Podcast Summary
Understanding the Difference Between Wellness and Well-Being: Wellness is often seen as unattainable, unsustainable self-care, while well-being is about weaving the raw materials of a happy, healthy, and long life. Focus on joyful aspects, but acknowledge and persist through challenges towards overall well-being.
According to Jason Walkup and Colleen Wachob, the founders of Mindbodygreen, there's a distinction between wellness and well-being. Wellness has become associated with unattainable, unsustainable self-care due to the influence of social media and the focus on the "frosting" rather than the "cake" - the fundamentals. On the other hand, well-being is about weaving the raw materials of a happy, healthy, and long life. The authors emphasize that any change towards greater well-being should be joyful, as beneficial experiences lead to growth. However, not all necessary steps towards overall well-being may be joyful at first. The authors encourage focusing on the joyful aspects while acknowledging and persisting through the challenges.
Focus on joy span, not just lifespan: Edit out practices that drag us down, focus on enjoyable practices, and find happiness in the process for better well-being.
The goal in health and well-being should not just be about living a long life, but also about maintaining a high quality of life, or joy span. It's not just about adding practices, but also about editing out the ones that drag us down. We should focus on building practices that we enjoy and finding happiness in the process, rather than setting unrealistic goals and putting undue pressure on ourselves. The journey to better well-being involves giving up certain things and letting go of negative influences, but the end result is worth it. It's about finding joy in the small wins and building momentum towards a happier, healthier life.
Enjoying the journey to well-being: Focusing on the joy and benefits of well-being practices like proper breathing leads to better outcomes than focusing on restrictions.
Finding enjoyment and a pursuit mindset towards health and well-being practices, such as fitness and nutrition, can lead to better outcomes than focusing on restrictions. Jason Wachob, the author of "Wellth: How I Learned to Build a Life of Extraordinary Well-being," emphasizes the importance of this approach. He shares his personal experience of taking the stairs instead of the elevator as an example of building confidence and momentum. He also encourages focusing on the joyful version of these practices rather than the unenjoyable restrictions. The book "Wellth" explores eight key topics, starting with breath, which is essential for life and has numerous downstream benefits, including improved oxygen absorption, increased physiological resilience, and better sleep. By focusing on the enjoyment and benefits of practices like proper breathing, individuals can make significant progress towards their well-being goals.
Breathing and Sleep for Better Well-being: Focus on breath to be present, engage insula, reduce rumination. Prioritize sleep, accept imperfections, reduce anxiety, establish routine, practice box breathing.
Focusing on your breath is a simple, free, and effective way to bring yourself into the present moment and improve your overall well-being. By consciously breathing through your nose and tuning into the sensations in your body, you can engage the insula, which acts as a circuit breaker on the default mode network, helping to snap you out of negative rumination and mental time travel. Additionally, prioritizing high-quality sleep is crucial for both physical and mental health. Some simple tips for improving sleep include accepting that you may never be an exceptional sleeper, reducing performance anxiety around sleep, and establishing a consistent bedtime routine. Practices like box breathing, which involves inhaling for a certain count, holding the breath, exhaling for a longer count, and repeating the cycle, can also be helpful in promoting relaxation and calming the nervous system.
Establishing good sleep hygiene starts with morning habits: Incorporate natural light, exercise, mindful media consumption, consistent bedtime, temperature control, meal timing, and alcohol moderation for better sleep and overall well-being.
Establishing good sleep hygiene involves more than just preparing for bedtime. It starts with setting healthy habits in the morning, such as natural light exposure and regular exercise. Additionally, being mindful of the media we consume before bed and maintaining a consistent bedtime can significantly improve sleep quality. Temperature, meal timing, and alcohol consumption are also important factors to consider. By incorporating these practices into our daily routines and adopting a healthier identity, we can create sustainable habits that promote better sleep and overall well-being. As experts like Andrew Huberman emphasize, sleep is not just about the hours we spend in bed, but also the lifestyle choices we make throughout the day.
Our self-concept shapes our behavior: Identifying and addressing underlying beliefs can help shift self-concept towards well-being, leading to positive changes in life.
Our self-concept significantly influences our behavior. Jason's personal story illustrates this idea well. He shared how he identified as an athlete during his youth but later struggled with excessive drinking and poor health. His self-concept shifted again when he became an equities trader and faced financial debts. However, after 9/11, he began to prioritize his well-being more seriously. By recognizing and addressing the underlying beliefs that shaped his behavior, Jason was able to make significant changes in his life. This process of shifting one's identity and center of gravity towards well-being is a long and gradual one, but it's a crucial step towards making positive, lasting changes in our lives.
From physical to holistic well-being: True well-being goes beyond physical appearance and includes mental, emotional, spiritual, and environmental aspects. Mindbodygreen was founded based on this holistic perspective.
Well-being encompasses more than just physical appearance or the latest trendy treatments. As shared by the founder of Mindbodygreen, his personal experience with back pain and the subsequent journey towards healing led him to understand that true well-being involves mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, and environmental aspects. This perspective shift came after years of living unhealthily and ignoring his overall well-being. The creation of Mindbodygreen in 2009 was a result of this transformation. For those seeking guidance on their own well-being journey, the Doctor John Delaney Show offers valuable insights and advice on various topics related to mental, emotional, and relational health. Regardless of the challenges, the show serves as a supportive resource for listeners.
