I’ve often wondered about a standardised set of core principles that encourage health and happiness in all circumstances. The more I delve into the idea, learning via my own journey and from working with clients, the more I’m convinced that there simply isn’t a secret sauce that covers everyone. 

At best, people share some core principles, mostly to lay the groundwork in order to embark on a realistic wellness journey. What gets built into a routine varies depending on individual perspectives, physical surroundings and even cultural values. That said, there are some principles that tend to show up more regularly across the board, which I’ll share with you here today.

It’s Totally Personal

No matter what stage it's in, a wellness practice is a highly personal, individual thing. Self-development is a continuously unfolding process, like an evolution. That’s not to say that it’s always going to be on an upward trajectory. The true nature of a sustainable practice involves taking the dips on the chin and getting back up, while celebrating the milestones too. This approach encourages self-awareness on a much bigger scale, which can be useful in noticing what works for you, and what doesn’t. 

Mental Health

Many countries have declared mental health pandemics in recent years, citing a lack of affordable resources to support people. Whether artificial intelligence can help with this is a discussion for another day. Good mental health is a core principle for health and happiness. It doesn’t simply show up in our lives: we have to put in the work. This is largely down to how we prioritise self-care across all facets of our lives. One of the biggest deterrents to mental health is the idea that things should be perfect. By letting go of this notion, especially in your wellness practice, better health is right around the corner. 

Physical Health & Nutrition

Physical health and nutrition go hand-in-hand in terms of common core principles for health and happiness. If we’re not moving our bodies, we’re not getting the most out of the life energy afforded to us. If we don’t feed our bodies in a mindful way, we simply won’t have the capacity for the life energy needed to do things. Both principles aren’t always going to be possible to achieve. The key is to make them a priority in a way that leaves flexibility for the harder days, rather than resisting them (and beating yourself up) when things don’t go according to plan. 

Social Health & Support

I recently wrote a piece about how we should be talking more about social health in our wellness practices. The way we get support to keep going, especially when we’ve fallen off the bandwagon to an extent, is essential to building long-term happiness. It also offers something that’s often missing in the modern world: a true sense of connection with another human being. When we make social health a priority in our wellness routines, the results are staggering. We may even find a community of people that can hold us accountable, and if not, a coaching session can also do the trick. Gut Testing Paired with Coaching is a great way to start the process, so you’re definitely in the right place.