Optimal Wellness Is Optimal Living

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In this article, we will cover the aspects of the relation between optimal wellness and optimal living. I believe they have to live in conjunction with each other.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines Optimal Wellness as:

The World Health Organization defines optimum wellness as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease, and or an abnormal, more or less disabling, condition of mind or body.

Optimal Living is living without stress and being able to each moment for what it is and not for what it could be. Living in the moment so to speak.

So how do we achieve these two concepts?

Optimal Living

Doing Things In the Now

It is human nature to continue putting off tasks for a later date. We live in constant dread of certain actions, not performing and waiting for that “ideal moment” tomorrow. In the end, nothing ever gets done, we waste yet another hour, another day, or another week. We keep on loitering and procrastinating, losing precious time and opportunities. These actions betray our tendencies to live outside the moment. If we are to fully embrace being in the Now, we ought to get rid of procrastination and jump straight right into the action.

Procrastination is usually a sign of fear. Fear of failure (which is a mark of perfectionists) is just another mark of a mindless lifestyle. However, if we are to fully exist in the present, we need to learn to be people of bold action: people who walk the walk. Begin it, and then the work will be completed.”

There are many advantages to following this bold course of action. First of all, we get a feeling of accomplishment. We all know that lovely feeling of getting the work done, we will be freed from the nagging dread of an incomplete task. Being a man/woman of action also brings success and boosts one’s confidence and self-esteem. The experience we constantly gain from ventures we take makes us very efficient in our future endeavors.

Of course, jumping into action is not a walk in the park. There are certain common roadblocks and challenges people face when they try to be effective. Let us look at some of the ways to jump through these hurdles.

One way to be a person of action is to let go of your fears. As Theodore Roosevelt put it, “Far much better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.”

If we let fear rule us, if we do not jump into action, we will not fully appreciate life: we let opportunities pass us by. We will live only the pale shadow of a life, and the moment (the Now) will evade us. So, make a list of all those things you have been putting off and just start them NOW.

Do not make excuses

Do not try to explain why you haven’t been doing things. Stop justifying your state of inactivity. The moment you start to cut yourself some slack is the moment you start losing momentum. Seize the moment, do not just talk the talk. Let your actions talk.

Avoid distractions

We usually create minor, inconsequential tasks to distract ourselves from the major task at hand. We avoid the metaphorical elephant in the room by doing things of little importance. This is a sign of slackness and should be avoided at all costs. Do not create a false sense of “busyness” to avoid tackling the really essential projects.

Surround yourself with people of action

Our surroundings influence us, most times in a very subtle way. If you surround yourself with people who buy into your excuses and encourage you to slack you will never go anywhere. You will continue cutting yourself some slack and lying to yourself until you just give up on every important project of your life. Nothing will ever get done. Instead, surround yourself with bold people of action. They challenge you, motivate you, and invite you to be a doer.

Practice mindfulness

Mindful people know the importance of the moment, they embrace the present and exploit it fully to their benefit. They are not weighed down by the past and neither do they put their hope in an elusive “tomorrow.” This makes them very efficient when it comes to accomplishing tasks in the Now. So, by practicing mindfulness, you get rid of the fears of failure, and neither will you hang your hopes on some mythical “right moment” or “ideal moment” in the future. This way, you will become a person of action.

Be enthusiastic 

Be enthusiastic about what you do. If you are not invested in what you want to accomplish, you will never get the zeal and passion to see its fruition. Do things that you love and learn to love the things that you do. This way, you will be eager to dive in and start.

In conclusion, never develop the habit of putting off stuff. Once you start, it becomes a downhill slide to inactivity. People who live and fully exploit the moment are people of action, people who get things done. So be in the moment and boldly start all those things you have been putting off. The moment is now.

