One of the huge challenges in any wellness program is addressing the mindset that wellness is a punishment. Many people view health and wellness as something they need to suffer through. But that’s just not true. Wellness is not a punishment. In fact, it’s the ultimate reward for your body.
A big contributing factor to this punishment mindset is all of the restrictions we associate with a healthy lifestyle.
What is a restriction?
Generally speaking, it’s anything you’re not allowed to do—something that’s off limits. For health and wellness, that might mean food you’re not allowed to eat or a Netflix marathon you’re not allowed to watch (until after you hit the gym, of course!).
These restrictions can easily become the focus of anyone’s health journey. That’s because we enjoy those things—even if we know they’re not necessarily good for us.
Focusing on restrictions, though, can be a huge barrier to even starting the journey towards better health. Along the way, the same restrictions can be roadblocks to the motivation that’s absolutely necessary to push through the challenges. Restrictions simply stand in our way. It’s as simple as that.
What’s a better focus?
Something a little more positive is a better-suited focus for health and wellness. Taking steps towards a healthy lifestyle opens up opportunities to a whole world of new things you can do. It gives you a chance to do things you never thought you could.
So focus on those things! Whether that’s chasing your kids around the yard without getting tired, mastering a healthy recipe, nailing a new yoga pose or even just being in a better mood. There are plenty of good things to focus on that only come from living a healthy lifestyle.
Focusing on those things not only breaks down the barriers built by restrictions, but it builds a staircase to future success. Good things build on good things. As you learn and value the new things your healthy body can do, you’ll start to see more things you want to do. And pretty soon, nothing will be able to stop you from doing those things! So while restrictions stand in your way, possibilities boost you up—and that’s exactly what you need.
The Rule of Moderation
In any healthy lifestyle, there will be unhealthy habits you should probably cut back on. That can be hard—but you’re not alone, and you don’t have to say never.
Building a sustainable healthy lifestyle is all about moderation for most habits. If desserts are your problem area, for example, that’s something you should consider cutting back on. You don’t have to ban desserts from your life forever, though.
In fact, cutting things out completely can mean setting yourself up for failure. Sometimes it’s better to treat yourself every now and again to get the craving out of your system and avoid a complete breakdown or binge session.
The same can be said for exercise habits or any other healthy paths you’re working your way down. If you need to take a “mental health day”—a day off from your steadfast motivation and dedication—that’s just fine. It can actually be healthier in the long run.
That’s because using moderation in your healthy lifestyle helps switch your focus from what you can’t do to what you can do. Rather than getting stuck on the restrictions, and only thinking of how much you miss chocolate cake, you’ll be able to focus on how great healthy choices are for your body.
Habits that don’t follow the rule of moderation are those that have crossed the line to become addictions. Things like smoking, binge eating and alcohol abuse are unhealthy habits that are better off quit without looking back. It can be a challenge at first, but moderation in those areas will only make the challenge more difficult in the long run.
Take a look at the things you and your employees struggle with on your health journeys. Some things will need to be changed—and that’s just how a healthy lifestyle works. But you don’t need to establish steadfast restrictions. Instead, focus on the positives and try to incorporate some moderation into your new, healthy lifestyles.
What restrictions do you and your employees focus on? How can we help you shift your mindset?
