Workplace Wellness as a Competitive Advantage!

So…we’re almost a month into the New Year now. Many of us started off 2011 full of great aspirations and intentions, embracing the possibilities of a fresh start, with the ever-present “New Year’s Resolutions”.

Did YOU set New Year’s Resolutions for 2011? How are you doing with them? Statistics say that as many as 25% of people who made resolutions have already abandoned them by this point. Are you one of the 25% – or are you still on track?

Either way, take a moment and pat yourself on the back! You are already a winner by setting goals and wanting to stretch yourself! After all, if we don’t have somewhere we want to go (a goal), what determines our direction each day, and how will we know when we get there?

If you (or someone you know) set some resolutions for the New Year, I’d love to hear from you:

• WHICH AREA of “whole-life wellness” did your resolution address (Physical, Emotional, Relational, Spiritual, Financial, or Professional – or more than one)?
• Are you STILL ON TRACK with your goal?
• What is the BIGGEST CHALLENGE you’ve faced so far and how did you overcome it?
• What’s your best piece of ADVICE to others who want to make a change (in any area of their life)?
• What would be the BIGGEST HELP to keep you on track, or bring you back on track?
• What is YOUR BIGGEST MOTIVATOR that makes you pursue this goal? (This is key!)

I invite you to Comment on this Blog –  join in the conversation!!

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Gail

It’s hard to believe that one week from today is Christmas Eve!! How are you doing in your preparations for the Holidays? Is everything “cooking along nicely” or are you sprinting from activity to activity trying to get everything ready?

One thing I know for sure: Christmas will come regardless of what we do and don’t have done! The universe doesn’t wait until we have everything perfect before allowing the Holidays to be upon us. Unlike in Who-ville, there is nothing that will stop the Holidays from coming. So…take a breath (in fact, I recommend breathing deeply and regularly!) and reevaluate all that you’re trying to do in advance of the “big day”.

And now, a question for you: what is your biggest Wellness Challenge during the Holiday Season? If you consider your “whole-life” wellness – looking at your Physical (Healthy Eating and Physical Activity), Emotional, Relational (Family & Friends), Spiritual, Financial and Professional  Wellness– what is the most difficult piece for you to keep in balance this time of year? I would invite you to develop one or two simple strategies to address your top challenge to aid you in maintaining greater wellness over the Holidays.

Let’s say you said physical activity is your biggest challenge. Then perhaps you could set a modest goal of exercising – walking, doing crunches, chasing the dog, whatever works for you – for just 10 or 15 minutes a day over the next week or two. Does that sound possible for you?

Or, if you’re like many of us, maybe your biggest challenge is eating well with all the added temptations available at this time of year. If that sounds like you, why not try to just plan ahead so that you first ensure you meet your basic nutritional requirements (getting adequate “real food” from the various food groups) and then enjoy the “goodies” of the season in a mindful way – be intentional with the things you choose to consume (and keep an eye on the quantities) and focus on what I call “worthy calories” – those things you really love! I like to bypass those less worthy and save my indulgences for the treats that are decadent to me. Then, for those you do choose, Enjoy Them Thoroughly!! That, too, is part of Wellness!

I would love to hear what your biggest challenges are and what strategies you’ve come up with to face those challenges. Please simply reply to this post to share your challenges and successes, or send me an e-mail. I’d love to hear from you!

Enjoy the Abundance of the Holidays, and Get Set for a Fabulous New Year!!

Gail

This blog is for YOU – tell me what kinds of things you’d like to see here, what types of support or information you may need, your thoughts on “whole-life” wellness – whatever’s on your mind. Also, I’d love you to send along resources and links you find particularly interesting too – let’s share what we see that may be helpful for others! (You can go to our “Connect” page and send a “comment” there.)

Please feel free to invite your friends, families, and colleagues to subscribe to our blog and e-newsletter too. The more we share our resources, the more we’ll be able to realize our goals of achieving and maintaining “whole-life” wellness!

Stay tuned in the near future when I share some TIPS for “navigating the shores” (to use a sailing metaphor) of the Holiday Season – helping you avoid some of the potential obstacles and be “real” during the Holidays and into the New Year!

Looking forward to connecting with you again soon!

In Wellness,

Gail