August is National Wellness Month. It is also my birth month (just want to put that out there).

Anyway. 🙂

I was in my early 30s when I first realized that my wellness was my responsibility. I was a new mom to a beautiful baby girl and, like most new mothers, I desperately wanted to get everything right. I’m almost ashamed to admit that until I became pregnant with my first child, I took my well-being for granted. Becoming responsible for someone else’s well-being changed all that. To properly take care of her, I had to take care of myself.

What is wellness?

Wellness doesn’t just refer to one’s physical health. Wellness refers to one’s overall well-being.

“Wellness is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

The World Health Organization

The History of National Wellness Month

National Wellness Month was founded by Live Love Spa in 2018 to bring awareness to the Wellness industry and connect consumers with wellness-promoting brands. Since then, Live Love Spa spends the month of August highlighting the importance of wellness, celebrating companies that provide self-care solutions, and inspiring others to establish healthy habits.

Begin Improving Your Wellness Right Now

While wellness is not a new concept, it is often overlooked by many people who have dedicated their lives to overseeing the well-being of others. The need for self-care doesn’t become apparent until one becomes ill, overwhelmed by stress, or otherwise incapacitated. It is imperative that we—parents, caregivers, and the like—grab hold of this vital truth: we can’t properly take care of the ones we love without first taking care of ourselves.

There are many ways for someone to increase their wellness. Here are 10 suggestions that I have implemented or am implementing as I become more attentive to my well-being.

1. Read more books.

According to research conducted at the University of Sussex, reading for enjoyment for as little as six minutes per day can help reduce stress by 68%! Source

2. Keep a daily journal.

Research has shown that journaling regularly can help to improve one’s mental distress and well-being. Check out this article on Talkspace for more information on the common benefits of journaling. 

Grab the Choose Resilience journal on Etsy.

3. Create a wellness playlist.

Scientific evidence shows that classical music has been found to reduce stress and anxiety in listeners.

Listen to this wellness playlist I created on Spotify.

4. Establish a morning and night routine.

Full disclosure: I am not great at this, especially during the summer months when the kids are home and don’t have to be at school at a certain time. I have noticed that when I stick to a morning and evening routine, I am more productive during the day. Whenever I deviate from these routines, my brain is “foggy,” distracted, and much less productive. It takes discipline and intentionality to create and stick to a morning and evening routine, but the benefits are worth it.

“Morning and evening routines prime you for success. They help you achieve more, think clearly, and do work that actually matters. They keep you from stumbling through your day and make sure you get the most important things done.”

Stephen Altrogge, 12 Morning and Evening Routines That Will Set Up Each Day for Success, Zapier.com

5. Improve your sleep hygiene.

The American Sleep Association (ASA) definites sleep hygiene as “behaviors that one can do to help promote good sleep using behavioral interventions.” In addition to establishing an evening routine, some of the suggestions offered by the ASA for improving one’s sleep hygiene include avoiding daytime naps, limiting caffeinated beverages, and not watching TV, using a computer, or reading in bed. 

Read this article by the ASA for more information on establishing good sleep hygiene.

6. Take your vitamins.

Certain vitamin deficiencies have been linked to depression, mood swings, dementia, paranoia, insomnia, irritability, mania, and other mental health issues. B vitamins are especially essential for mental health. A great source of B vitamins is sea moss gel.

I prefer to get sea moss gel from small business owners, and one of my favorites is made by an amazing serial mompreneur named Shonda Bolar. You can check out her site and order from her here (U.S. orders only). NOTE: This is not an affiliate link. Shonda did not pay me or ask me to promote her products. In fact, I asked her if it was okay to link to her site. I just love to promote women entrepreneurs on a mission.

7. Eat well and increase your water intake.

While this suggestion might seem like a no-brainer, many people still struggle to take in a healthy well-balanced diet. From emotional eating to poor meal planning, eating well can be a challenge. But, according to an article written for Aetna, maintaining a healthy diet contributes to fewer mood swings, a more positive outlook on life, and improved focus.

As for water intake, a study conducted in 2018 determined that less hydrated people were at a higher risk for depression and anxiety. Whereas people with adequate hydration were more likely to be mentally healthy and happy.

8. Create and maintain a budget.

It’s no secret that financial worries are a sure way to increase one’s stress levels. This can disrupt your sleep, negatively impact your self-esteem, create tension with loved ones, and increase your risk for symptoms of depression and anxiety. However, keeping tabs on your money can positively impact your mental and emotional health by decreasing your risk of these symptoms.

Earlier this year, I took some courses on proper financial management that profoundly affected how I see my finances. I feel a lot more secure when I know where my money is going and what it’s doing. 

9. Join a cause that you care about.

In The Importance of Community and Mental Health, an article written by Stephanie Gilbert for the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) on November 18, 2019, Stephanie points out that connecting to something bigger than oneself provides a sense of purpose and belonging. This has a positive impact on one’s mental and emotional health. 

As an autism parent who lives with bipolar II disorder and generalized anxiety disorder (and I’m beginning to suspect ADHD), autism and mental health awareness are extremely important to me. I actively seek opportunities to contribute to these causes.
This September, I will be participating in the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s 15th Annual St. Louis Out of the Darkness Walk with some family and friends. Please visit the Resilience Everyday team page if you’d like to help us raise funds for the AFSP’s campaign to prevent suicide.

10. Take a course or class on something that interests you or that affects your life.

The more I learn about bipolar II disorder, the more confident I become in my ability to successfully navigate life despite it. Earlier this month, I took the Living Successfully with a Mood Disorder online course. It is a free course, created by the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) and chock-full of information to help people with mood disorders and their loved ones better understand the challenges they may face.

Is there something that has affected your life that you’d like to learn more about? What skills or hobbies would you like to develop? Consider finding and taking a course in one of those areas.

Personalize Your Wellness

So, there you have it. These are just a few suggestions for increasing your well-being. They’ve definitely improved my day-to-day. The most important thing is that you develop your own definition of what wellness looks like to you and begin pursuing it today!

Happy Wellness Month to you and yours!

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