McKel Hill Kooienga, MS, RDN, LDN
Founder of Nutrition Stripped and the Mindful Nutrition Method™
Have you ever felt like you know what you should be doing when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, but you just can’t seem to get yourself to follow through on it consistently or easily?
Whenever you are feeling that way, it’s likely that whatever you’re trying to do isn’t fully aligned with what you want and need in your life on a core, honest level.
That’s why one of the first things I teach my members inside of the Mindful Nutrition Method program is how to create a Wellness Vision, because it guides them to uncover specifically what they want to experience with their mindful eating and lifestyle habits, and more importantly, why the impact that will have on their lives.
When you do this, it can be so much easier to start taking small daily actions that support your vision and keep you connected with that reason for wanting change.
Research shows that setting goals is not only linked to having higher motivation, it also is a strong connection between setting goals and having success.
Your wellness vision is what you want and desire your life to look like. It’s a detailed vision and set of overarching goals of how you would ideally design your life — from how you feel, think, act, show up daily. It outlines what you might do throughout a day, from the moment you wake up to the moment you fall asleep.
On a deeper level it allows you to explore your wants, desires, and core needs without judgment, ego (or the shoulds to fit in/or belong), and without external pressure.
But more importantly, it includes why you want those things.
While it’s great to have current healthy habits that support your wellbeing and make you feel your best, the Wellness Vision really is the first layer and foundation to build upon.
The true purpose of a healthy lifestyle is to give you the support, physically and mentally, to create major shifts and milestones in your life.
Imagine how much your life can evolve when you’ve constantly felt present, grounded, and energized for all the day has to bring you.
- What might you feel or do when you’re acting from a place where you’ve been deeply cared for?
- What impact might you have on your family, work, and the world?
- How much easier may certain habits be for you if you knew they were supporting a much larger vision of yourself?
- Having clarity on those two things — what you want and exactly why you want those things — allows you to design a healthy lifestyle that truly works for you and follow through on those actions every day.
Rather than simply checking off healthy habits from a to-do list, you’re making intentional choices that align with the person you need to be in order to bring your wellness vision to life.
Journal Prompt to Create Your Wellness Vision:
Grab a journal and give yourself fifteen minutes to write your thoughts to this prompt. Then, reconnect with your wellness vision daily to keep it top of mind.
1. How would you ideally like to feel/think/act/be throughout the day?
Be as detailed as possible about what an ideal day would look like to make you feel your best. Some important areas to think about in your daily routine are what are you eating, how much sleep are you getting, what type of movement are you doing, and how are you destressing.
2. What would caring for yourself in that way allow you to do, have or be?
Get specific about why those actions, habits, and daily choices are important for your greater life.
- How would those daily actions make you feel?
- What would they allow you to do in your life?
- What impact might you have on your family, work, and the world when you’re feeling your best?
3. Why are those things important for you to have in your life?
Lastly, explore why those things matter so much to you and the impact they will have on your life.
- How will your life be different when you’re able to achieve, have or experience those things in your life?
- What would happen if you don’t achieve, have or experience those things?
4. What would happen if you don’t achieve, have or experience those things?
Lastly, challenge yourself to uncover what your life would look like if you don’t have the health you deserve to accomplish those things.
Why does nourishing yourself well have to be your top priority in order to support all of the other priorities, goals, and experiences in your life? This will help you stay aligned with your vision and remind yourself that you are worthy of taking the time, energy, and resources to nourish and care for yourself well.
How to Align Your Eating Habits With Your Wellness Vision
Once you have your Wellness Vision in mind, download our free guide that walks you through the steps you need to take to nourish yourself well with ease and bring your vision to life.
