Most people have some understanding of the value of eating nutritious food, exercising regularly, and getting quality sleep.  These are all aspects of physical wellness.

We, as a society, often overlook emotional wellness.  It’s important for us to learn to take care of ourselves emotionally as well as physically.

How do we achieve and maintain emotional wellness?

Value relaxation and relationships

Modern society has created a myth of “constant hustle” and “having it all.”  As a result, some people don’t value time spent with family and friends.  They also feel that they shouldn’t spend time enjoying their hobbies.  They might even feel lazy if they’re getting enough sleep, or taking the time to plan and cook healthy meals.

There is an idea that time not spent working is “wasted.”  This myth is untrue.  It is also dangerous.

People who feel as though they need to always be “productive” live in a constant state of exhaustion and stress.  They don’t give their bodies time to rest and rejuvenate.  They also lose the emotional support of other people because they don’t have time to spend building or maintaining close relationships.

Value the time you spend doing things that help you to feel happy and fulfilled.  Value the people you do those things with.  This time is crucial for emotional wellness.

Feel good about yourself

There is only one “you.”  How much time and effort do people waste wishing they could be someone else?

Self-love is not something you are “given” by being smart enough, attractive enough or special enough.  It is something you gain by practicing.  Stop putting yourself down, and start investing time and effort in activities that help you to feel good about your own unique abilities.

Seek balance for emotional wellness

Extremes are often unhealthy places, regardless of which extreme you’re at.  Look for healthy middle ground:  not too much and not too little.

For example, if you don’t devote any time to tidying your home, you’ll feel badly about living in a dirty, cluttered environment.  But if you spend all your free time maintaining a picture-perfect household, you’ll miss out on opportunities to enjoy life, and your emotional wellness will suffer.

The trick to balance is discovering how much is “enough.”

Make your health a priority and feel good about yourself

If you bought a new house, and then didn’t take care of it, it would be hard to be proud of it once its yard was overgrown, its roof was leaking, and its windows were broken.  Your body is the “house” for your mind.  It’s important—you only get one body to last your whole life!  But many people neglect theirs.

When you know you’ve been taking care of yourself, you feel good about yourself.  Your body also benefits from good nutrition, regular exercise and the support of your health care team.  If you haven’t seen your dentist or optometrist yet this year, it’s time to give them a call.  And if you don’t have your next chiropractic maintenance appointment scheduled, it’s time to contact Sheppard Chiropractic Centre at (506) 635-8182 or (506) 847-7172.