An Inspiring Journey into Wellbeing

I’m at that point in life where I recognize what I’ve been doing isn’t good enough anymore. I want to pave a healthy path into mid-life to ensure I have a vital future. As the host of The Journey into Wellbeing, currently airing on PBS, I’m traveling to exciting new places to uncover the secrets to living a high-energy, vibrant life and sharing what I discover with the world. As I follow my passions for natural health and reclaim my energy, my hope is you will be inspired to do the same. And, if any of the stories shared in some way encourage you to take a chance and follow your dreams… then I will be the happiest gal on the planet!

Definition of Wellbeing

How do you define wellbeing? Funny story about how I came to a definition: I was talking with a colleague and sharing ideas on the Journey into Wellbeing show. I had been going on for almost two hours, talking about the website, what pages should be on it, and blah, blah, blah.

At one point in the conversation, she looked at me and asked, “Have you taken the time to define wellbeing as it means to you?” I looked at her with one of those ‘deer-in-headlight’ stares and said, “Uh, I haven’t really done that yet.” She smiled and said, “Well if your show has that word in the title, it might be a good place to start”. It was one of those “Ah-ha” and “Duh!” moments.

You would think that someone who had been planning an endeavor for a couple of years with the word wellbeing in the title would have a good grasp on what wellbeing actually means. I had a vague concept of what it meant to me, but hadn’t really thought it through. So, I eagerly started the defining process and, boy, did it get complicated! There were lots of charts, diagrams, and boxes as I heroically attempted to cram every aspect of health and wellness into a nice and tidy diagram. The result: a big fat mess consisting of too many lists and options.

I started asking friends and family if they could help me find an answer. They suggested things I hadn’t even thought about, thus adding to my big fat mess. In frustration, I carved out some quiet time. As I stared at my poster boards, it sunk in that I would have to interview all 7-billion people on the planet to have a complete list. Well, that would take the rest of my life and, most likely, I wouldn’t experience a sense of wellbeing during the process!

It was then I realized that my poster boards were filled with attributes of wellbeing, not what it is. The answer crystallized for me: Wellbeing isn’t a specific recipe with only so much of each certain ingredient, it’s a feeling. It is a combination of experiencing self-love and acceptance. It is about experiencing a sense of peace with your own unique place in the world. It is reaching the highest potential you can within your special circumstance.

Wellbeing doesn’t mean life is easy, but it does bring with it a belief in self that you are where you are supposed to be. You hold a sense of comfortableness that even as this crazy life takes you up to the stars or crashing to Earth, it’s unfolding as it should. It is accepting who we are, living as authentically as we can, and approaching life with a sense of ownership and self-care.

Here are some basics to consider as you begin mapping the path to your own wellbeing.

• Well Body – What are we doing to honor and keep our body healthy? Movement, nutrition, health care, wellness checks, self-care, sexuality
• Well Mind – Are we doing things that keep our brain stimulated? Reading, art, conversation, meditation, education
• Well Heart – What makes our heart fill with joy? A lover, children, pets, community, giving, family
• Well Soul – Do we have faith in something? Higher purpose, a higher power, a belief system that brings joy, service to others

I firmly believe that the more I love and honor myself, the more I can offer the world. To get to this place we will find ourselves in many situations and we make choices that either bring us closer or move us away. I believe we will be given as many chances as we require in order to find a place of wellbeing within ourselves.

Editor’s Note: We’ll be sharing Debra’s many learnings from her adventures on The Journey into Wellbeing here on The 365 over the coming months – to help inspire you all to find your own sense of wellbeing. Be sure to check back soon! In the meantime, enjoy a preview of some of the great stuff Debra has in store: