So What???

Welcome to my blog! :)

You may be wondering why I'm blogging or how in the world this blog may be of interest to you...good questions.

My intention is to create, through this blog, a monthly forum for fun, lively, interactive discussion and information/perspective-sharing that has its foundation in WELLNESS.

What is "Wellness?" So glad you asked! Many definitions exist, but the one I have chosen to focus on in this blog was developed by John W. Travis, M.D. and is featured in the "Wellness Workbook: How to Achieve Enduring Health and Vitality" (2004): "WELLNESS is a CHOICE - a decision you make to move toward optimal health. WELLNESS is a WAY OF LIFE - a lifestyle you design to achieve your highest potential for wellbeing. WELLNESS is a PROCESS - a developing awareness that there is no end point, but that health and happiness are possible in each moment, here and now. WELLNESS is a BALANCED CHANNELING OF ENERGY - energy received from the environment, transformed within you, and returned to affect the world around you. WELLNESS is the INTEGRATION OF BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT - the appreciation that everything you do, and think, and feel, and believe has an impact on your state of health and the health of the world. WELLNESS is the LOVING ACCEPTANCE of yourself." Personally, I cannot think of anything better to strive for than that, can you? As an organizing structure for posts, I will utilize Dr. Travis' Wellness Wheel, which consists of the following 12 Dimensions: 1. Self-Responsibility and Love 2. Breathing 3. Sensing 4. Eating 5. Moving 6. Feeling 7. Thinking 8. Playing/Working 9. Communicating 10. Intimacy 11. Finding Meaning 12. Transcending Each month, therefore, we will focus on one of the 12 dimensions in turn, sharing ideas and experiences, resources, etc. that specifically relate to the featured wellness wheel dimension. I will have a Reader POLL posted on my blog (visible at the bottom of each page), with a question related to the wellness dimension of focus for the month. Please jump in and share your ideas, preferences, tips on what works for you, etc.! That is what really makes this process come alive. I will update posts at least monthly regardless, as this is what I am passionate about...but it adds to the fun for me to also hear about others' ideas and experiences that we can all learn from together. So, pop in, say hello, share a comment, etc., whenever you feel moved to do so... I welcome you to come along on this Wellness Journey with me, and look forward to our joint discovery of what will evolve throughout the process! Thanks so much for stopping by... ~Gail

Get Your Spa On!!!

Hey! It's Spa Finder Wellness Week...did you know? Up until this Sunday, March 27th, you can get $50 services or 50% off of various types of pampering and stress-relieving services at spas around the country...so check out their website and enter your zip code to see what's out there! There's no better time than the present to take good care of yourself!

www.spafinder.com/wellnessweek

Pampering our Home Front Heroes

Like to get pampered??? (Who doesn't?)
Check this out: Area Military Spouses Honored WSAV TV

The news article above highlights the combination of two of my main passions and purposes in writing this blog...wellness and the military community! So often, the times when we most need to practice good self-care are the times when we are busiest and most overwhelmed by numerous responsibilities that compete for our precious time and energy. You certainly don't have to be a military spouse to relate to this concept, but the spouses of our deployed military personnel experience this quite intensely on a regular basis. I know, because I have been in their shoes. As I will discuss throughout my blog, self-responsibility and self-love forms the foundation for all wellness. The status of our self-care sets the stage for the quality of our interactions in every other area of our lives...personal relationships, professional performance, etc. If you want to be able to care for others to the best of your ability, remember to take good care of yourself FIRST!!! Follow the lead of these folks and go practice tai chi, get a massage...local spas will often offer huge discounts (50% or more) on such services via sites like GroupOn. In fact, I took advantage of this deal just the other day, per the recommendation of a fellow local military spouse, and got my appointment set up for tomorrow. Ahhhh...I feel much better already! :)