5 wellness victories you should be celebrating

Wellness is more than just getting your six-pack abs or hitting your goal weight. There are a lot of wellness victories that should always be celebrated because wellness is a journey, not a destination (I know, that was cheesy… but it’s true!)

You know that moment when you look in the mirror and you like what you see? Or perhaps when you’re walking up stairs and you’re not winded (orrr… not as winded as you used to be). Or the day you can pick up the heavy box in the office without any help… those moments where you really feel your strength and feel your body thriving – hold onto them. The confidence you gain from increasing your overall wellness is something that you should be proud of. Let your confidence beget more confidence, because that, my friends, begets more happiness… and that’s what we want, right?

Along with the aforementioned things, when you start to notice your mood increasing throughout the day because your energy levels are higher (thank you, antioxidants and sweat sessions), your mood is generally higher. Celebrate these moments! Celebrate the days when you stay longer at work because you have the energy to get those extra tasks done and not because you have to. Celebrating the milestones in your wellness journey is crucial to staying on the path for the long-run.

Sleep and I have a long history of never getting along very well. I think I get it from my dad… who still stays up until 11pm and wakes up between 4 and 5am every day. Nonetheless, when you finally begin to feel more rested in the mornings and you feel like your body is happier and not exhausted throughout the day… celebrate! Don’t go get drunk and give yourself a hangover for the next day… that’s going to set you back. However, give yourself a pat on the back and allow yourself to enjoy the newfound energy that comes along with resting well and resting for the right amount of time for your body to recharge and recover at night. (Whether that’s 6, 7.5 or 9 hours… whatever it is – remember to be proud of the sleep progress you’ve made!)

This one is a little trickier because one could easily argue that people alwayscrave sugar… however, it is important to celebrate that moment when you crave fresh, juicy strawberries instead of sugary, weight-inducing pecan pie (I know, I re-read that myself and was kind of leaning towards the pie…) But the point is… when you and your body finally come to an agreement that the strawberries are better, without having to argue about it too long, because you know you’ll enjoy the natural sugar and feel great after eating them – you should definitely celebrate. Your taste buds will always adjust – when you stop eating so much sugar, you stop craving it! (This includes Stevia… don’t fall for it! It makes you just as stevia-addicted as sugar makes you sugar-addicted). It’s the little things in life and that first moment this summer when you want fruit instead of ice cream… savor the moment and indulge in as much pineapple and strawberry bliss you can handle.

Finally, what kind of list would this be if I excluded the #1 way that we validate ourselves? Yes, I know that there are many ways that you can celebrate your wellness without stepping on a scale… but when you finally hit that goal weight in the gym for deadlifts or that goal mile time… or even that goal body fat percentage, you better damn well be celebrating. You earned it! Don’t ever let your milestones fall down and become bumps in the road. Stop, celebrate and then get back to work – after all, celebrations lead to joy and that’s what we’re all searching for every day, right? Right. What goals have you hit recently that need to be celebrated? Let me know in the gym this week. See you all so very soon!