Written by Remy Rook, Athletics Manager at FVSRA
As we kick off a new year, the theme of “Follow Your Path” encourages us to embrace our personal journeys toward monthly themes. This month, we are Following Our Path to Wellness! Wellness is a holistic concept that goes beyond just physical health. It encompasses mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being, creating a balanced approach to life that supports individuals in thriving. With this theme, we invite you to step into 2025 with a renewed commitment to your overall health and well-being, and to make choices that align with your goals, values, and aspirations.
What Does Wellness Mean?
Wellness isn’t just about avoiding illness or injury—it’s about actively taking steps to live a fuller, more vibrant life. It involves creating habits that nurture your body, mind, and spirit. Each person’s path to wellness is unique, and understanding the different dimensions of wellness can help guide you toward practices that are meaningful for you. These dimensions include:
1. Physical Wellness:
This involves taking care of your body through exercise, nutrition, and regular medical check-ups. It’s about moving your body, fueling it with nutritious foods, staying hydrated, and making sure you get enough rest to recharge.
Activity Ideas: Stretch for five minutes each morning, make a goal to get 8 hours of sleep, use the stairs instead of the elevator when possible, drink water throughout the day, take on a new sport with friends
2. Emotional Wellness: Emotional wellness is about understanding, expressing, and managing your emotions in healthy ways. It’s about cultivating resilience and emotional intelligence, as well as building strong coping strategies to navigate life’s challenges.
Activity Ideas: Journal, participate in hobbies that you enjoy (baking, reading, singing, etc.) identify and validate your feelings, talk to a trusted friend or family member, attempt to use coping skills (like deep breathing) when you feel yourself experiencing negative emotions
3. Mental Wellness: Mental wellness focuses on intellectual engagement and cognitive health. Keeping your mind sharp through activities that stimulate your thinking, such as reading, problem-solving, and learning, helps support your mental clarity and cognitive function.
Activity Ideas: Complete activities that engage your mind, like puzzles, sudoku, and word searches, read a book or article, learn a new skill or hobby, watch an educational movie or tv show
4. Social Wellness: Having strong, positive relationships with others is essential for well-being. Social wellness involves nurturing meaningful connections with family, friends, colleagues, and community members, which contribute to a sense of belonging and support.
Activity Ideas: Plan a get together with friends or loved ones, call a family member you have not spoken to in a while, send letters to friends, volunteer with community members
The Power of Consistency
Embarking on a wellness journey requires a commitment to making consistent, positive choices. But wellness is not about perfection—it’s about progress. Small, consistent actions add up over time and create lasting change. This means that you don’t have to overhaul your entire life at once. Instead, focus on setting achievable goals in different areas of wellness that are meaningful to you. Whether it’s taking a 10-minute walk each day, practicing mindfulness, or drinking more water, every step counts.
Finding Your Unique Path
Wellness is personal, and what works for one person may not work for another. This year, as we “Follow Our Path,” we encourage each of you to listen to your body and mind, explore new practices, and create a wellness routine that fits your lifestyle. What brings you joy? What energizes you? What helps you relax and recharge? As you begin to answer these questions, you’ll discover the path that’s right for you.
Remember, wellness is a journey, not a destination. Be gentle with yourself as you navigate your path.
A Fun Way to Stay Engaged: Wellness Bingo
To support your Path to Wellness, we are excited to introduce a fun, interactive challenge for the new year—our Wellness Bingo Game. This game is designed for participants, families, staff, and community members to practice healthy habits and make wellness a part of their daily lives throughout the month of January, and then the rest of 2025! The game includes various activities related to physical, emotional, and mental health, along with other aspects of well-being.
You can find your Wellness Bingo card in the FVSRA office, or by clicking here, to join in on wellness-related challenges, such as “Drink a full glass of water,” “Taste a new healthy snack,” “Call or text a friend or family member,” or “Listen to a new song.” By completing these tasks, you’ll cross out the squares and work toward getting a Bingo! The goal is to engage with different aspects of wellness, encouraging you to try new things and stay motivated.
How to Play:
- Get your Wellness Bingo card here.
- Complete as many activities as you can throughout the month.
- Mark off the squares as you go, and share your progress with the community!
- Once you’ve completed a row, column, or diagonal, turn in your card to our office or email it to Marketing@fvsra.org for a chance to win a prize!
As you follow your unique path to wellness in 2025, remember that every small step matters. Embrace the journey, celebrate your progress, and make wellness a priority every day. We’re excited to see how you make this year your healthiest and happiest yet!
