Introduction to the Wellness Ethic
An excerpt from The Wellness Ethic:
The Wellness Ethic has seven core elements—mind, body, spirit, relationships, personal pursuits, professional pursuits, and lifestyle maintenance. When those aspects of your life work harmoniously and are all guided by love, your life hits its stride.
Love
Designing your life should always start with one fundamental question: What is the desired outcome of your life? The answer to that question becomes your North Star, your compass, which guides you on how to live your life and what company to keep—practically all elements of your life should align with your North Star. The Wellness Ethic believes that feeling and sharing love—the meaning of life—would be an excellent choice to serve as your North Star.
Love is a warm, emotional feeling of affection, care, and connection toward someone or something. When you feel and share love, you feel alive. You are happiest and most fulfilled when you love yourself, love what you’re doing, love the person you’re with, and love the impact you have on your world.
Love is everything. Think about how you feel when you go on a date with someone you love. Or how you feel when you do a good deed, care for someone, or accomplish something meaningful. Love is what we live for. In fact, I’d suggest that our life success is a function of our wellness and the love we create to the extent we can control. Here’s the equation: Life Success = Feeling Love + Sharing Love = Wellness
Love is the Wellness Ethic’s North Star.
The Foundation
A healthy mind, body, and spirit foundation generates positive energy that fuels your Wellness Ethic journey. That energy can come from the love you feel, an upbeat mindset, serenity, physical vitality, and your all-knowing wisdom. A solid foundation positions you for a satisfying life.
Your mind and how it perceives your circumstances influences your happiness. When you’re happy, you feel love toward the moment.
Your body provides the means for you to engage in life. When you care for your body, you feel better and have more energy to do what matters to you.
Your spirit embodies your life purpose, values, and beliefs. When you live your life in accordance with your spirit, you feel like you’re a part of something greater than yourself. You develop a fulfilling sense of satisfaction knowing your time on Earth is well spent.
All three—mind, body, and spirit—are interconnected. For example, mental stress can lead to cardiovascular issues and weakened immune function. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins that improve your mood. Practicing mindfulness helps you to feel a deeper connection with yourself and the universe, which fosters spiritual well-being.
The Pillars
The pillars of the Wellness Ethic—relationships, personal pursuits, professional pursuits, and lifestyle maintenance—are your SAGe’s playground to bring love to you and others. Following is a quick breakdown of each:
o Relationships: How we connect with friends, family, life partners, acquaintances, and even pets (of course pets are included; I dare you to tell them they’re not) influences our life satisfaction.
o Personal Pursuits: These pursuits engage you in life and round out your existence. They include activities you choose to spend your free time pursuing, such as hobbies, traveling, sports, and reading.
o Professional Pursuits: How you earn a living significantly impacts your satisfaction. When your job aligns with your life purpose, you’re engaged in your work. When it’s not, it can feel like a chore.
o Lifestyle Maintenance: These activities help your life function (housework, money management, etc.).
The foundation and the pillars are the essence of the Wellness Ethic. Read The Wellness Ethic to learn how to thrive in your life by nurturing the wonderful gift of your existence!
