Last week, I got the opportunity to speak at and attend a wellness assembly at the Bridgehampton High School. The High School and Middle School students and staff gathered for an interactive, multi-faceted morning of wellness, discussing healthy boundaries, learning about (eek!) sugar, fat, and salt consumption, Zumba and movement, yummy just-fruit sorbet, and more.
Sadly, there’s a huge disconnect among today’s youth and all of the many, many ways that we can take better care of ourselves, feel better, and be happier, more confident beings. Middle and high school students (and teachers) are constantly stressed and tired – talk about overworked and underpaid. So, the fact that Hamptons schools are taking an initiative to teach children about self-care, real food, and stress-management is a HUGE achievement. We’re so very lucky to be a community full of healthy goodness.
Not only did I get to attend this awesome school day, I was asked to introduce the theme of wellness and my own holistic view on the topic. This really got me thinking. How do I communicate my whole mission to busy students already balancing a full plate…the day before April vacation, mind you. And then it became very clear how to break it down: wellness is about having more good days than bad.
It’s really that simple. Here’s how I chose to introduce the theme:
Picture this: you wake up after a good night’s sleep. You know that feeling – you stretch out and maybe a smile forms on your face as you excitedly think about your day ahead. You get out of bed and get dressed for school. Maybe you put on your favorite shirt, sneakers, outfit, whatever it may be that gives you an extra boost of confidence. You have a healthy breakfast – something you love, you know is good for you, and is going to give you energy for the day. You get to school, all of your homework’s done, your work is all organized, you get an A on a quiz, and you’re a beast at practice after school, whatever sport you play. You’re having a gooood day, right? You get home from school and help make dinner. You sit and eat with your family and have a nice talk about your day as you enjoy your home-cooked meal. After dinner, your friend comes over to watch a movie. Before bed, you finish the book you’re reading and promptly drift off into dreamland. Things are just going your way today. You FEEL good. That’s what I call a healthy, happy day. That’s what I call wellness.
Now, picture this: you overslept after staying up way too late studying. You procrastinated and barely got any sleep…again. You rush to get dressed and out the door to catch the bus, putting on the first thing you see. You make it just in time, but your socks don’t match and you have no time for breakfast, so you’ll have to wait ‘til lunch. You get to school and you’re already in a bad mood. The quiz doesn’t go so well, you stayed up late studying but you can’t remember anything! You just can’t focus because you’re so tired, not to mention hungry! That greasy pizza you have for lunch doesn’t sit so well and practice is miserable. You have no energy, your stomach hurts, and you’re having a no good, very bad day. You get home and next thing you know, you’re fighting with your parents because you’re tired and moody and nothing’s going right. You skip dinner because you don’t want to have to sit with your family and you go to bed starving, anxious, and upset.
Yuck. We’ve all been there. We all have good days and bad days – that’s life. The difference is having more good days than bad as a result of the way in which we treat ourselves and our body. Consciously taking care of your mind and body in various ways and living your life in a flow that moves in the right direction. That’s what it’s all about, that’s wellness. Do we get off-track sometimes? Of course, we all do…but, we get back on board and keep moving forward.
Enjoy your good days. Do whatever it takes to get through the bad days, remind yourself that far more good days are just around the corner. Take care of yourself, your body, and mind, and it will do the same for you by giving you more good days. Lots more! If you’re stuck in a rut, that’s what I’m here for, to support you on your wellness journey. Whether it’s a little encouragement to get back in the gym, a family friendly lesson on kitchen staples, a diet overhaul, or help refocusing on goals, we’ll make a plan and get there. Let’s bump up the good days and cutback the bad days. Click here for more info about OHH’s personal nutrition support and wellness consulting.
One Healthy Breakdown: a healthy day = a good day > a bad day –> any day.
