{"id":226,"date":"2008-05-12T14:48:00","date_gmt":"2008-05-12T14:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2008\/05\/wellness-optimal-health-and-selfcare.html"},"modified":"2008-05-12T14:48:00","modified_gmt":"2008-05-12T14:48:00","slug":"wellness-optimal-health-and-selfcare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2008\/05\/wellness-optimal-health-and-selfcare.html","title":{"rendered":"Wellness, Optimal Health and Self\u2013Care"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Today I’m delighted to have Yolanda G. Smith<\/span>, RN, MSN \u2013 Holistic Self-Care: Just For Me, Inc.<\/a> as my guest. She’s a Holistic Nurse Educator Specializing in Self\u2013Care, Wellness, and Healthy Lifestyles in Brooklyn, New York. Striving for a life of wellness is a great gift of love to you. The better you feel, the more self-empowered you become. Since I left DoorMatville, optimum health–body, mind and spirit has been my top priority. It spills over into every area of life. Yolanda shares her personal story of how she learned the hard way how important it is to strive for overall wellness, and she shares some of the tips that she gives to her clients.<\/p>\n

Wellness, Optimal Health and Self\u2013Care<\/span>
by Yolanda G. Smith<\/a>, RN, MSN<\/p>\n

Lets begin with a Wellness Quiz? Do you:<\/span>
\u2022 Do you wake up with enthusiasm for the day ahead?
\u2022 Do you have the high energy you need to do what you want?
\u2022 Do you laugh easily, especially at yourself?
\u2022 Do you confidently find solutions for the challenges in your life?
\u2022 Do you feel valued and appreciated?
\u2022 Do you appreciate others and let them know it?
\u2022 Do you have a circle of warm, caring friends?
\u2022 Do the choices you make every day get you what you want?<\/p>\n

How many times did you answer \u201cNo\u201d to these questions?<\/span> As women we are excellent care providers, we are dedicated, committed, compassionate, determined, and conscientious while giving care to our friends, family, children, colleagues, significant others but find it extremely difficult to give the same loving unconditional care to ourselves. Women often take care of the needs of others at their own expense. We are constantly putting the oxygen mask on others while leaving ourselves deprived of vital energy<\/span> thereby not having enough energy to holistically care for ourselves\u2014mind\u2014body and soul\/spirit. It is considered altruistic when caring for others and selfish when taking care of you first.<\/p>\n

I was forced to make a decision to start taking better care of myself when my mind body and spirit STOPPED ME and said \u201cI cannot allow you to continue this day.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was August 6, 2004 when my life all changed in a flash!<\/span><\/p>\n

While teaching a Critical Thinking Workshop with 25 nurses, we did role playing. I became acutely confused, disoriented with a subsequent loss of memory. I was hospitalized at the facility I was lecturing. After four days of extensive neurological testing, laboratory work, medication therapy and sleep, I was diagnosed with sensory overload. All the testing results were negative. While growing my first business (YGS Medical\u2013Legal Consulting), I did not have balance in my life. I was working 15-hours days, six days per week. I focused my attention on fulfilling the needs of others and running my successful business\u2014ultimately losing my identity to my business. I did not practice self\u2013care activities, nor nurture, cherish and love myself first.<\/p>\n

My journey to Wellness \u2013 Optimal Health and Self\u2013Care\u2026<\/span>
I personally took my time in discovering what wellness \u2013 well\u2013being meant to me. That it\u2019s my choice and I must make it my way of life.<\/p>\n

I have learned<\/span> as women, we are very good at managing stress at work, at home and in our personal lives. In fact we are so good, we do not realize when we are having our own emotional reactions to the stress.<\/span> Stress reactions have become our norm! Whether it’s healthy eating, better sleep habits, more control over your time, exercise, managing your stress, dealing with clutter or learning to say “NO”, it’s all about self-care \u2013 putting yourself first and investing time and effort into your own health and well-being.<\/p>\n

I have learned that no one can do it for you! <\/span>You have to make the decision and do it. You must come to the realization that you are worthy of living a healthy happy balanced joyous well life \u2013 everyday. You are the only one who can make that happen. It has to be an internal drive of love \u2013 of compassion for yourself that will empower you to implement self care practices just for you every day.<\/p>\n

This is the process by which I changed my life. In January 2007, I Founded Holistic Self\u2013Care: Just For You, Inc.<\/span><\/p>\n

I utilized my life experiences and founded Holistic Self\u2013Care: Just For You, Inc with a focus on Self\u2013Care Essentials For Women, Wellness, Health Promotion \u2013 Compassion Fatigue and Stress Management Educational programs, workshops, teleconferences, retreats and spa days.<\/p>\n

I developed a \u201cHolistic Self\u2013Care Wellness Model \u00a9 2007\u201d, with Self\u2013Care Essentials: Mind, Body and Spirit as its core. The foundation of my model is to assist individuals in creating a balanced healthy life by integrating eight essential elements: Work\/Career, Emotional Self, Mental Self, Relationships, Intimacy, Physical Body, Finances and Soul\/Spirit<\/span>. The fundamental components of my Holistic Self\u2013Care Wellness Model are the interconnectedness of wellness, holism, health, health promotion and self\u2013care with a core focus on the integration of Self\u2013Care Essentials: Mind \u2013 Body and Spirit.<\/p>\n

I now believe lifestyle changes can be facilitated through a combination of efforts to enhance awareness, change behaviors and create environments that support good health practices.<\/span> The foundation of my model is to create a balanced integrated healthy life by focusing on seven essential areas:<\/p>\n

The Process: <\/span> Self-Care Integrated Areas
<\/span>\u2022 Your Emotional and Mental Self<\/span> \u2022 Getting in touch with true feelings and thoughts by expressing them freely and honestly.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Relationships<\/span> \u2022 Committing to more authentic and honest communication.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Intimacy<\/span> \u2022 Experiencing more caring, pleasure and trust within intimacy.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Your Physical Body<\/span> \u2022 Learning to love, nurture and care for your structural body by enhancing the five senses.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Finances<\/span> \u2022 Believing that you can create greater prosperity with an integrated balanced personal life.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Work and Career<\/span> \u2022 Balancing and integrating the drive for success with a happy personal life.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Your Soul and Spirit<\/span> \u2022 Developing a vital and personal spiritual path by your relationship with yourself, a Higher Power, life purpose and creativity.<\/p>\n

As a Holistic Nurse Educator \u2013 I recommend the following tips for creating and maintaining holistic health<\/span>:
1. Body:<\/span> achie
\nving an optimum state of physical health is due to an ongoing commitment to three factors: diet\/nutrition, exercise and environmental awareness.<\/p>\n

2. Mind:<\/span> achieving optimum mental health as a condition of peace of mind, contentment, positive beliefs and attitudes.
Self\u2013Care Activities: affirmations, breathwork, journaling, and conscious laughter.<\/p>\n

3. Spirit: <\/span>achieving optimum spirit health refers to your belief in a Higher Power, honoring yourself and your inner knowing.
Self\u2013Care Activities: prayer, meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, spending time in nature and showing gratitude.<\/p>\n

In honor of the 9th Annual National Women\u2019s Health Week<\/span>, I am offering a<\/span>
complimentary 60\u2013minute teleconference \u201cSelf\u2013Care Essentials For Women: Top 10 Ways To Live A Longer, Healtheir Life\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Please register at Holistic Self-Care: Just For Me, Inc.<\/a><\/p>\n

If you enjoyed my post, please leave a comment and\/or click on the bookmark and write a short review at some of the sites, especially Stumbleupon and Digg. Thanks!

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