Taking care of our wellness is critical in achieving our goals and ensuring our well-being. As we embrace National Wellness Month, we are reminded of the importance of self-care and finding balance in our daily lives.

National Wellness Month offers a chance for individuals and organizations to focus on wellness goals and explore ways to enhance health and happiness. This is a time to create routines, make healthier choices, and practice self-care.

There are many ways to move into wellness. Here are three essential ideas to help you on your wellness journey.

First, start to prioritize Self-Care.

Self-care is crucial in enhancing our overall well-being, but it can be challenging to make time for it in our busy lives. Taking care of yourself helps to reduce stress, improve moods, and increase energy levels. Self-care can take many forms, and it is up to you to decide what works for you.

Start with asking yourself:

“What is my form of self-care?”

Your needs for self-care are different than other’s needs. Make self-care a priority by setting aside time each day (preferably) or week for activities that nourish your body and mind.

This week my daughter started back to school, and my schedule is now changing, and I am relooking at where self-care will fit into my day. I have begun a more regimented morning routine. I am focusing on some quiet time and fun time with my daily Wordle.

Second, see where you are with your nutrition.

The food we eat plays a vital role in our overall health and wellness. In intuitive eating we call it Gentle Nutrition.

What you eat influences how you feel and the energy you have during the day.

When I focus on intuitive eating, I am more centered in my body and what it needs. I make decisions about my food that is right for me and my body.

We have been taught over the years not to pay attention to what our bodies tell us to eat, but to look to an external force (diet) to tell us what our right food is. Limitations of types of food set us up to binge and overeat. Check inside and see what your right foods are.

By focusing on gentle nutrition, we can power our bodies and minds to achieve wellness.

Third, make movement a habit.

Exercise is crucial in enhancing our physical AND mental health. It can improve our cardiovascular health, reduce stress, and boost energy levels. I like to call it movement, since there is a cultural idea that exercise should be hard.

It can be challenging to move your body regularly, so start small. Consider taking a walk in the morning or evening or incorporating yoga or stretching into your daily routine.

I have found it is critical to find an activity that I enjoy. When I like the movement, I will do it more often and more regularly. I had read that weight training was good for the body and increases our body capacity as we age.

That sounded good to me.

Over the last year I have engaged in regular weightlifting, and I find I enjoy it, so I do it more often.

Movement is a not to be missed part of your wellness but find what your form of movement is.

In conclusion, National Wellness Month offers us a chance to focus on our wellness goals. It is a reminder that we must come first in our day.

Prioritizing self-care, focusing on nutrition, and making movement a habit are essential ideas to promote a wellness path.

Remember to take small steps each day and find what works for you. Achieving wellness is not an end point, but a journey towards wellness.

I encourage you to have this month be a reminder to embrace wellness in all its many forms.

Kim McLaughlin, MA is a Psychotherapist, Speaker, Author, and Coach who specializes in working with people who suffer from binge eating and emotional eating. She is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. She is the author of the best-selling book Feed Your Soul Nourish Your Life! A Six Step System to Peace with Food and the Amazon #1 Best Selling book Discovery Your Inspiration.

You can find Kim on her podcast Feed Your Soul with Kim and you can find it on all podcast platforms.

Wondering if you are an emotional eater? Sign up for the free Am I an Emotional Eater Quiz.