“My advice is, never do tomorrow what you can do today. Procrastination is the thief of time.” – Charles Dickens

Do Not Link Your Happiness To What Happened Or What Is Yet To Happen

A lot of us go through life feeling miserable. We always feel like we are missing out on something. All we are doing is going through the motions as we wait for some big event to happen so we can be happy.
In part, the media is to blame as it links happiness in these modern times to materialistic things.

It has become common for children to be on anti-depressants while their parents rely on their work and social status to provide that euphoric high. We have reduced happiness to select moments in history and possible future events. Without them, people feel they have nothing to be happy about.

Ask many young people today about their version of happiness. They will tell you about climbing the corporate ladder earning more money driving fancier cars and living in bigger houses. This is how we have many people stuck in jobs they do not enjoy. Most of us are slaving away for the opportunity to get promotions and big bonuses at the end of the year while we remain unfulfilled and miserable on the inside.

Optimal Wellness

We should not put happiness off until tomorrow.

Society has put conditions to happiness that most cannot meet. So we think if we ride along, somewhere we will encounter happiness in the form of money, cars, or mansions. For some, happiness will come once they can afford exotic trips. For others, it will come when they meet the elusive one and start a family. We are not happy because we link our happiness to people and things that may come.

These offer temporary thrills because people can be here today and gone tomorrow, and the same goes for opportunities and possessions. You could have the job of your dreams today and lose it tomorrow. The same goes for money and property. True happiness should not come from what we have, lest it be taken away. It should come from within, starting with accepting ourselves as the true source of any joy we can have.

Do not be hung up on the past.

True happiness is not about what happened in the past. Not that you should discount how the past has influenced your present. Past successes are good because they motivate you toward future success. Remembering past battles you have encountered and conquered will give you joy and confidence that you can handle anything that comes your way. The challenge comes when you become so stuck in yesterday’s success that you cannot prepare for impending setbacks and failures, leaving you miserable when the inevitable happens.

Remember moments that brought you happiness in the past with fondness, but be deliberate about creating happy moments in the present. If there are memories of people who made you happy in the past and they are no longer in the picture for any reason, make brief trips down memory lane but seek ways to foster happiness today. Do not tie your happiness to those moments only.

What is happiness?

‘Happiness is an inside job. Do not assign anyone or anything else that much power over your life.’ Mandy Hale. Happiness is a state of mind. It has little to do with people and events and more to do with your internal environment. Since it is something that happens within an individual, you can control how you respond to external factors that will try to dampen your happiness.

Make deliberate choices to be happy outside of specific events. You should not limit your happiness to times when you have your friends and family or spouse around you. Though it is good to keep them company and have strong relationships, you do not need other people to be happy.

To have true happiness independent of your past or probable future, you need to:

Enjoy every moment now, even when you are by yourself. Cheerful people thrive regardless of who is around. They are so comfortable on their own that they can enjoy every moment, even when no one else is around. Do not postpone your joy today for what might happen. Live in the present and enjoy every moment as it comes.

Accept yourself, flaws, and all.

If you have ever been around a person with a jovial disposition, you know that they are confident in themselves, regardless of their flaws. To be happy, accept that you are the best version of yourself. No one else is like you, and that makes you unique. Everything you feel you want to change about your look, you can own and make work for you.

There are many people who are taking issues such as deformities and size and owning them so much that they are ambassadors for some of the biggest brands. Plus-sized models are now so popular because of people who choose to be happy regardless of people’s opinions about their weight. It is all about accepting yourself as you are.

Do not compare yourself to anyone else. It robs you of your happiness. You will spend all your time chasing after the unrealistic image of perfection that social media portrays. Be you and you will be happy as you are.

Practice daily gratitude.

A happy person is one who is appreciative of all the surrounding good. Cheerful people are content with who they are and what they have. They express gratitude for the good deeds that others do for them. When your focus is on being grateful, you do not have time to complain. When you do not have time to complain, you enjoy life more.

