“I feel like I’ve been living a lie”.
This is what I said to my husband recently at brunch.
“On the one hand I’m all about wellness, and healthy eating, and meditation and yoga and all that…”
And then on the other:
“I’m flogging myself working so hard… and not sleeping enough. It’s just not sustainable!”
Let me back up & explain.
We’d had a recent serious illness in the family, and a close family member had ended up in hospital.
It was a wake up call!
I realized that I had NOT been living in balance.
And that it was going to come back and bite me in the BUTT if I didn’t DO something about it!
So then and there I made a decision.
I said to my husband:
“I’m going to re-wire my DNA. To make Wellness my number 1 priority — no matter what.”
Now this WAS A BIG DEAL FOR ME.
We live in a society that tells us:
Doing more & working harder is “better”. And this is what “successful people” do.
(I have Masters Degrees from Stanford & UC Berkeley — so I definitely drank the Kool-aid!!)
But I’m starting to realize:
The ‘to-do’ list never ends.
Happiness is not found somewhere in the future (it’s now or never!)
And at the end of the day, your health (and your family) is all that REALLY matters.
So, I decided to take a stand, to re-balance, to make Wellness my Number 1 priority — EVEN if it meant working less, or getting less done, or being less successful.
And I’m about 2 months into my “Wellness First No Matter What” experiment now.
And this is what happened:
I DID work less hours, because I set limits on my working hours.
I DID check my electronics less, because I set limits on that too.
I DID reduce my work on weekends.
I DID sleep more, and take better care of myself (and my family).
I DID cook more healthy, Homemade food.
And of course, I experienced more ‘Wellness’ as a consequence.
(energy, fitness, happiness, joy & relationships were all improved).
BUT HERE’S THE SHOCKING, AMAZING, MIND-BLOWING THING:
I also GOT MORE DONE at work.
I was more effective, more efficient, more clear-headed, more focused.
And way, way, more content.
This discovery has literally rocked my world!
(which is why I wanted to share it with you!)
Because I haven’t heard anybody else say this yet:
You mean I can work less, have more Wellness, happiness, joy & balance in my life… AND do BETTER at work too?!
It seems like the answer is YES!!
So I’m not all the way there yet (I’m still working on my OCD and the gravitational pull of work)…
But I’m definitely going to stick to my Wellness First policy!
And I know I’m not special.
I know you can experience these exact same benefits.
So, if deadlines, workload, commitments, or stress are pushing & pulling at you (…and your Wellness is not what it could be…)
Then why not draw a line in the sand?
And try the Wellness First experiment for a while?
You might just be pleasantly surprised at what happens — like I was!
with love from my kitchen to yours,
Anna Rakoczy
Co-Founder & Chief Instructor, Homemade Cooking
p.s. My life’s work & my passion is to help you become your best, healthiest self. Our Summer Session of Life-Changing Cooking, (our signature online program which re-sets your eating, health & weight to optimum Wellness, created by a team of Medical Doctors, Nutritionists & Holistic Chefs), is coming soon!
