If you’ve been sleeping under a rock for the past couple of years you probably have missed a huge change in the trend of “wellness.” What once was a quest for physical perfection has become an all-encompassing way of life that extends from how you workout, to what you eat (and where that comes from), to what you wear and what you like to do in your free time.
People who were once avid gym rats are now running (gasp) outside. They are also taking hikes, camping trips and are grilling vegan specialty meals outdoors. ‘So what’s the deal?’ you may wonder?
Here’s the deal: A well-rounded, balanced lifestyle. That’s what’s hot in 2012.
Used to be that busy men and women would take hour-long evening breaks in their never-ending workday to get on the treadmill and punish themselves for the burger and beer they had during their 30-minute working lunch with some of the bros from the office. Now these overweight, overworked people are exhausted, stalled and being passed up for positions by the people who actually love their lives.
The concept of work hard / play hard isn’t dead, but it sure has changed. Rather than get up and go to a job we hate, we are finding careers that inspire and motivate us. Rather than killing ourselves in clinical gyms under fluorescent lights, we’re stepping outside and finding a way to workout that we actually (get this) enjoy. We’re not force feeding our families raw veggies, but finding ways to prepare meals that actually taste good and provide us with actual nutrition. And the over achievers among us are doing all this while showing the planet some love and respect.
I know what you’re thinking – according to this post the hippies have won.
And while I like to think that’s a little bit true, that’s not my point. Look at all the CrossFitters who thrive on this new Paleo “eat like a caveman” way of thinking and living.
My point: People used to compartmentalized their lives into categories. Work. Family. Hobbies. Home. Health. You name it and we all had separate bubbles for it. But in the past five years people have been blowing the lid off that way of thinking and introducing this concept: why not live your life as a whole?
People are finding ways to enjoy everything in their life. Including their wellness routine. Why do people love their yoga studio? Because that’s where they keep their friends. How come people actually go to CrossFit to lift heavy things above their heads? Because they get to swap carnivorous recipes after class with the hot man in those compression tights who shares a love of bacon.
Life is no longer about neat and tidy individual pieces, it’s about the whole messy experience. You aren’t just a banker, a yoga teacher or a janitor. You’re a banker/mom/CrossFit goddess/health nut; or a yoga teacher/golfer/mountain climber/foodie; or a janitor/vegan/independent film critic. People have decided that life’s too short to be lived in black and white boxes and beyond just adding shades of grey we’re embracing the whole damn rainbow (yes that is also a liberal pun).
So if this post happens to have taken you by surprise and you’re reading it while keeping the corner of your eye on your Palm Pilot while climbing a StairMaster in a 24-hour-fitness somewhere sweating out the stress from a job you hate allow me to give you this piece of valuable advice: Step away from your 1992 gym membership and into a new era (2012) where people actually like their lives and who they are.
Ok, the economy sucks a little right now, but in time I firmly believe we’ll bounce back. And I propose that when we do we’ll all be a happier crowd than we were when we were living life like a “To Do” list.
Live like you mean it (and love it)!
XO
Heather C
I sort of get it. But I think the problem lies in the popularity of wellness.
My stepmother is in her early sixties. She sensitivities to wheat, fabric softener, petroleum products, plus she has migraines. She was on disability insurance for a long time, until the insurance people began to spy on her. The reason? She is the fittest, most active disabled person you’ve ever met – she jogs, kayaks, camps, works out, and has a regular doctor, a holistic doctor, a herbalist and a naturapath. She doesn’t appear need disability insurance. She and my dad never go anywhere without an elaborate pillcase. So while I think wellness is good, it’s expensive, time-consuming, and often unneeded. Watching my stepmother in action is exhausting; hearing her talk about her declining health and her miserable life is mind-bending in its irony.
I think wellness is a good trend, but it’s also an industry. A very profitable industry (especially here in vancouver). I sometimes wish we could just be *well*, instead of chasing Wellness.
I have to say I disagree. As a member of the “wellness industry” I feel like we provide valuable tools for people who really need them. As a teacher I want the very best for my students – I’m not in it for the money. It sounds like your problem may be more with your stepmother or her insurance provider than the wellness industry… in which case that’s a totally separate argument.
Thanks as always for the feedback!
H
I absolutely love how you summarized this message and I think that as the workplace as transformed, so have our personal lives and expectations of them. It’s all about balance and I’m hopeful it will continue to spread into just the way of life. We have got to have individual accountability if we want to make the world better, reduce healthcare costs, and live fuller lives. Every one of us has the power inside; we just need a spark.
Exactly, if everyone took a healthy and balanced approach to their own life think where the world would be as a whole.
Thanks for being in the conversation (we all need to talk about it more!)
I agree completely! I have been noticing these changes and love how you so clearly put it together!
Thank you!