5 Ways to Refresh Your Chronically Well Habits
Looking for a refresh of your wellness practices and habits?
With the change in season, it’s natural for us to crave renewal. After all, we have just gone through a long winter and now it’s finally spring! Many of us living with chronic illness know how difficult it can be to stick with our wellness plan during the winter months, so what better way to shake off the winter blahs than by refreshing and renewing your healthy habits?
By making a few simple changes this season, you can recharge any existing practices, or create new ones.
Whether you're looking for helpful tips on setting achievable goals or motivation in staying consistent – let’s do this! There is no time like the present and no present to yourself that is more important than taking care of yourself!
Here are 5 ways to renew or refresh your Chronically Well habits -
1. Revisit Your vision for what you want most for Your Life and Health
When you think about living well with chronic illness and having the life you want, what does that look like to you? What does that make possible for you? I invite you to pause and think about that for a moment.
When you envision what you want most, it can help you to see more clearly what to prioritize in your life. This might not mean you are magically cured and all is suddenly easy. But, it does mean that you have clarity to navigate the steps towards nurturing your health and wellness. You have your “why.”
How is your current wellness routine and lifestyle supporting your vision? Do you need to make any adjustments to better align your lifestyle with what you want most?
For more info on creating your vision and why it is important when renewing or refreshing your commitment to your chronic wellness, check out this blog post.
2. Ask Yourself What You Need To Feel More Confident
Many of us know what we need to do to care for our general wellness. However, translating that into action can tend to go sideways for a number of reasons. One of these reasons is a lack of confidence that we can, or will, make it happen. This is the #1 reason why many of us do not even attempt to implement a new practice, habit or goal - we lack confidence in how to implement it, or in our ability to make consistent effort.
To work around this hurdle, ask yourself, “what would it take for you to feel more confident?” Do you need more information, do you need to think through a plan, do you need support? Once you can pinpoint what will make you feel more confident and you figure out a way to make that happen, you are closer to becoming more confident in your ability to do it.
By taking time to figure out why you are not feeling confident about implementing or renewing your practice or habit, you are setting yourself up to be more successful because you are focusing less on why you can’t. You are focusing more on what you CAN do to make it work.
For a deeper dive into how to implement your wellness practices with confidence, check out this blog post. And, for a discussion on focusing on what you can do, read this one.
3. Find Realistic and Nurturing Ways To Implement Your Practice
Setting wellness goals can be daunting for anyone. When you add in the unpredictability and specific concerns of a chronic illness, it can feel impossible. But, it does not need to be! There are ways to implement your wellness practices that meet you where you are each day. And, that is important because things change for many of us living with chronic illness even more than the change in seasons!
The trick is to find the right balance for YOU. This includes creating some flexibility in your plans to make them realistic for your different types of symptomatic days. This balance also includes taking into account what would end up pushing you too hard or not pushing yourself enough. Finding this balance, and making sustained efforts over time, can result in sustained progress - and even transformation in the long-term.
I share my approach to creating individualized, realistic, flexible and supportive practices in this blog post. It’s one of my most popular and practical posts. So, make sure to check it out! It could be a helpful part of renewing your wellness practices this spring.
4. Start As You Are Today
Whether you are renewing a practice or starting fresh, the first step does not need to be spectacular. Sustainable habits are built by meeting yourself as you are and taking it step-by-step.
When you slowly implement your healthy practice with baby steps, you are heading in the right direction! You end up building up to your goal over time. This is particularly important when living with chronic illness because drastic and quick change is usually not possible and potentially detrimental to many of us.
A big unkept secret in health coaching is that building on small successes causes an increase in confidence that results in more sustainable habits over time. So, it is actually in your best interest in the long term to take it slow and keep it realistic! If you are working on refreshing your Chronically Well practices, it doesn’t need to be elaborate! Just start where you are!
To read more about taking it step-by-step and recognizing yourself for all your wins, check out this blog post.
5. Get Support!
We could all use encouragement, support or some help trouble-shooting. It can be nice to know that someone is in your corner who knows how hard it can be to make changes when living with chronic illness. There are simply more practical considerations for us. Why not get some support from a behavior change expert who understands how difficult this can be?
To find out more about what working with a health coach is like, read this blog post and check out the different ways of working with me through one-on-one coaching via the Chronically Well Membership or the THRIVE Package. You can always book a complimentary, no obligation call to discuss your hopes and challenges and how I might be able to support you.
To refresh your Chronically Well Mindset
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This time of year is the perfect time to start making positive changes in your life and health - especially when it comes to living well with chronic illness.
Renewing and refreshing your healthy habits is a great way to continue on your path to living Chronically Well. By taking some time to revisit your vision for what you want, gain confidence in your ability to make it happen in a realistic and nurturing way, you will be on your way to renewing or refreshing your commitment to living Chronically Well.
If you're feeling stuck or need an extra motivation boost, explore ways to work with me through the Chronically Well Membership or Thrive Package. Together, we can work towards finding more balance and Chronic Wellness in your life!
What healthy habits or practices support your chronic wellness?
Do Your healthy habits need a Refresh? What can you do to make it happen in a realistic and supportive way?
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