How To Create a Wellness Vision To Achieve Your Health Goals In 2023
Welcome to your version of wellness.
A version of wellness that inspires you to make a change, motivates you to keep going and excites you to reach your goals.
This version of you doesn’t necessarily have to be your “best self” or even your “healthiest self”.
Maybe this version of you looks like being your “most favourite self” or “balanced and happiest self”.
Remember, this journey is all about you and finding a version of wellness that makes you feel good.
So how can you become clear on what your version of wellness looks like?
Create a health and wellness vision that defines what you want and serves as your why to achieve your goals.
Table of Contents
- Be the CEO of your own health
- What is a wellness vision?
- Benefits of creating a wellness vision
- 5 steps for creating a wellness vision that fuels you
- 1 | Start with why
- 2 | Get clear on what “optimum health” looks like to you
- 3 | Imagine your future self
- 4 | Get creative and bring your vision to life
- 5 | Keep your wellness vision visible
- Final thoughts
Be the CEO of your own health
This quote, “be the CEO of your own health” recently came up during a live webinar for my health coaching course.
For me, it’s an empowering saying as it reminds me that I am the only one in control of my health and well-being and that I have the power to make positive changes in my life.
It also really got me thinking about how I show up in the wellness space. I constantly struggle with imposter syndrome as I don’t look like other wellness influencers or bloggers online.
I don’t drink green matcha lattes and I don’t hang out at the gym. And that is why I’m always reminding you that there is no right path to wellness because I’m reminding myself of this too.
Health and wellness is individual to you and specific to your needs.
You’re not supposed to copy what others are doing online (despite how influential they are) because what works for them might not necessarily work for you.
It’s about figuring out what “optimum health” looks like to you and creating a wellness routine based on this.
I’m currently in my self-care era where I’m dedicating time to doing the things I love, like travelling, reading, connecting with new people, exploring new cultures and tasting new cuisines (although they might not be the most healthy).
As I write this, I am sitting in a cute coffee shop in Chiang Mai, Thailand. (Stay up to date with my digital nomad life on Instagram!)
This is a once-in-lifetime trip which I am wholeheartedly grateful for, and I don’t ever want to be super picky with what I eat.
Most days I still eat well with a medium-rare steak but other days I like to indulge, but that is ok for me.
This is my version of wellness.
Not some one-size-fits-all “TikTok” version of wellness which consists mainly of green juices, supplements, workouts and an hour-long skincare routine.
My wellness journey has never been about becoming “that girl” or being super health-conscious. It’s been about loving myself unconditionally, being comfortable in my own company, and discovering that there is more to life than just feeling content.
So take this as your permission slip to do things on your own terms.
I also recommend that you establish your intention first for getting started on your wellness journey before diving into the rest of this blog post.
This will help you to determine what needs to change and whether you are embarking on this wellness journey for the right reasons.
“Be the CEO of your own health.”
Marcelle Dubruel | Health Coach Trainer
What is a wellness vision?
Just like creating a vision board for your life, a wellness vision will highlight everything you want to achieve and how you want to feel.
It’s this vision that will push you to keep going on your wellness journey when you lack motivation.
It will fuel your excitement and passion to reach your health goals.
In short, it’s the compass that guides you to a destination you’ve set for yourself (as cringe as that sounds, but hey let’s go with it).
Your wellness vision can take on any form or medium.
It can be a funky collage with pictures and motivating words, a short written statement or a letter to your future self.
Or if you’re more inspired by audio, then you can voice record your vision.
Heck, you can probably even turn it into a Reel and post it on social media!
Write it, read it, film it, listen to it or print it out. Put your wellness vision somewhere that is visible like on the fridge or make it your screensaver. Look or listen to it every single day to remind you why you started this journey.
And whenever you feel stuck, refer back to your vision.
Repeat your vision back to yourself and always ask yourself, “What will this give me?”
Benefits of creating a wellness vision
Creating a wellness vision is an essential part of starting your health and well-being journey.
Not only does it help you get clear on what you really want, but it also serves as a powerful tool to keep you motivated and on track as you work towards a happier and healthier you.
It also acts as a reminder of how you want to feel when you’ve reached your goals.
Whether you’re looking to lose weight, improve your mental health, or simply feel more energized and alive, a wellness vision allows you to clearly articulate your desires and set specific, measurable goals to help you achieve them.
Overall, the benefits of creating a health and wellness vision include:
- Allows you to define and set specific goals that align with your values
- Helps you get clear on what you truly want (not what you think you should be doing)
- Gives you direction and a roadmap to follow
- Guides daily decision-making, choices and habits
- Keeps you motivated and on track
- Serves as a reminder of where you are going
- Encourages self-discovery and personal development
- Gives you a sense of ownership and control over your health and well-being
- Provides the why behind your wellness journey
5 steps for creating a wellness vision that fuels you
A wellness vision is more than just a set of goals.
It is a roadmap for you to follow, and one that gives you direction and motivation to reach your goals.
So without further adieu, here are the 5 steps for creating a wellness vision that fuels you.
I encourage you to bookmark this page so you can refer back to it whenever you need to.
1 | Start with why
Knowing your why will be the foundation of your wellness vision.
It will serve you more than anything else as it is the core reason behind your journey.
And without a clear understanding of why you want to improve your health and wellness, it can be easy to lose sight of your goals and give up.
So please do not skip this step.
Take a moment now to establish your why by working through these prompts:
- Why am I doing this?
- What will prioritising my health and wellness give me?
