When most of us speak of "fit", we're talking about physical fitness. When we speak of wellness, we're usually talking out of our posterior--because many of us don't know what wellness is. We have some ideas, know some of the aspects, and even can list the six dimensions of wellness (can you list them?). The challenge is tying them together and then "gleaning the meaning" to create a map of the journey to land of "Zest For Life".
Physical fitness is one of the six dimensions of wellness. I'll opine that it's nowhere near the most important. The body will only do what the mind will allow. If the mind is not well, the body will not follow. If the mind is fixated on what **looks** well, the body will follow--and will only **look** well. The look is destined to fail, because the mind has failed to grasp that wellness is from the inside-out, not the other way around. The fruit of outside-in? Injuries, eating disorders, yo-yo eating and/or workouts, apathy, and eventually, great pain--the pain that comes from the pain of avoiding pain. Pain which could (and should) have been easily avoided.
I understand there's a sizable amount of the population that will not buy into wellness--simply because it's too hard. That's OK. I liken it to Sturgeon's Law: "90% of everything is crud." The truth remains the truth even if 90% of the population chooses not to believe: **Wellness** trumps fitness every time--because it's sustained long term, and its fruit is peace, not pain.
Wellness is not just mental and physical. There are four other dimensions: emotional, social, spiritual, as well as occupational. When the wellness dimensions are fully integrated and become interdependent, the result is a **zest for life**.
Ergo, wellness isn't just going into the gym and doing some arm curls. It's harder. It's challenging. It's engaging. And, once it becomes habit, it's fun, rewarding, and peaceful. And, not subject to Sturgeon's Law.
Come join me on a journey to wellness.
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