Wellness Calendar: Tuesday 9 December

The ninth revolution

[Unwellness viewpoint; wellness-focused lens; wellness-focused living; metaphorical wellness camera; mini-wellness me]

Since wellness is not all that important to society at large, we can assume that much of our viewpoint still comes from the environment we were brought up in, where there might be a greater emphasis on the value of work, money, power, tribalism, soldiering on, etc., etc. If you’re reading this as, say, a 30-year-old, 30 years of potentially unhelpful messages will be impacting how you think, feel and act. How could you possibly overcome such a hurdle?

To embark on the next revolution is to consciously place a wellness-focused lens over and above everything you do, over every other lens you might currently have. The function of this new lens is simply to observe any circumstance you find yourself in and to determine what you can do to enhance your well-being.

For example, you may have an existing lens that places importance on pleasing other people. Your new lens, simply by its very existence, is going to gently challenge you (in a supportive way) on whether pleasing other people is compatible with being well. Similarly, you might have an existing lens where you see yourself as worthless, where you’re told to always respect your elders, to not speak ill of the dead, to not tread on the cracks in the pavement, to aspire to being successful or perfect in all that you do. In time, without the need to rush, this new kindly, self-caring mindset can help to not only iron out some of your creases and crinkles, but it can also help to provide a base, a structure, a platform, to maintain and future-proof your wellness for the rest of your life.

When we talk about living in a wellness-focused way, we aren’t anticipating some kind of obsessive, cult-like existence. Instead, we envisage a scenario where, initially at least, you live out your day-to-day life as per normal while, simultaneously, there’s a layer of activity going on inside you, silently, automatically, where your best interests are always paramount; where this concerned side to you can be called into action any time of day to protect you, advise you, enhance your experiences. This can then progress into something further if you wish to.

To some degree, we do this already on a casual, instinctive basis. Yet what we’re talking about here is so much more. We’re talking about stepping up the operation to a level where you’re reflecting not just on actions that have taken place, but reflecting live, during the action and prior to the action; where you’re questioning everything; where you’re fully attuned to the present moment – and it’s all become quite effortless and intuitive.

We might wish to view this lens as coming from a metaphorical camera, extending from one’s mind, in synch with one’s body, which is free to go anywhere it wants: zooming out to get the widest possible perspective on an issue, or zooming in for a close-up. It could position itself wherever you want it to be. Alternatively, the lens could be part of a persona, a sub-personality, one of many configurations of the self we have. This mini wellness-me would likely be a kindly being that has your best interests at heart and always looks out for you. It loves and cares for you unconditionally, even when you don’t love yourself. It doesn’t interfere in your day-to-day life unless required, then it immediately comes to the fore. A mini wellness-me could be a vehicle for all the skills, tools and knowledge that you’re picking up as your revolution gathers pace.

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