- How will reaching my wellness vision positively impact what’s important to me?
Once you have established your why, you will have clarity over your wellness vision and health goals.
“If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.”
Steve jobs
2 | Get clear on what “optimum health” looks like to you
Before you create your wellness vision, you need to first establish what optimum health looks like to you.
Because for me, it does not look like taking artificial vitamins in the form of supplements or following a vegan diet.
It looks like keeping my mental health and well-being in check by prioritising my needs, setting boundaries, practising gratitude and dedicating time to self-care.
So once more for the people in the back…
Your version of optimum health and wellness will be unique to you as it reflects your own personal values and priorities. It may also change over time depending on your current situation.
It should also be realistic, actionable, and specific.
Have a go at these journal prompts to help you get clear on this:
- What is your vision for your health?
- What do you most desire when you think of optimal wellness for yourself?
- How will you feel once you’ve reached optimum health?
- How will this impact your life?
- What do you value most when it comes to your health? i.e. mental health, physical health, spiritual health, etc.
- What are your most important areas of health and wellness? i.e. sleep, nutrition, exercise, self-care, etc.
Once you have a clear understanding of what optimum health looks like to you, you can then create an exciting wellness vision that will guide you on your journey to achieving it.
3 | Imagine your future self
Imagine it is 3, 6 or 12 months from now.
You have either reached your health and wellness goals or are getting consistently closer to them.
How does your future self act, feel, look, etc?
Getting clear on how you envision your future self is the crux of your wellness vision as it serves as the compass that will guide you to optimal health and keep you motivated even when things get tough.
To gain a better understanding of your future self, try this visualisation technique. Sit somewhere quiet, close your eyes and as you visualise your future, pay attention to the emotions and feelings that arise.
Use these questions to help guide you:
- How does your future self feel?
- Are they happy, fulfilled, energised, etc?
- Are they calm, peaceful and content, etc?
- How do they think and behave?
- Are they more active and engaged in life?
- How do they look and move?
- Are they taking care of themselves in a way that feels right for them?
- What do they do each day to sustain that level of wellness?
Once you have a clear image of your future self, capture all of these thoughts and feelings by writing down your desired outcome in the first person, describing how life will feel and look when you’ve achieved it.
For example, “I am living my life in balance, with a daily routine that includes regular exercise, nutritious eating, and ample time for self-care and relaxation. I have a strong support system in place, and my relationships with loved ones are healthy and fulfilling. I am confident in my ability to handle stress and am able to manage my emotions in a healthy way. I am proud of my progress and am excited about my future as I continue to work towards my optimal health and well-being. I am in tune with my body and mind, and take the time to listen and respond to its needs.”
4 | Get creative and bring your vision to life
It’s now time to bring your future statement to life in a fun and creative way to keep you excited.
As mentioned above, your wellness vision can come in any shape or form.
One option could be to create a visual collage by gathering pictures and quotes that align with your vision and placing them alongside your future statement to emphasise and strengthen the message. This could be a physical collage on a bulletin board or a digital collage which you can make on Canva.
Another option could be to write an email or letter, that includes your vision statement. You can read it regularly to keep yourself focused on your progress and motivated towards achieving your goals.
Or a third option could be a voice recording where you record yourself saying your “future statement” out loud. This could be a great way to hear your own voice and the conviction behind your words.
Remember, that your wellness vision needs to be in the present tense (although we are technically looking towards the future) so continue to use, “I feel, I will, I am” etc.
So get creative and choose the medium that resonates with you the most for expressing your wellness vision.
5 | Keep your wellness vision visible
I recommend keeping your wellness vision accessible and visible in a way that works best for you.
Having this vision at the forefront of your mind will help you to stay committed, motivated and excited.
So take your vision board and either frame it or hang it up on your fridge or noticeboard. You can even print out a mini-version and place it on the bathroom mirror.
If you’d rather keep things digital, set your vision collage as a screensaver on your phone or laptop so you see it every time you unlock your device.
My yearly vision lives on my Notion dashboard, a tool I use every single day, so every time I open my laptop it’s there for me to look at.
Or if you’ve recorded your wellness vision, make an effort to listen to it on your commute or after you’ve woken up as part of your morning routine.
By keeping your wellness vision in a place where you’ll see it every day, you’ll be more likely to stay on track and focused on your own journey, rather than being influenced by someone else’s.
Remember, that this vision is all about what you want to achieve and how you want to feel.
And whenever you do feel lost or stuck (chances are it will happen at some point), refer back to your vision.
Repeat it to yourself and remind yourself of the goals you’ve set.
Ask yourself, “What does this vision give me?” This will help you stay focused on your end goal and motivated to keep going. It’s like a little compass that will guide you back to the path of wellness whenever you feel lost.
Final thoughts
Just like I have broken away from the norm in my societal life, I have also broken away from the online standard of what wellness is and looks like. I choose to promote a “wellness” practice that is realistic, affordable and attainable.
An approach that is not one-size-fits-all but unique to the individual.
Because I believe wellness can be anything you want it to be.
It doesn’t need to look like drinking a matcha latte in the morning and practising yoga daily. As long as your daily habits and lifestyle choices make you feel happier and healthier than they did the year before, then I think you are doing it right.
So stop allowing social media’s consumerist, aesthetically-pleasing version of wellness to dictate your actions.
Create your own version of wellness and do things on your own terms.
Remember, no influencer or brand can tell you what how best to live your life.
Only you know what is best for you and your health.
Always remember that.
Until next week,
♡ Thalia xx