A Message about Winter Wellness and Energy Conservation
“Winter Wellness” begins with deciding what you really Want to do and holding off of the things that you want to do
(w = impulse or desire, but not a decision). I believe that words that we use in our head have power over us and so deciding what we Want vs what we want can be an important factor in changing our decisions. Many people do this already with their finances and purchases but have not thought to apply the same language to their activity and health. Another set of similar words that can have power in influencing our behavior and health include: "need to", "have to", and "should".
The holidays are a particularly difficult time when it comes to these activity decisions. In order to avoid chronic overuse activities, some helpful questions to consider this holiday season may include:
• Do I want to continue to push myself to prepare the big family dinner (and risk creating pain and exhaustion) or do I want to put my relationships with family first and preserve my energy by asking for help?
• Do I need to climb that ladder to put up decorations despite the obvious risk?
• Do I have to bake 12 dozen cookies or do I want to avoid overdoing it and dial it back a bit and ask for help?
• Should “shop ‘til I drop” or do I Want to be a better example to my kids and grandkids by purchasing or even making one
special gift.
All these questions center around individual values, desires, and goals. It is my hope, especially during the holiday season,
and the cold winter months, that we can all focus on our real Wants and be less driven by passing desires/wants, “have to”, “need to”, and a “should” mentality.
The holistic model of wellness applies to us all, especially during this time of year. Be kind to yourself with the gift of wellness.
(w = impulse or desire, but not a decision). I believe that words that we use in our head have power over us and so deciding what we Want vs what we want can be an important factor in changing our decisions. Many people do this already with their finances and purchases but have not thought to apply the same language to their activity and health. Another set of similar words that can have power in influencing our behavior and health include: "need to", "have to", and "should".
The holidays are a particularly difficult time when it comes to these activity decisions. In order to avoid chronic overuse activities, some helpful questions to consider this holiday season may include:
• Do I want to continue to push myself to prepare the big family dinner (and risk creating pain and exhaustion) or do I want to put my relationships with family first and preserve my energy by asking for help?
• Do I need to climb that ladder to put up decorations despite the obvious risk?
• Do I have to bake 12 dozen cookies or do I want to avoid overdoing it and dial it back a bit and ask for help?
• Should “shop ‘til I drop” or do I Want to be a better example to my kids and grandkids by purchasing or even making one
special gift.
All these questions center around individual values, desires, and goals. It is my hope, especially during the holiday season,
and the cold winter months, that we can all focus on our real Wants and be less driven by passing desires/wants, “have to”, “need to”, and a “should” mentality.
The holistic model of wellness applies to us all, especially during this time of year. Be kind to yourself with the gift of wellness.
Note: This article is available in PDF format for easy download, on Dr. DeMayo's Articles page.