WELLNESS… wait, what?!
This one’s for the skeptics.
Ahhh, the looks I get when I tell people that I am passionate about mental health and wellbeing, or have started writing for a wellness blog. Despite its rise in popularity over the last ten years, I’m sure many of you reading this, who live and work within a space associated with wellness can relate to me when I say that the term is still wildly misunderstood.
As a writer, I know that a word can only be thrown around so many times before it loses its special meaning…and unfortunately that appears to be the case with the term wellness.
It can be found today in everything from fitness studios, to cosmetic clinics, to therapists offices, to bottles of green juice vowing to cleanse you (and your bank account) of your dirtiest sins. I get it - how can you put your trust in something that is so easily touted by anyone and everyone, with or without good intentions? What is the difference between the wellness you get by participating in a week long silent retreat, and the kind that involves filling up a cart at Lululemon?
How did I get into this space? Around seven years ago I began recovery from an eating disorder, and about seven years before that began navigating my way through major depression and anxiety. As is often the case with so many who find their way into this space, I had to hit rock bottom before I realized it was time to try living differently.
I dove into the coveted wellness space head first; meeting with healthcare professionals, experimenting with the woo-woo practices, drowning my spare time with all of the books and podcasts that promised to help me change my life. Safe to say I have served my time as a cute little wellness guinea pig!
Although I am very much still a work in progress (does that state ever end?) I feel now that I have a pretty good grasp on what works for me, and what was just a heavily commercialized piece of BS with good PR.
What I hope to do here on the blog is uncover, dissect, and explore all that falls into this category of wellness. We will talk to those actually living and working within the space, their experiences in the broad industry and the authenticity behind the work that they do.
I know it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all of the conflicting information that swirls around this industry because I did too. In the early days of my relationship with wellness, I was coaxed into buying products fuelled by pseudoscience, fought my way through cleanses and detoxes (those terms still make me shudder), and manipulated by attractive rich people who took advantage of my young insecurities and vulnerable state.
I recently had the pleasure of attending YET Niagara’s Health and Wellness Practitioner networking night, where I connected with 13 incredible women who are boldly making their way in this space.
From holistic nutritionists, to timeline therapists, to shamanic practitioners, these women own their niche industry work and are proud advocates for following your passions, no matter how ‘woo woo’.
That said, while we acknowledged the beauty that is a growing field of health and wellness folk, we all agreed that the increased saturation in the industry makes it harder to scope out genuine, in-it-for-the-right-reasons pro’s.
On the blog, as we explore the people, places, and things within this space, I invite you to keep an open mind, and ultimately know that you are the greatest judge. Your job is to pick and choose what sounds good to you, what you want to experiment with, and leave the rest! I want you to have the ability to define what wellness means to you - and always remember: what’s right for you isn’t always what’s right for everyone else!
And before you use this experimentation as another opportunity to exercise your highly achieving perfectionism - remember that a bouquet of flowers doesn’t just erupt out of the ground that way. It has been pulled, snipped, discarded, assorted, arranged. Even then it still requires constant careful attention, watering, and trimming the ends if you want to make it last. It’s the same with your health and wellness journey! Part of being well is allowing yourself the time and space to experiment with different things, to learn and unlearn certain beliefs, and to craft what balance and fulfillment uniquely looks like for you, for now.
For those completely new to the space, I found this definition of wellness from Pfizer that feels right to me:
“Wellness is the act of practicing healthy habits on a daily basis to attain better physical and mental health outcomes, so that instead of just surviving, you're thriving.”
So, dear reader, I leave you with this: what did life look like the last time you were living well? Don’t worry, if you find your memory simply doesn’t go back that far… visualize what a life, or even what a day would look like where you are truly living well.
Who are you with (if anyone)? What are you doing? How are you feeling? Why isn’t this your current reality?
Visualization is an incredibly powerful manifestation tool - had to throw in another buzzword for ya, don’t fret, we will uncover in another post together! - and sometimes it’s necessary to use it as a North Star to help guide you towards the life you want to live.
I am so excited for you to hear from our upcoming guests on the blog; they’re all passion and purpose, without the BS.
Some of my favourite quotes for learning, unlearning, and learning again:
What’s good for me is certainly not good for other people. - Robert Greene
The goal of recovery is not to become normal. The goal is to embrace the human vocation of becoming more deeply, more fully human. - Patricia Deegan
The soul always knows what to do to heal itself. The challenge is to silence the mind. - Caroline Myss
🧘🏻♀️✨
Andrea has broadened the work she does with the Wellness Club Niagara to ensure she is reaching every corner of those who identify with this industry.
Be sure to check out these upcoming events:
March 1- Journal Circle at Bridgewater Yoga
https://www.wellnessliving.com/rs/event/bridgewater_yoga?k_class=757007
March 15- Full Moon Energy Retreat at The Yoga Dome
Https://theyogadome.punchpass.com/classes/16915233
May 10: Promoting Your Passion Workshop
https://youempowertomorrow.as.me/schedule/01b76a71/?appointmentTypeIds[]=61808485
Yoga Classes at SOL Yoga Niagara - Mondays, Fridays
https://www.solniagara.com
P.S. If you’re looking for a short escape from the Sunday Scaries: I will be hosting my first live FREE meditation class at SOL Yoga Niagara, Sunday March 9 from 5:30-6:30! I would love to have you there with me. Register here or on MindBody!