Health and Wellness: Personal and Professional Wellbeing

With the first quarter of the year well past us, the initial pressure of beginning the New Year on the right foot is long gone and many are well settled into life’s routines, personally and professionally. But even everyday processes can be stressful and give cause for concern when it comes to our wellbeing. Certified International Health Coach Melissa Rosenstock shares more on how personal and professional wellbeing can be made a focus moving forward. With April being Stress Awareness Month, her comments on the topic are especially insightful...hope it gets you working on your overall health and wellness journey.

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What does wellness mean to you and how do you help your clients achieve that?
 
Wellness means feeling good physically and mentally. Wellbeing encompasses feeling good in body, mind and soul. It is important to note that everyone has their own compass for wellness, as wellbeing will look different for everyone. It is deeply individual. What works for one person does not work for all people, which is why it is critically important to focus on each individual’s definition of health and wellbeing, based upon what feels good to them. We can talk about wellness/wellbeing in a general term, however, when you can get super specific and customize an approach to an individual, then you will see the best and most beneficial results. I help my clients achieve optimal wellness by guiding them to define how they want to feel, creating an environment that supports that, and empowering them to prioritize their physical and emotional wellbeing. 
 
What should one know before seeking a wellness coach or expert in their lives?
 
It is okay to not have all the answers you are seeking, it is okay to not have it all figured out, and most importantly, it is okay to ask for help. We are not meant to do it all alone, and asking for help is the greatest sign of strength. Another thing to know when seeking a wellness coach is to be open - to new ideas and new/different ways of doing things. Also, like everything else, it should feel good. You are entering into a relationship with someone and there needs to be a level of trust and connection from both parties that is mutually beneficial.
 
What are the questions to ask/expectations to have before a consultation? Where do you find a wellness coach?
 
Before the initial consultation, I always say, instead of having expectations, it is better to set an intention. There is power behind intention, as it allows you to design your life. Set an intention for what you want to get from the consultation — action steps, advice, or maybe you just want to be heard? Questions to ask depend upon what you are looking for from the relationship, but some important questions to know in advance are: 

• How will the client/coach relationship look?
• What are the options for working together?
• What are my responsibilities as the client? 
• What are your responsibilities as the coach?

 
There are many wellness coaches out there, so how do you find the “right” one for you? Share with your friends, colleagues, family, etc., that you are searching for a wellness coach, and ask if they have any personal recommendations. Referrals from trusted resources are always a great way to find a coach. You can also head to social media — post in Facebook groups, search hashtags on Instagram, and see if there is a message from a coach that resonates with you.
 
How can one maximize the benefits of assistance from a wellness coach? What follow-up is recommended?
 
Be open and be coachable. Meaning, be open to hearing the truth (even if it’s not what you want to hear), willing to take responsibility for your actions (or inaction), and be curious to try something new. Be curious about your feelings and desires. And be honest with yourself and with your coach. When you are clear about the intention of the outcome desired, and are willing to dive deep into the inner work, to take the action to move you toward it, then you are maximizing the benefits of hiring a coach, and are creating a powerful shift toward your desires. The follow-up will depend upon the terms of the agreement and the unique needs of the individual. Some clients may choose to be done after the initial program ends while others want to continue the coaching relationship.
 
How can women address wellness personally and professionally in the digital age?
 
There is no shortage of wellness information out there today - it is everywhere you look. Given that sometimes it is contradictory information, which can be confusing, it is important to be diligent in knowing what feels good for you. There is no one diet or exercise regimen that works for everyone but there is something that will work for you. You have to be curious, open and willing to find it, so you can design your life in the way that works for you and enables you to feel your best. Also, more important than the food you eat or the exercise you do, is how you nourish your emotional wellbeing. You have to be willing to prioritize your health and wellness. Having strong boundaries about what you will/will not allow into your life, your newsfeed, your personal space, is hugely important. It affects you emotionally and physically. Define what wellness is for you, and how you feel when you are thriving in optimal wellbeing.
 
What are the top causes of stress that you see women dealing with these days?
 
There are many reasons people feel stressed, whether it’s their job, family responsibilities, time constraints, or their finances, but what I see that causes the most stress on women are:

• Using busyness to gauge their worth: Thinking they need to juggle it all and do it perfectly — be the best wife, mom, daughter, friend, colleague, etc., and be everything to everyone at all times, forsaking their own wellbeing in the process.
• Comparison: In this digital age that allows glimpses into snippets of people’s lives, then causes people to judge themselves (harshly!) for where they are or not, where they feel they should be, and then they are left feeling less than stellar. Comparing yourself to someone else’s perceived reality causes unnecessary stress.
• Life transitions: Divorce, career change, motherhood, illness, loss of a loved one — a change from what was your “normal” that causes you to live in a way that you haven’t experienced before. The unknown and uncertainty becomes a giant stress factor as you seek to learn a new mode of being. 

 
What are some of your top 3-5 tips to help de-stress and focus more on wellness as a priority?

• Set boundaries — time boundaries, relationship boundaries
• Move your body — exercise is a phenomenal stress buster
• Connect with friends — not friends that bring you down or increase your stress levels, but friends who alleviate it with laughter and having fun
• Gratitude practice/journal — think of 3 - 5 things you are grateful for every night before going to bed
• BREATHE — while it happens without you thinking about it, using your breath intentionally can calm you down in the moment. 

Melissa Rosenstock is a Certified International Health Coach (CIHC) specializing in helping women to create healthy and sustainable habits that optimize their health, happiness and overall wellbeing. She works with women to empower them to own their worthiness and to create a life where their own health and wellbeing are the top priority. Mel gives women the tools they need to increase their energy, lose weight, feel comfortable in their skin, and to create healthy habits that last. She is a speaker, author, and creator of an online group program called Worthy & Well empowering women to embody their worth, prioritize their health and wellbeing, and break free from mediocrity to design a life that nourishes their soul. 

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Schedule your complimentary discovery call here or visit her website for more information + She also shares everyday positivity via social media on @melrosenstock_healthcoach