Katherine Lojac's photo of Colorado sky visual inspiration for writing a wellness vision

We all want to strive for better.

We all want to thrive, instead of simply surviving.

But so many of us make goals only to give up on them in a couple of weeks or months.

Don’t worry though. I’m not here to shame anyone or to be that negative voice in your ear telling you that you just need to “try harder”.

I’m here to help you with an important step before you start to set goals.

And that all-important step is writing your wellness vision.

Goals without a vivid wellness vision won’t have enough fuel to keep you going when life is being life. You need a wellness vision to come back to and re-connect with your future healthier self.

So let’s get started.

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What is a Wellness Vision?

A wellness vision is a statement (or statements) about how you envision yourself as a healthy, thriving person. You should write your vision statement in the present tense. There’s something incredibly powerful about acknowledging your wellness goals as though you’ve already achieved them.

Also, keep in mind to focus on the positive changes that you want to see in yourself. Sometimes we fall into the trap of thinking about what we DON’T want to do, instead of what we DO want to do.

That’s totally normal. As humans, we’re hard-wired to focus on the negative. But we can slowly start re-training our brains to think differently.

For instance, you might be tempted to write “I’m not drinking anymore on the weekends.” That statement is focusing too much on the behavior you DON’T want to do. Also, does anyone else feel like the more they tell themselves ‘no’ the more they want to do that thing they’re trying not to do?

Yeah, me too.

Black words on white background stating embrace the process

A vision statement focusing more on what you DO want to do could be: “I’m enjoying hiking and other fun, healthy activities with my friends on the weekends.” By shifting the focus onto the thing you want to do, you’re shifting your mindset onto the positive.

Think about the wellness goals you’ve set for yourself. Now how do you imagine you’ll feel once you reach them? Which of your health goals do you want to be an effortless part of your lifestyle?

I struggled to achieve my goals until I wrote a vision statement that appealed to me. I’m guilty of jumping right into goal setting without taking the time to sit down and really think.

If you’re like me, just know that it’s okay to slow down on your wellness journey. You don’t have to spring into action as soon as you decide which health goal you want to achieve.

Unless that’s how you get things done. If so, kudos to you!

If not, the first step to writing your wellness vision is the most important one.

Katherine Lojac's photo of relaxing tropical beach
Don’t be afraid to slow down on your wellness journey.

Steps to Craft Your Wellness Vision

Writing your wellness vision statement should be a fun process. You’re imagining yourself in the future. So don’t be afraid to let your imagination go without judging yourself.

Step 1: Get to Know Yourself

The first step is to do a little bit of self-reflection. It can be difficult but here is where you need to be honest with yourself. What do your current health and wellness habits look like? What healthy habits do you have? What healthy habits do you want to build?

When I say health here, I’m not just talking about physical health. You want to look at all aspects of your health including your mental health, social, emotional, spiritual, and even occupational health.

Really take some time to reflect on what you want and what you need to thrive. Do you need more alone time? Do you need extra support along your journey? How is your relationship with your body? With your food?

It’s easy for us to sweep our health needs under the rug when we get bogged down with life. It may take some time for you to find your answers.

But getting to know yourself is worth it.

Step 2: Use Your Imagination

Now here’s the fun part. This is where you imagine what you would be like if you were fully embracing your peak level of wellness. This means different things for different people. For some, it might mean you’re finding healthy ways to deal with stress or you’ve reached a healthy weight. While for others, it might mean you’re consistently enjoying a relaxing, nighttime routine.

How are you feeling while you’re embracing this peak level of wellness? What are you doing? Who is there with you?

It’s a good idea for you to get especially detailed with how you’re feeling. Sometimes we’re so focused on concrete results like being a certain jean size that we forget that our mental health is just as important.

Katherine Lojac's photo of a shallow beach with rocks in the foreground

Step 3: On to Goal-Setting

Once you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve along your wellness journey, you can move on to setting goals.

