Sharing Wellness: Getting Your Loved Ones Onboard

By: Rasheedah Billups

So you’re locked in, tuned in, and turned on to living a toxic-free and healthy lifestyle and everyone in your circle isn’t on the same page as you. Being alone on an island isn’t fun. We’ve got access to the scoop on everything wellness related and we just want everyone we love to have it too! You want them to ditch the toxic choices and join you on the wellness island.

Wellness is the constant effort to live a healthy lifestyle. A person focused on wellness actively and constantly works towards making intentionally healthy decisions about all aspects of living. This includes everything from healthy relationships to healthy thoughts and everything in between. Some wellness-centered practices include, but are not limited to:

• Using toxic-free, all natural products.
• Practicing conscious eating by choosing foods that will nourish the body.
• Staying active.
• Making a strong effort to keep our thoughts toxic-free.
• Working to maintain toxic-free relationships.

It would be nice to have all of our loved ones as concerned with living well as we are. After all, health is wealth! Getting everyone in your circle to focus more on wellness could have great implications, not just for them and their health, but for those closest to them.

Have you ever noticed that when you start a new habit, how inadvertently, other behaviors start to shift as well? For example, if you start a new job and your schedule shifts slightly, you’re forced to go to bed earlier. As a result, you rise earlier, you’re well rested, and you find that you no longer have to skip breakfast because you now have time to cook. In turn, a few weeks later, your energy is higher and you’ve even lost a couple of pounds!

Everything in our lives is connected and is the result of a decision we’ve made. Some things are obvious and others not so much. We just need to peel back the layers. This domino effect of daily decisions applies to our health and wellness as well; making the right adjustments could potentially change everything!

We all have at least one person in our lives who we wish would make better choices. In some cases, there’s probably a whole list of people. It makes sense, we love them and we understand how important it is to live well. To want a loved one to choose wellness is right up there with praying for them. It can be challenging trying to convince someone to change the way they live. So chances are, getting your favorite people to dive in head first isn’t going to happen at the next cookout. It’ll probably take a little time, lots of love, and some finesse. Here are some tips to guide you along the way.

• Less is more. Most people don’t want a lecture on how they’re doing everything wrong. Bite size pieces of information and clear benefits will work best. If you’re expecting someone to abolish old habits and pick up new ones, anything that seems complicated and not worth the shift, will likely be ignored.
• Give them a gift! If you want someone to try something new, try giving them a gift that’ll introduce them to something they may enjoy. For example, if your loved one has been looking for a way to relax and unwind, think about gifting them some bath essentials like Coconut Bath Soak by Chloe & Chad.

• Do it together! Invite them to participate with you. You may consider inviting them to workout with you, join you in meditation, cook a family dinner, or share your list of go-to items to get them started with making the transition. They’d probably love the All-Natural Multi-Surface Cleaner by PUR Home. Great smelling, all natural items like this would be a great way to introduce them to the joys of going toxic-free and living well.

• Changing habits and adopting a new lifestyle takes time. Remember to be patient with them and encourage them to be patient with themselves; living well is an active pursuit that requires commitment.
• No matter the details of your circumstance, remember, consistency is key. Be consistent in your wellness goals because they’re watching. Also, be unwavering in letting them know that your hopes for them to live well is an expression of the way you love them.

Getting everyone in your circle to focus more on wellness could have great implications not just for them, but for everyone. We do a great job at working towards a healthier mind, body, and spirit for ourselves, but imagine the world with healthier families, and communities. We would all feel more empowered and supported.

What are somethings you’ve tried to get your loved ones on the wellness bandwagon?