We forget the importance of community

This week, I'll be sharing some lessons I've learned as a wellness counselor. These are things I've observed in my clients and in myself—maybe you'll recognize them too.

5 THINGS WE ALL GET WRONG WHEN IT COMES TO WELLNESS:

5) WE FORGET THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY.

Disconnection lies at the root of most of our imbalances. We’re disconnected from nature, from our bodies, from the quiet voice within that has more wisdom than we can even begin to imagine. But above all else, we’re increasingly disconnected from community.

Healing takes work. It takes time and energy and perseverance. Discovering and honoring your well-being is a transformative process that demands you destroy bits of your old identity as you create a new one.

This process really relies on having structures of support. People who know you. Who can lovingly hold a mirror up to you. Who respect and help you maintain your newly formed boundaries. Who love and celebrate you as you find what brings you joy, even if it means a change in your relationship.

While I’m incredibly honored to be part of this community for my clients, I often tell them that I hope after our sessions they never have to come back to me again. That they have all the information and tools they need to tend to their own well-being. That our time together has helped them tune into their gut—both physical and intuitive—so they can be guided by that wisdom moving forward. I’m working towards a future where the role of wellness coach goes extinct.

But that won't happen in a society structured around greed, endless consumption, and individual advancement. We have to remember there is no self-care without collective care. The most important thing we can do for our well-being is to divest from the systems that pull us away from community, from nature, from ourselves.

So, what’s my final wellness tip for this series?

Take that vacation. Turn on the out of office. Be present with your people and help others do the same. Everything else can wait.