Pursuit of Well-Being
Written by Leonie Augustine
Magnificent beauty and heart-wrenching challenges – that’s LIFE!
Accepting our challenges, not wishing that life was easier, but, instead making ourselves more resilient, is what living is all about.
The answer to our mental, emotional, physical challenges does not lie in the research and development of yet another chemical, but more in shift of focus from pathogenesis (factors that cause disease), to salutogenesis (origins of health, focusing on the factors that support human health and well-being).
“Well-being is fundamental to our quality of life. It is an inner happiness and a sense of inner strength and resilience to deal with life’s challenges. It is also a feeling of being cared about, and about caring.
Our state of well-being allows us to cope better with stress and bounce back quicker from our challenges.” – Dr R. Hanson Ph.D.
A state of Well-being is not just something we get, it is something we DO. It is a goal we actively pursue and generate daily through deliberate effort and discipline in healthy daily practises.
It is a skill that can be learned and cultivated daily.
“Know Thyself”
We are multi-dimensional Beings (mind, emotions, body and spirit).
Our well-being requires that we connect with both our inner, deeper dimension (mind, emotions, spirit), and our physical dimension.
Our inner dimension is what sustains us in challenging times.
When life is a rhythmic dance between serving both our physical dimension in the outside material world, and nourishing our interior dimension, we optimise our human potential and well-being.
Develop your personal Well-being Blueprint
The pandemic we find ourselves in right now, and working from home, with many people experiencing mental and emotional challenges, highlights the importance of being pro-active in taking responsibility for our current and future well-being.
Adopting natural healthy practices (listed below) that have been researched and tested in the fields of positive psychology and studies on the science of well-being, will positively influence your well-being and bring more meaning to your life.
1. Meditation
Nothing beats a silent retreat into my mind and stalking my thoughts like a ninja! ☺
Meditation is an ancient practice, training the mind to be calm, stable and aware in our daily life.
It is an inner process of observing the mind, slowing down or gently letting go of our thoughts, so that we are not consumed by them.
Meditation is not only sitting down in stillness, but importantly, taking it into our day, using our most stressful situations, noisy environments and difficult encounters, as an opportunity to train the mind.
Scientific studies show that Meditation not only changes the nature and structure of the brain, but also enhances the good qualities of our own nature.
Benefits include an increase in positive emotions, compassion, immune function, emotional resilience, enhanced focus and better sleep.
Regular meditation decreases anxiety, stress, depression and pain.
2. Mindfulness
“The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.” -Abraham Maslow
One definition of Mindfulness is “Paying attention, on purpose, with kindness, and without judgment, to the present moment.” I.e. noticing the present moment with curiosity and kindness, not judging it to be good or bad, or wishing it was any other way.
Mindfulness involves practicing attention instead of distraction, thereby strengthening the mind.
We practice being undistracted, and more connected to the flow of our changing experience i.e. the rising and passing of everything (impermanence),
Scientifically, Mindfulness, like Meditation, strengthens neural connections and builds new neural pathways and networks in the brain, boosting our concentration, flexibility, and awareness.
Yes! We can re-wire our Neuroplastic brain for well-being.
3. Cultivate Elevated Emotions Daily
In the 1930s nuns were asked to write essays about their lives, and 60yrs later the essays were read. A study found that those who expressed the most elevated (positive) emotions, lived up to ten years longer.
Resilience is a resource built by taking the time to cultivate positive emotions daily.
Resilient people source positive emotions easily in challenging times.
Gratitude - Writing down and feeling a deep appreciation for what one has received in life, for just 10 minutes a day, triggers over 1300 chemicals in our limbic brain, restoring and repairing the body, making us both happier and healthier.
Acts of Kindness - We have a specific circuit in our brain which naturally motivates us to do kind, generous things for others. Helping and serving others with simple acts of kindness naturally boosts our well-being.
Compassion – Practising compassion for ourselves and others assists us in times of enormous pain like grief, loss, or fear.
Happiness in the future is not the goal. The goal is to create positive emotions at the moment.
4. Social Connection
Healthy relationships and social connections contribute immensely to our well-being.
“Research shows that happy people spend more time with others and have a richer set of social connections than unhappy people”- “Science of Well-being”, Prof Laurie Santos, Yale.
Simple acts of social connection can boost our mood e.g. sparking short conversations with a co-worker, a waiter, a cleaner.
Also, setting aside some time weekly to genuinely connect with someone you care about e.g. a parent, sibling, friend, relative, or child, adds to your well-being.
5. Physical Exercise
Our bodies are designed to MOVE!
Regular exercise is transformative for the brain, with multiple benefits like lifting our mood, increasing our resilience to stress, anxiety, and depression, adding to our well-being.
It also enhances our cognitive abilities, immune system, attention, and focus.
Choose exercises that you enjoy, including aerobic exercises like swimming, running, brisk walking, and rebounding.
6. Nutrition
The most potent drug that we consume every day is the food we eat.
Our gut microbiome consists of trillions of bacteria, responsible for our immunity, and is intricately linked to our mental and physical health, because of the direct connection between our gut-brain and head brain via the vagus nerve.
Eating natural foods that are more plant-based and anti-inflammatory to the body (fresh veg and fruit, legumes, beans, nuts, seeds, healthy fats, good carbohydrates, and grains), naturally boosts our physical and mental wellness, contributing to our wellbeing.
Other beneficial practices include a healthy morning routine, a bed-time ritual for sleep, and journaling.
Taking responsibility for our well-being will not make us immune to life’s challenges, it certainly will make us more resilient and equip us to bounce back quicker, stronger and better.
We are what we repeatedly do. Well-being is, therefore, a habit☺
May you be happy, healthy, and live with ease! ☺
With love,
Leonie
A little bit about Leonie:
She is a 57yr old Pharmacist, Diploma Professional Consciousness Coach, and certified Meditation teacher living in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is a wife (31yrs) to Gerard and we have two wonderful children, Lisa (30) and Matthew (25). She is passionate about well-being and the science behind the mind-brain-body connection and continues to study and learn more about it. She actively pursues her own well-being daily, using the practices she shares in this written piece, and also supports coaching clients in developing their personal well-being blueprint.
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Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC6HIJuhf-MB3GFn6R3AcmoA