedness of the mind, body and spirit. It goes beyond what is happening with your physical health alone and encourages the individual to take charge of all aspects of their health and wellbeing. 

Principles of holistic wellness: 

There are main principles of holistic wellness which create a road map for the holistic health seeker to follow on their journey to good health. 

• Balance is at the forefront of holistic wellness. Without balance in life we run the possibility of degrading aspects of life. For example: when our nutrition is out of balance, nutrition related diseases may develop or we don’t feel 100% in our daily life. 

• Mind-body connection is recognizing that our thoughts create our reality and can affect our physical state. Negative thoughts and emotions can have a physical effect on our body in ways that manifest differently among individuals. These effects can range from muscular pains, fatigue and even digestive issues. 

• Self-awareness is required for holistic wellness. Without being aware of what we are doing and how we feel in our bodies, we don’t have a starting point to employ holistic wellness strategies. Knowing your strengths, weaknesses, and needs is where you begin to build a new holistic life. 

• Self-care means that we are prioritizing our health and wellness through activities that nourish our body, mind, and spirit. Taking time on a regular basis, no matter how small it may seem, to take care of yourself in ways that nourish and support your wellness goals is extremely important. Having a good self-care routine can maintain balance in your life and keep you motivated by giving you the chance to take a moment for yourself. 

• Positive lifestyle choices are what you can do every day to create the changes in your life that lead to balanced health. Choosing to take the stairs, listening to a meditation before bed, and taking lunch outside in the sun are all examples of things you can do that bring joy, fulfillment and a sense of accomplishment throughout your day.  

By choosing to embrace a holistic wellness lifestyle you can achieve your goals while living life to your satisfaction. It’s not about hitting the gym 6 days a week or eating the same boring health foods you don’t even live every day to reach a certain goal weight. It’s about cultivating a life that leaves you feeling fulfilled, grateful, relaxed and whole at the end of the day.  

Pillars of Holistic Wellness:

Let’s take a look at the pillars of holistic wellness. They are similar to the principles of holistic wellness but they are more precise and can give you a better idea of what you can integrate in your own life to live more holistically. 

Physical health

• Nutrition – Good nutrition is key in living holistically. The trick is that everybody is unique and what works for some might not work for others. As a trained holistic nutrition consultant I recommend to my clients to follow a few basic guidelines: Eat whole foods, Minimize or eliminate processed foods, and Eat balanced. 
• Exercise- This is another aspect that will look differently for everyone. No matter your wellness goals, fitness should be an aspect of your life. What that looks like for you could be anywhere from going on walks once or twice a week to cross fit every weekend. The degree of exercise is as unique as nutrition but getting your body moving is very important. 

• Sleep– Sleep habits play a pivotal role in our health and wellness. If you are not getting proper sleep the consequences can be devastating to our health and mental wellbeing.

• Hydration– Water not only provides our cells with hydration essential for functioning but it also plays a key role in detoxification. The body is a detoxification powerhouse and water plays a major role in that process. 

Mental Health:

• Mindfulness- being mindful takes some practice but it basically means to bring awareness to the present moment and its connection to other aspects of your life. For example: you chop apples to take as a snack for work and you’re aware of the crisp scent of the fruit and the rhythm of the chops while being aware that this apple is going to nourish you this afternoon and keep you from making poor nutrition choices.  

• Positive thinking- The power of positive thinking has been documented immensely but it can’t be understated. Positive thinking can help rewire your brain and elevate your mood on a regular basis. Training yourself to see the light in situations not only makes you more likely to achieve success but also helps you remain even in times of stress or emotional turbulence. 

• Emotional intelligence- Knowing yourself, emotions and emotional triggers is very important to living holistically. Cultivating emotional intelligence can be daunting especially for those with trauma but the benefits are worth it. You should get to know yourself better than anyone else because you’re you and you have the power to control your emotional responses. 