It is possible to enjoy life daily if you take the time to be present in the now, regardless of what company you keep or what you have. Adopt enjoyable daily rituals that keep your spirits up. Your happiness is your responsibility. Let nothing rob you of it!

Embracing The Moments

It is true that the more time you spend thinking about the past and worrying about the future, the more you miss the most beautiful moments in life. Dwelling on past events and always thinking about the future makes it hard for you to notice, appreciate, and embrace the great things that are happening at the moment. You waste half your time thinking “I could’ve avoided that” or “There is so much I still need to do to reach my ultimate goal” and end up missing out on the great things that are happening around you.

Instead of constantly reflecting on the past and being anxious about what tomorrow might bring, pay attention to what is happening NOW. Focus on the present be more conscious of what you are doing as well as what you have and embrace each moment. Be grateful for all the good things in your life and ensure you are physically and mentally present at all times.

Embracing each moment and living in the present helps you to appreciate what you have and makes it easier for you to eliminate negative thoughts by focusing your attention on all the great things in your life. It enables you to forget past wrongs, stop worrying about what the future holds, and concentrate on doing the best you can now.

When you recognize the significance of embracing each moment in enjoying your life, you will never burden yourself with the past or fear what tomorrow might bring. You will live each day fully and only concern yourself with what you can do today as well as what you intend to achieve in the present moment. Many people don’t love the way their lives turned out and think they could be better off living someone else’s life.

You may be going through the same thing. Nonetheless, understand that living in one situation and wishing you were in another prevents you from enjoying and embracing the beautiful moments in life. It can cause you to miss out on great opportunities that are right in front of you and force you to accept the notion that you weren’t meant for anything better. Therefore, learn to always embrace what’s in front of you or change it, if you are not satisfied.

Embracing the moments helps you to live the best life possible and enjoy your life more.

Countless people are finding it extremely challenging to live to the best of their abilities and in turn, live the best life possible. If you find yourself in the same predicament, know that it is caused by failing to appreciate what you have as well as failing to live in the present. So, learn to live in the now, be conscious of the present, and embrace each moment.

Living in the past keeps you thinking “I didn’t deserve that” “I could have tried harder” or “What was I thinking?” which harms your mental health and gives rise to feelings of regret as well as inadequacy. Living in the past and constantly thinking “I could have chosen better” keeps you blind to your capabilities as well as your accomplishments. It makes it impossible to live in the present and fully enjoy what is happening.

Therefore, forgive the past, stop dwelling on it, and live every moment as if it were your last.
Being anxious about the future can lead to fear, worry, distress, and a lot of frustration because you don’t know how things will turn out. You don’t know if your plan will turn out the way you are hoping. You don’t know if choosing to fight for your relationship was the right step and you don’t know if you will get that promotion you’ve worked extremely hard for and so, you are crippled with anxiety.

Understand that being anxious about tomorrow or worrying about how things will turn out only leads to regret and makes it hard to do what needs to be done today. So, stop thinking about the future and embrace the great things that are currently happening so you can enjoy your life more and live the best life possible.

The best thing about embracing each moment and living in the present is that it helps you to live to the best of your abilities. It keeps you conscious of the present which enables you to notice opportunities when they come, enjoy your relationships, improve your life, and put your best effort into doing what you are doing today.

Embracing the moment means being happy about where you are today, appreciating your achievements as well, and loving the journey toward your main goal because you know it is the key to your success. It means being thankful for the people in your life and making the most of the time you have with them because you know that life is so much better when you have good people to celebrate it with.

In Conclusion:

We have one life to live and we for the most part are in control of how we allow things to affect us. Embracing life is important, I am talking not for the day but for the moment. Things can change within seconds. You are a great person and you are your best friend for life. Treat yourself with the same respect you should be demanding from others.

This is what, “Optimal Wellness” is all about.

Things you can do for, “Optimal Wellness”.

Practice Meditation.

Practice Yoga.

Thank you for reading,

Michael

Comments are welcome