Whatever goals you decide for yourself, make sure that they align with your overall wellness vision. If you want to improve your nutrition, a goal relating to that could involve packing a healthy lunch 3 days out of the week. Or if you want to exercise more, you could have a goal outlining the type of physical activity you’d like to do.

If you’re unsure about where to start, SMART goals can keep you motivated without feeling overwhelmed.

Wellness Vision Examples

Here are some examples of wellness visions to get you started. Of course, you’re the only one who can come up with a wellness vison that resonates with you. But hopefully, these can serve as some inspiration.

Wellness Vision Example #1

My life is filled with examples of my progress. My nighttime routine prioritizes my health so that I feel well-rested in the morning. I approach exercise with positive energy. I eat delicious, balanced meals with my family.

Wellness Vision Example #2

I protect my sense of peace and my well-being. I have the ability to maintain balance in my life. My core values are at the center of everything I do.

Wellness Vision Example #3

I am free.

Katherine Lojac's photo of Colorado mountains in the background, rolling green hills, blue sky, and white clouds
What would freedom be like for you?

So you can see with those examples that you don’t even need to have a long wellness vision. It can be a simple vision statement like example #3.

The last example will need some self-reflecting. What does ‘free’ mean to you? How does ‘free’ feel? What little habits can you do each day to feel that freedom?

Keep Your Wellness Vision Close

Once you create your wellness vision, you’ll want to keep it handy. When life’s challenges come around, you’ll need to remind yourself of why you decided to begin your wellness journey.

Here are some ideas on where to record your wellness vision:

  • Journal

  • Notes (or other) app on your phone

  • Record a voice note on your phone

  • Vision board

  • Sticky notes

  • Bookmark

  • Front page of your planner

You pretty much can’t go wrong here. Anywhere that you know you’ll look at everyday would be perfect. You did a lot of inner work to create your wellness vision. So you don’t want to forget it.

Don’t Forget to Revisit Your Wellness Vision

It’s easy to feel motivated when we first write our wellness vision. Everything feels new and fresh. And we’re more than ready!

But don’t just write your vision statement once then forget about it. Think of it as a living, breathing document. At least once every couple of months, go back and read it. Are your daily habits aligning with your wellness vision? If not, what would you like to do differently?

Do you still envision your future the same way? If not, it’s okay to change your vision. It’s not set in stone.

If you don’t feel that same intrinsic motivation that you had in the beginning of your wellness journey that could be a sign that your priorities have changed.

Intrinsic motivation, the motivation that comes from within, needs to still be there. When you’re in charge of what you decide to do for your own health and well-being, you’re living with your core values, rather than against them.

Whether those core values are spending more time with your family or improving your health through nutrition, intrinsic motivation will keep you going.

Katherine Lojac's photo of Colorado mountains, blue sky, and white clouds
Are you living in alignment with what you value most?

A Few More Thoughts…

When I first started health coaching, I used to make the mistake of jumping into goal-setting with my clients too quickly. When I met with them next, sometimes it seemed that they were feeling sort of “meh” about the goals they had set the previous week.

After talking to my supervisor about this, I realized that it was because I wasn’t taking enough time with my clients to fully explore their wellness visions.

When you’re fully connected to your vision statement, you’re able to see the person you want to become. It becomes much deeper than achieving a certain weight or improving your diet.

And if you are looking to lose weight, writing a wellness vision can help you uncover deeper reasons behind this desire. Maybe you want more energy to spend time with your kids after work. Or maybe you want to be healthier so that you can help your aging parents.

By allowing yourself to fully develop your wellness vision, you’re allowing yourself to reflect on what you want your life to be.

You can look at the bigger picture of your life. You’ll gain some new insight. You’ll discover that maybe coming up with strategies to better deal with stress is your new priority. Or maybe you’ll realize that to reach new levels of health, you first need a clear image of what better health means to you.

If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably itching to write your wellness vision right now. If that’s the case, grab a pen or your phone, and get writing.

You’ll be amazed at how this simple exercise can put you on the path to your healthiest self.

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