Episode 7 How A Daily Self-Check-in Process Can Support Your Wellness Practice
Welcome to episode 7 of Wellness Wednesday’s Audio Series.
I’m Nissrine, registered holistic nutritionist, mindful nutrition & wellness coach and founder of holisticniss.com
I created this series to bring a fresh perspective to nutrition and wellness, one that is centered on and lead by you.
There’s a plethora of information out there and it can be really hard to know what to do and eat to feel good in your body.
It’s easy to get caught up in fad diets and wellness trends, often questioning, doubting and second guessing your decisions when it comes to the way you nourish and care for yourself.
I wholeheartedly believe that; reconnecting with your own innate wisdom to know what your body needs to thrive is the first step to a life-changing transformation and true lasting wellness; and that progress is made by taking small steps, mindfully, intentionally and consistently.
In our busy modern lifestyles we tend to move on auto pilot, without much thought or awareness of our actions.
This is even more true when we rely on cookie cutter one size fits all solutions that promise us certain results when it comes to our wellness goals.
We follow other people’s advice, often neglecting to stop and think about what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, how it makes us feel, and whether or not it’s serving us and your own personal agenda.
We then wonder why we’re struggling to stick with these new habits and feel like failures as a result.
Your wellness journey is unique to you and it’s up to you to figure out what works for you.
Education, tools, resources, and professional support and guidance is important, but it does not and can not replace your own inner knowing.
True lasting wellness is an active process that takes trial and correction as well as an understanding of what works for you and what doesn’t. There are no cookie cutter solutions that work for everyone. If there were, everyone would feel amazing all the time.
Taking time to check in with yourself everyday is an essential part of that process, especially if you’re doing it alone; meaning without the support of a coach or community to encourage you, guide you, and provide you with the accountability you need to meet your health and wellness goals.
It allows you to evaluate what you’ve been doing and the progress you’ve been making.
It’s essential to creating new healthy habits because it brings mindful attention and awareness to your feelings, emotions, actions and needs.
It gives you the physical, mental and emotional time and space to get curious about what’s working for you and what isn’t and propels you to take corrective action when something doesn’t feel right.
Now checking in with yourself doesn’t have to be a long elaborate process.
Start by allocating some time in your daily routine for a quick self check-in.
And take a few minutes to reflect on the following:
Think about how you feel in this given moment vs how you would like to feel. Are there any gaps? One example may be, I feel sluggish vs I want to feel energetic
Think about your day and how it has progressed. What have you done that is misaligned with your goals? Did you wake up feeling this way or did it gradually happen throughout the day?
Identify and name the events, thoughts and actions that aren’t serving you and your desired feelings. For example, I went to bed too late, slept poorly and woke up feeling tired. As a result I drank too much coffee, had a sugary breakfast, and haven’t hydrated enough. My body is feeling depleted and in need of care.
Once you’ve identified the events contributing to your state of mental, physical or emotional state, take a moment to reflect on how you can bring yourself in alignment with your desired state. Set some intentions and take action, in alignment with your wellness vision, goals and desired feeling. The solution can be as simple as eating a nourishing meal, getting more water, and taking some time to get up and stretch your body.
As you begin this process, remember that lasting behaviour change doesn't happen overnight.
It's a gradual process that takes time, commitment and practice, and rarely ever comes easily on the first try.
If starting a self check-in process feel difficult in the beginning, set an alarm to remind yourself to stop and check in for yourself and incorporate it into a journaling practice if you already have one. Doing this will support and encourage the habit formation process.
If you’re not already journaling, this would be a great opportunity to start.
Pick a time of day that works best for you, when you can take a few moments to yourself, uninterrupted, whether it be first thing in the morning, midday or the evening, it doesn’t matter, pick a time of day that works best for you, set that alarm as a reminder and take a few minutes to reflect on the events of the day (or the past few days), whether your actions were in alignment with your intentions and goals and whether you feel the way you want to feel.
Once you’re in the habit of stopping to check in with yourself on the daily, take it a step further by incorporating regular self-check-ins into your day. Pay attention to how you feel throughout the day and use that as an opportunity to check in with yourself in the moment.
If you’re feel off kilter, ask yourself why, what happened and what can I do to get closer to my desired feeling.
If you do something repeatedly, it becomes second nature.
Overtime, your check-ins will feel natural and will even be something you look forward to.
As usual, if you need support with this process, I invite you to schedule a no obligation wellness consultation with me to chat about your goals and how a self-check in process can be a tool to support you in achieving them.
On that note, thank you for tuning in.
If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and share with a friend and be sure to tune in next week for another episode of Wellness Wednesday Audio Series, where I a share a short audio clip each week to inspire you to reconnect with yourself on a deeper level so you can start nourishing and caring for yourself, more mindfully and intentionally.
Until next week,
Stay healthy, happy and safe,