Revisiting the Wheel of Health: Building Your Health Foundation
Recently, I was having a lovely-jubbly exchange of texts with one of my former clients (who is nothing short of #bloodyfabulous). During our conversation, she SAID that she was revisiting her Wheel of Health. As I may have mentioned once or twice before, and I cannot stress this enough, many people tend to believe that a healthy lifestyle is all about the food they consume. While the nutrient density matters, it is only a small part of the bigger picture
If we use the idea of food as a metaphor for your health caper, what you eat is just one slice of the pie when it comes to making healthy choices. There are other equally important factors that contribute to your overall well-being. One slice is never enough!
Last week, I shared some thoughts on the importance of carving out personal space for yourself with a morning walking ritual. It is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life that we forget to take a step back and give ourselves room to breathe and critically assess our choices. Finding ways that work for you to create that space can help you to reduce stress, sleep better, align you’re your values, connect with people who matter to you, and just make better to increase overall well-being.
Of course, everyone’s approach will be different – what works for you might not work for someone else. But the key is figuring out what serves you, and then making an effort to prioritise those choices whenever possible.
And if that sounds easier said than done, this is where my Wheel of Health comes in.
If you ever found yourself feeling overwhelmed with the multitude of choices you need to make when it comes to your health, the Wheel of Health can help simplify things for you.
As someone who is focused on becoming the healthiest old person I can be, this is the tool that helps me break down my overall well-being ‘stuff’ into five key areas:
- Purpose,
- Nutrient Density,
- Rituals,
- Stress Management, and
- Community.
By assessing my level of satisfaction with where I am tracking with each piece of the pie, and dedicating time to focus on each of these areas, I am able to use this information to pinpoint which areas require more attention and effort at any given time.
And it provides a visual representation of my overall health. By using the Wheel of Health as my foundation, I can prioritise my choices and be more targeted about where to focus my energy for maximum impact.
It helps with managing the inevitable overwhelm that happens with health ‘stuff’, too. Things are just feel more achievable when you chunk them down into bite-sized pieces.
In essence, the Wheel of Health is a guide to help me move towards better health and well-being and my end goal of being a healthy old person. I can take a very holistic approach while ensuring that I am not neglecting any important areas.
It’s simple but effective. And because of this, tweaks and changes don’t feel quite so daunting.
So, how exactly do I use it?
Well. That is a very good question.
I use it as a kind of bull’s eye. And I use it to get me started when I sense I need a nudge.
And I keep on starting. I add new lifehacks and rituals. I think of it as a form of continuous improvement. A way to compound my good health habits.
By this, I mean I sit down at my desk (or dining table!) and take each section or slice of the W.O.H. pie and identify where I’m sitting at any given time. I check in with myself. If I feel aligned with a particular section, if it’s working for me – then I leave it alone. (I am firmly in the “if it ain’t broke, don’t try and fix it” school of thinking.)
Inevitably, there will be one or two sections that feel like they require a bit more attention. That’s where I drill down further and brainstorm what I can realistically do to improve that piece of the pie.
These are the types of questions I ask myself:
PURPOSE:
- Do I feel a sense of purpose in my life? How would I rate this on a scale of 1 – 10?
- How aligned with my values am I at this time?
- What’s working, what’s not working, and what’s tricky about connecting with my sense of purpose at the moment?
- Am I moving in the right direction?
- Are there any roadblocks that are outside my control?
NUTRIENT DENSITY:
- How am I tracking generally?
- What do I need to add or remove? (Am I indulging in too many treats? Do I need more leafy greens/bone broth/offal/ferments?)
- How do I rate my digestion?
- What’s working, what’s not working, and what’s tricky about my diet?
- Are there any roadblocks that are outside my control? (We’re currently putting in a new kitchen which has severely affected my ability to cook) If so, what strategies can I put in place to mitigate this?
RITUALS:
- What’s working, what’s not working, and what’s tricky about all my rituals?
- Are my morning and evening rituals still working for me? Do I need to tweak anything?
- What can I add or take away to improve the rituals I have in place?
- How can I add more movement to my rituals?
STRESS MANAGEMENT:
- How would I rate my stress levels on a scale of 1 – 10?
- How would I rate my sleep quality and quantity on a scale of 1 – 10?
- What’s working, what’s not working, and what’s tricky about my stress management practices?
- Am I moving in the right direction?
- Are there any roadblocks that are outside my control? (This includes people.) If so, what strategies can I put in place to mitigate this?
COMMUNITY:
- How would I rate my sense of connectedness on a scale of 1 – 10?
- Do I need to consider exploring more ways to connect? If so, how might I tie this into other pieces of my WOH pie? e.g – volunteering, joining a club, or learning a new skill or hobby.
- What’s working, what’s not working, and what’s tricky about my relationships at this time?
- Are there any roadblocks that are outside my control?
Based on my answers to these questions, I can use my Wheel of Health as a Bull’s Eye and map what’s working, what’s not working and what’s tricky for me. The pieces of the pie that fall in the centre of the wheel mean that I am on top of things in this area. An X far from the Bull’s Eye means that I am way off the mark in terms of where I want to be.
Work out what my Wheel of Health Bull’s Eye illustrated:
- What did my 5 pie pieces show me?
- What areas of my wheel require some love?
- What are my priorities for moving forward?
- Can I identify any immediate goals to help me to move towards better health and lifestyle choices?
This information forms the basis of my health goals for the next wee while.
I’ve popped this process into a downloadable workbook so that you can easily have it to hand.
To HAVE your copy of the Wheel of Health Workbook Delivered Straight to your inbox, just fill out this form:
So if you’re looking for a way to boost your well-being without getting lost in all the options out there, give the Wheel of Health a spin! (Ha!)
