Small but meaningful daily choices to make yourself happier & healthier
In this podcast (episode #483) and blog, I talk to Colleen and Jason Wachob, founders of mega-health platform mindbodygreen, about their incredible new book The Joy of Well-Being, knowing when to change your life, how to take back control of your health, finding balance in life, and so much more!
Over the past decade, Colleen and Jason Wachob have cultivated a leading wellness lifestyle media brand for everyone seeking to cut through the noise and live a happier, healthier, and greener lifestyle. The Joy of Well-Being is a distillation of almost fifteen years of this experience on the forefront of the well-being conversation; they’ve done the legwork so you don’t have to!
This book is needed now more than ever. We are all overwhelmed by so much health and wellness advice that it is increasingly difficult to know what to do to actually live a long, healthy and happy life. Indeed, on your journey toward a more health-conscious life, you’ve likely been bombarded by an overwhelming amount of information—from the Kardashian-like wellness influencers who (unrealistically) insist upon sustainably sourced Epsom salt baths every night, to the elite longevity optimizers who measure their lactate (lactic acid?) levels after a workout.
The echo chamber of the internet, and social media algorithms that favor polarizing opinions to drive views and engagement, have hijacked our understanding of health. No matter which corner of the wellness world you inhabit, our social feeds are filled with advice that presumes we all have the same amount of time, money, and resources. In this saturated landscape, how can you avoid the potential scams and dodge the celebrity doctors to find what really works for you?
The Joy of Well-Being is more than a book. It’s a reawakening, marking a crucial shift away from the “do-this-then-do-that” paradigm to cultivating a joyful lifestyle that centers each individual and their own health and happiness. True well-being isn’t something you chase, it is something you weave together, as each new day presents an opportunity to make choices that support feeling good in your body, in your relationships, and in your life.
The foundation of this journey is joy. No habit or lifestyle change is sustainable unless you can do it in a way that brings you joy. This is an essential life “ingredient” that we do not talk about enough in the wellness world.
We also need to understand that this journey will look different for everyone. What may work for one person may not work for another person. It is important that we recognize that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach when it comes to human health and wellness. It is up to us to figure out the path that works best for us, which requires work and time. Yes, this can be challenging, but the joy it brings makes the struggle worth it.
This approach to wellbeing also means looking at all aspects of our life. What we think, say and do affects how we feel mentally and physically, and vice versa. Wellbeing is more than a diet, exercise class or a new supplement. It is about understanding who we are and what we need from a holistic, mind-brain-body perspective. This includes:
-Understanding the power of meaningful relationships. Loneliness can have a dramatic impact on our health both mentally and physically, while deep connections have been shown to improve health outcomes and increase longevity. We are made to connect with people, not just online but in real life!
-Embracing joy. Finding the little moments of joy in life is essential to our wellbeing. If we don’t enjoy our daily health routines, then we in all likelihood won’t stick with them or find they work for us in either the short or long term. We should always be asking ourselves what the “why” behind what we are doing for our health is. What motivates us? Is what we are doing actually bringing us joy or making our lives more miserable?
For more on the joy of well-being, listen to my podcast with Colleen and Jason (episode #483) and check out their new book and amazing work. If you enjoy listening to my podcast, please consider leaving a 5-star review and subscribing. And keep sharing episodes with friends and family and on social media. (Don’t forget to tag me so I can see your posts!).
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This podcast is sponsored by:
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Podcast Highlights
2:18 Why Jason and Colleen wrote The Joy of Well-Being
3:10, 40:00 Why joy is essential to wellbeing
4:10 How modern society manipulates & uses our negative emotions
6:00 Why wellness can be so confusing & overwhelming
6:50 Balance vs. extremes in the wellness world
10:30 Different things work for different people—we are not all the same
13:00 How wellness can become like a religion
17:45 Colleen & Jason’s amazing journey
29:52 The mind-brain-body connection
36:45 Tips to cultivate a joyful lifestyle
55:40 It’s okay to have good & bad wellbeing days!
Switch On Your Brain LLC. is providing this podcast as a public service. Reference to any specific viewpoint or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by our organization. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. If you have any questions about this disclaimer, please contact info@drleaf.com.
This podcast and blog are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. We always encourage each person to make the decision that seems best for their situation with the guidance of a medical professional.