The Unglamorous Truth About Building Chronically well Habits
The truth might be unexciting, but it is effective!
Have you ever been tempted by a product or offer that promises a quick and easy way to wellness? And, then been disappointed when a miraculous transformation does not happen overnight?
That's the problem with wellness. It can't be bottled. And, the effort it takes is usually slow and steady.
It’s not very exciting to put in the work slowly and methodically.
But, what is exciting is when you have a realization that your efforts are benefiting you, or allowing you to level up your health and wellness in some way. Or, maybe, you even reach a point that you didn't think was possible when you started!
One of my favorite things about being a health coach are those moments when my clients take a step back and recognize how much their lives and health has changed over a few months because of the slow and consistent efforts that they have made.
Does it involve magic? No.
Does it involve a quick fix? No.
The small, consistent steps we take can add up to progress, and possibly transformation, over time.
.
The progress we make in our wellness is because of our own effort.
And, to help you find a realistic way to make your wellness practices consistent habits,
Here are 3 Truths to know when you are building your Chronically Well habits -
One - Small Steps Add uP To Progress Over Time
It is more than okay to take small, incremental steps with your wellness practices. In fact, that approach works! When you consistently implement a wellness practice over time, you head in the right direction and create measurable results over the long term.
Every time you engage in a healthy habit, you are one step closer to building a better quality of life down the road. After a few weeks or months of working on your wellness practices, you can look back on all you have accomplished that might not have seemed possible if you crammed all that effort into one day.
“Some things you have to do every day. Eating about seven apples on Saturday night instead of one a day just isn’t going to get the job done.” - Jim Rohn
For related reading, check out these other blog posts:
4 Strategies For Noticing Changes In Your Chronic Wellness When Change Is Slow
Wellness Is Not All Or Nothing When You Have A Chronic Illness
Two: Perfection Is Not Required
One of the best parts about taking a slow and steady approach to wellness is that your efforts don’t need to be perfect! For example, if you decide you want to walk for 30 minutes 5 times a week, even if you don’t make it happen 5 times a week, you still gain benefits. Let’s say, you set the 5 times a week goal, but you end up walking 3 times a week consistently for 3 months. Your 3 walks a week will add up to 1,080 minutes (or 54 hours) of walking that you might not have been doing before. It’s not 5 times a week, but it certainly is a wonderful habit that will benefit you over time,
Regardless of what wellness practices my clients are working on, there is never an expectation that there will be perfect implementation. Life happens!
My clients make consistent efforts on their wellness practices. However, they take breaks or modify their goals when symptoms flare, when they travel, or when they get sick. When their habits are thrown off course, they come back to them when they are ready.
So, the implementation is not perfect, but it is consistent. They are not doing anything over the top. They are setting realistic and supportive goals each week. And, by putting in the effort over time, they level up their health, wellness and quality of life.
Three: Take It One Step At A Time!
If the thought of consistently implementing a wellness habit over weeks, months or years feels overwhelming, you might want to avoid even trying. But, you don’t have to give up before you even start!
If thinking about making a long-term commitment to a wellness practice feels intimidating, please consider reframing how you are looking at the situation. Consider focusing on implementing your wellness practice one day at a time.
“You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Years ago, when I began to work on truly trying to add wellness into my life with chronic illness, I could never have imagined that I would be feeling as well as I am now. I was exhausted and experiencing significant autoimmune and lung issues, some naturally occurring and some caused by lymphoma treatment.
When I finally let go of my unrealistic determination to force my body to live up to what I could do in the past, I started to make space for a wellness evolution. While the changes I made in my life and health were slow and incremental, I did not foresee that I would slowly build up to where I am now. Frankly, I wasn’t truly convinced that I would live this long.
My point is, what is up the “staircase” is not always dark, dingy and full of spiders. The “staircase” might be full of sunlight, flowers and butterflies. The “staircase” might be better than you ever imagined! But, if you don’t take the first step, you will never know.
Looking For Support On Your Chronically Well Path?
Explore the Chronically Well Membership options to integrate wellness into your life, your way!
Working towards wellness is not about magic and quick fixes.
It requires a slow and steady effort to achieve lasting results. Small, consistent and gradual efforts add up over time, resulting in transformation and progress. The perfect path isn’t attainable, and it is not necessary! Instead of taking too large a step at once and watching your progress drift away, focus on just one step each day and watch it build up over the coming weeks.
If you are looking for more guidance or support in adding consistent wellness practices into your life with chronic illness, check out my Chronically Well Membership as a support for solving the everyday challenges of living well with chronic illness. Book a complimentary exploratory call today and see what possibilities await you on your slow & steady path to living Chronically Well!
What could be your first step to adding wellness into your life with chronic illness?
What is one small thing you can do to nurture your wellness today?
Does this resonate?Please share this post with friends! Click the menu on the right to share on social media.