Recognizing inner knowing and making conscious choices for long-term health: Investing in informative podcasts and simple, scientifically-validated solutions can lead to improved long-term health and happiness
Prioritizing long-term health and well-being involves recognizing and honoring our inner knowing, and making conscious choices towards positive change. Listening to informative podcasts, like the ZOE Science and Nutrition Podcast, can provide valuable knowledge to make smarter health decisions. Additionally, investing in simple, scientifically-validated solutions, such as OneSkin's OS peptide, can help improve overall skin health. It's essential to acknowledge the importance of moving towards a desired goal, rather than simply trying to avoid negative experiences. This shift in perspective can lead to a greater sense of well-being and happiness.
Taking the first step towards personal growth and well-being: Embrace uncertainty, honor inner knowing, ask hard questions, approach growth with curiosity, empathy, and a pursuit orientation, avoid self-criticism and tribalism, prioritize personal growth and spiritual connection over dogmatic adherence.
Personal growth and well-being involve taking that first step towards change, even when the path may be uncertain or non-linear. Honoring our inner knowing and asking ourselves hard questions about our purpose and emotional well-being are crucial aspects of this journey. It's important to remember that everyone's experience is unique, and it's essential to approach growth with curiosity, empathy, and a pursuit orientation rather than a fleeing orientation. Avoiding self-criticism and tribalism in the wellness world can lead to more productive and meaningful discussions and debates. Ultimately, the goal is to find a balanced approach to well-being that prioritizes personal growth and spiritual connection over dogmatic adherence to specific diets or modalities.
Embracing Good Changes for a Healthier, Happier Life: CrossFit and similar wellness pursuits can bring joy and purpose, but the industry can create anxiety. Embrace good stress for positive adaptation, like cold showers, and provide education, support, and encouragement.
CrossFit and similar wellness pursuits can serve as meaningful interventions in people's lives, providing a sense of purpose and joy. This orientation towards health and wellness is driven by personal motivations, such as the desire for longevity and a balanced, happy life. However, the wellness industry often focuses on extremes and incite anger or anxiety, which can hinder progress. Instead, it's essential to embrace good stress, or hormetic stress, which leads to positive adaptation. One example of this is cold exposure, such as taking cold showers. Despite the initial discomfort, the benefits are significant and can lead to long-term health improvements. To help people embrace good changes, it's crucial to provide education, support, and encouragement, making the journey towards a healthier, happier life more accessible and enjoyable.
Discover what works best for you in finding stress resilience: Explore different practices, embrace the ones that resonate with you and bring joy and fulfillment to your life
Finding stress resilience doesn't necessarily mean enduring unpleasant experiences that don't bring you joy, like cold showers or intense workouts. Instead, it's about discovering what works best for you, whether it's a hermetic stressor or a vulnerable interaction. The key is to find meaning and joy in the practices that support your well-being, rather than feeling pressured to conform to trends or external expectations. As a therapist, I've seen that authentic, open interactions can be just as effective as physical stressors in expanding your comfort zone and promoting resilience. So, take the time to explore different practices, and embrace the ones that resonate with you and bring a sense of joy and fulfillment to your life.
The Importance of Joy and Sustainability in Wellness Practices: Pursue well-being joyfully and sustainably, connect with nature, embrace hormetic stress, focus on practices that bring joy and benefit, and prioritize interventions for long-term success.
Learning from this conversation with Jason Walkup, the founder and co-CEO of Mindbody Green, is the importance of pursuing well-being in a joyful and sustainable way. It's easy to get caught up in the harsh pursuit of things we don't truly care about, but feeling connected to the world around us, including nature, can greatly enhance our well-being. Hormetic stress, or pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zones in a safe way, can also have positive effects on our health. However, it's essential to find joy in the practices we adopt for better health, as we won't stick with them if we don't enjoy them. Sustainability and realism are key to achieving long-term well-being. We can't do everything, and it's okay not to try. Instead, we should focus on the interventions that bring us the most benefit and bring us joy. Overall, the conversation emphasized the interconnectedness of mind, body, and green living, and the importance of finding joy and sustainability in our wellness practices.
Find joy in sustainable practices, prioritize consistent habits, focus on sleep, and make small, sustainable changes in nutrition.: To maintain a healthy lifestyle, find joy in sustainable practices, prioritize consistent habits, focus on sleep, and make small, sustainable changes in nutrition. Avoid the toxic diet industry and seek professional guidance when needed.
It's important to find sustainable practices that bring joy or motivation, such as making changes that are enjoyable and focusing on breathing through your nose. Another recommendation is to prioritize what you can do consistently, without causing undue stress. Regarding sleep, it should be viewed as an essential activity, and if improving sleep quality is a challenge, focus on the importance of sleep for overall health. Lastly, while nutrition is crucial, it's important to recognize the complexity and emotional load surrounding the topic. The diet industry can be toxic and overwhelming, and it's essential to remember that individual choices alone may not be enough to ensure a healthy diet for everyone due to economic factors. Instead, consider focusing on making small, sustainable changes and seeking professional guidance when needed.
Eating real food and taking care of yourself: Try to eat real food, move regularly, engage in strength training, expose yourself to manageable stress, appreciate connection, find purpose, and seek social support for a healthy and sustaining life.
Leading a healthy and sustaining life is not an easy feat for many people due to economic and social barriers. However, the one simple piece of nutritional advice offered is to try to eat real food when possible. Other key takeaways include regularly moving your body, engaging in strength training, exposing yourself to manageable stress, appreciating your connection to a larger whole, and finding your sense of purpose and meaning. Overall, the conversation emphasized the importance of taking care of yourself, pushing your comfort zone, and seeking social connection. It's a complex issue that requires a holistic approach and understanding of the larger systems at play.
