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Keep taking notes as you answer each
prompt. Answering questions can be
especially helpful if you are having trou-
ble picturing your future. The following
questions can help you create a mean-
ingful vision:
- What are several things that I highly
value, and how is my health linked to
these values? For example, you might
value volunteering in your community,
taking care of your children or grand-
children, or traveling around the world.
Maintaining your health and your over-
all fitness level gives you the energy
and endurance for these activities. - What does my ideal health and fitness
look like in one, three, and five years? - What activities am I happily engaged in
once I reach my ideal level of wellness? - What makes me happy and energized?
- What worries have I tossed aside once
I achieve my goals? - How do I look, what I am wearing, and
what new habits have I adopted? - What are five or more benefits I gain
from improving my lifestyle? - What is my life like once I achieve my
ideal level of wellness? What would my
life be like if I stayed at the same level
of wellness as I’m at now?
Now that you’ve explored your ideal level
of wellness and why that’s important,
you’re ready to create your wellness
vision. Your vision can be as few as four
sentences or as much as a page. Review
your notes and use them to pinpoint
exactly what you see in a healthy you.
To help you nail down a concrete vision,
imagine that an artist is painting a picture
of the new you. Describe to the painter
what you are doing, feeling, and thinking.If you struggle with any part of writing
your personal wellness vision, talk it
over with a friend or relative who knows
you well. Another person might be able
to nudge you forward in a way you can’t
on your own. Seeking out a skilled health
coach may also be helpful.Keep your wellness vision handy and
refer to it often for motivation and as a re-
minder of what your hard work will bring.
Tweak it or rewrite it as you learn more
about yourself and your goals. Use your
vision as your compass as you set both
short-term and long-term health goals.
Work toward those goals and watch your
health—and your life—improve!