New Year, New Me, Thicker, Older, Wiser: The Pursuit of Wellness
I am back from an almost twelve-month hiatus. In preparation for 2023, I am reflecting on the past two years and sharing my experience in hopes that it can help someone on their wellness journey.
Thicker and older
I characterise 2022 as a year of unravelling. Much of what I considered to be my norm was changed drastically. In pursuing wellness, here’s my journey to redefine and re-prioritise critical pillars in my life.
For a long time, I had grown accustomed to a specific routine. That meant I knew one body type, certain go-to outfits and a particular exercise schedule. The latter was clockwork, seven days a week, with at least 3-day morning and evening workouts.
Then the pandemic struck. As pandemic conditions persisted, a lot kept changing. By November 2020, I had entered my 30s and crossed 150 lbs (usually, I weigh 130/135 lbs). Considering the circumstances, the changes were okay at the time because the world was at a standstill; people were home, several businesses were closed, and even outdoor activities were not permitted.
It took a while to accept that things were not returning to normal (pre-pandemic); well, at least for me! By the end of 2021, I felt like I was drowning and just existing ‘now for now’, prioritising everything but my wellness to distract from how dishevelled I felt about losing my previously well-organised lifestyle. To describe in seven words – I became a hot mess of spontaneity. My exercise schedule became very inconsistent, which caused my self-esteem to wane. Attempts to adjust were difficult, then as more time passed, self-doubt stepped in, stalling all efforts to recover.
By the end of 2022, I decided to f*** it and start over. Let go of what I thought I lost, “the glory days”. So I dubbed the last quarter of 2022 as my brainstorming year to reflect, plan and adjust.
DON’T #1
Do not be afraid to change course completely. Listen, it’s easy to grow accustomed to what used to work. But like most things in life, change is inevitable. Last year (2022) unchecked so many milestones I had already pre-planned years ago, and I can definitely say now that those would not have matched the present version of me today.
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Finally, some wisdom
With this renewed outlook, I realised I needed to redefine and reprioritise the pillars that anchored my life. Before the pandemic, exercising was a significant pillar. Back then, several decisions centred around my exercise schedule. Note that the operative word there was exercise, not fitness. That, I think, was the crooks of the issue.
Instead, I will base most of my decisions on self-love first. Through an introspective assessment of my life (check out, Self-development through Discipline, the Art of Mastering Healthy Habits: Do’s, Don’ts, Tips and Tricks, Part 1 which discusses the concept of a personal SWOT analysis), I now know what I should leave behind and what I should carry forward into the next chapter of my fitness journey.
DO #1
Do a personal SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis. S and W address where you are now, O focuses on external situations that you can use to your advantage, and T relates to obstacles that may hamper your progress. Thus, O and T showcase where you can improve by taking chances or overcoming risks, respectively.
Hello wellness
During my introspection phase, I found Forbes’ article, “Six Pillars For Building An Intentional Life In This New Year“, which helped chart the way forward. How perfect! According to Forbes, together, these pillars create harmony with the people in our lives and the places we inhabit. The lack of any single pillar weakens the structure (aka our life).
The author further grouped the pillars into two categories:
“ME“
Purpose, Wellness and Prosperity connect our goals to ourselves and create self-responsibility and self-accountability
“US”
Relationships, Community and Nature connect our goals to our world
Using this guide, my exercise pillar has been redefined as my wellness pillar. This pillar will cover all the aspects of wellness I’d like to manage (namely spirituality, nutrition, movement/physical activity and mental health). I am a cardio girl; thus, running would remain my top priority.
For this to work, I plan to address my weaknesses and enhance my strengths. My weaknesses are nutrition and mental health. Nutrition has always been a vulnerability in my routine, while mental health is a new weakness. I never knew such a drastic change in my appearance would have such a negative impact on me.
New Year, An Even More Refined Me
I am excited to see where 2023 goes. Despite the setbacks, I did experience personal growth, and I am learning to be less reactive. My main takeaway for you is not to be inhibited by older versions of yourself.
DO a personal SWOT analysis to determine and assess your wellness action plan.
DON’T be afraid to change the course of your adventure.
TIP, no time is too late.
TRICK, introspection first.
Has anyone else experienced this? I’d love to hear how you dealt with it.
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2 Comments
Denise
A positive image of oneself is very important. We must always remember “you are fearfully and wonderfully made” no matter the version of you or situation in life.
dosdontstipsandtricks
Thanks Denise!