Emotional Health:

• Self-awareness- practicing self awareness can be difficult at first but overtime it does get easier. Practices like journaling, mindfulness, and self reflection are all ways to enhance your self awareness. 

• Self-acceptance- There will always be aspects of ourselves that we don’t enjoy both physically and mentally. Accepting those parts of yourself is vital to growth as a human being however this is a difficult thing to do for most people. Practicing positive self talk is one way to stop putting yourself down about those aspects you might not enjoy. 

• Healthy relationships- We cannot live a holistic balanced life if we are isolated. Having healthy relationships of all kinds can enhance your life and bring happiness and fulfillment in ways that being alone might not bring. The number of relationships don’t necessarily matter as long as they are healthy and genuine. Relationships allow us to practice and grow empathy which in turn can help us better understand ourselves. 

• Effective communication- Expressing yourself in ways that make you feel heard is important to our emotional health. If we keep things that should or need to be expressed inside, inner turmoil and resentment can arise. To communicate effectively we must also allow others the chance to speak so that we can listen and fully understand. Conversations that are onesided are inherently imbalanced. 

Spiritual Health:

• Purpose and meaning- You don’t have to be religious to find your purpose and meaning in life. For many people this is simply living in a way that fulfills them while others may be on a more defined path. The important thing is that you feel like your life matters.

• Spirituality- Finding connection to the universe around you can bring you inner peace. For atheists this might look like just knowing how your actions are inter connected with the world via the domino effect. For non-atheists this might look like your spirit or essence is intertwined with that of the world and every other living thing within it. However this looks for you, finding and making peace with your spirituality and participating in activities that remind you of this is very important to living holistically.

• Meditation and mindfulness- These practices bring with them many benefits but spiritually they bring a sense of connection to all that is around you. 

• Gratitude and appreciation- Living in gratitude can reap so many benefits and feed into positive thinking. When we are grateful for what we have, who we are, and the world around us we are able to receive more plentifully. We see the good in places where we might not have otherwise.

How to Achieve Holistic Wellness Examples

• Mindful Living:
  • Mindfulness meditation- Make it a goal to meditate once per day. 
  • Yoga and other physical activities- Find exercise you actually enjoy! 
  • Spending time in nature- Connection to the living world can bring heightened awareness so take a walk in a park or go sit by a body of water! 
• Healthy Eating:
  • Whole foods diet
  • Balanced meals- Ask yourself does this food contain more than 10% processed foods? Does this meal bring me joy? 
  • Hydration- Keep a hydration tracker
• Stress Management:
  • Deep breathing exercises- This can be paired with meditation or used during times of high stress. 
  • Time management techniques- Utilize tools like a daily planner or connect with a coach who can help you manage your schedule.
  • Hobbies and interests- DO THINGS YOU ACTUALLY ENJOY! So many of us actually don’t have a hobby or activity that is meant purely to bring us joy. 
• Social Connection:
  • Strong relationships- Participate in activities that strengthen your bonds with others. Going for walks, playing games, and baking together are all examples.
  • Community involvement- Give back to your community in whatever way interests you. Maybe you’re a really good foosball player and decide to give Foosball lessons on the weekends or maybe you love the environment and decide to start a garbage pick up, or maybe you just enjoy going to the farmers market! 
  • Social activities- Look for community activities that interest you and attend! Look for free events/classes on Facebook. 

Conclusion

Holistic wellness is about keeping a positive balance between the mind, body and spirit. Managing your health by eating whole foods, drinking plenty of water, exercising and practicing mindfulness are all great places to start. Keep in mind that your mindfulness journey may not look exactly like someone else’s and that’s okay! Maybe you don’t like meditation or enjoy eating a donut here or there and that’s okay! It’s all about balance and ensuring that you are making decisions from a positive place.  

Ready to embark on your holistic wellness journey?

-Kendall Wilson, Cert. Holistic Nutrition Consultant.

www.innersageholistic.com

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