A KIND Approach to Wellness
At Crescent Moon, we have long supported a KIND approach to well-being. Our acronym for KIND consists of knowledge, insight, needs, and deeds.
The “K” stands for knowledge. Knowledge is a key component for creating our goals, visions, and lifestyle choices. Given the current state of multimedia options, there is a never ending plethora of knowledge available to us. Sifting through it all can be overwhelming. We cannot possibly regularly engage in every health, wellness, and spiritual practice that comes our way. There would never be enough hours in a day! We need to be able to discern which knowledge best applies to our life at any given time.
This is where the “I” comes in. Intuition. Trust your intuition to guide you to the knowledge that you most need to receive. You can become your own “expert” regarding whether any given piece of information, any plan, any product, or any philosophy is right for you.
Think for a moment about recent information that’s come your way. Are you noticing any repeated themes? Have you sought out information on a specific topic and found resources you hadn’t expected?
Maybe you changed course on something that you thought was best for you. Or you had to deal with someone else’s opinion of what was right for you when you intuitively knew that it was not.
The “N,” standing for needs, is an area we all too often neglect. Throughout our life our needs will change with our experiences and circumstances. We go through different developmental phases, physical changes, emotional needs, or changes in our financial status, relationships, and social situations. All too often we never stop to address those needs. Don’t underestimate the benefit of making time and space to review, reevaluate, and reflect on our needs and resources at any given time.
Try to identify an area of your life right now where this might be applicable.
The “D”, in our KIND approach, is for deeds. For many of us it’s easy to become stalled in the research, planning, and plotting phase of creating what we need in our lives. Sometimes we focus so much on those phases that we may not have the energy left to work on the actions required to integrate these practices into our lives. Action is what brings our aspirations and dreams to life. Every small step leads us closer to our vision.
I’d like to take a moment to talk about how supportive the KIND approach can be for our Well- being as we begin to emerge from the pandemic. During this difficult time we’ve all experienced many changes. Statistics are showing increases in stress, anxiety, poor eating habits, weight gain, and alcohol and other substance use. We’re seeing increases in insomnia, depression, and financial worries. Jobs, relationships, and life events have all been impacted. Fear, worry, and sadness have been prevalent.
We are beginning to emerge from this difficult time, to take stock of where we are and where we would like to be going.
Mindfulness is key as we rejoin some aspects of life we’d left behind and as we create new ways to be in the world. We can be mindful about judging ourselves or others and aware of comparing ourselves with others. We can choose to view everyone, including ourselves, with compassion. Validate what you’ve experienced—everyone had a different experience based on their circumstances and resources.
Decide to not see this as a time for shaming or blaming, but rather as an opportunity to move forward in the uniqueness of our individual stories.
Take a moment now to reflect on something you’ve learned about or want to learn more about, which resonates with you. Make it something that lights a spark within you. What does your heart tell you that you need more of? What feels right for you at this moment in time? Think of this as an intention that lifts you up, not an undertaking that will drain you.
Contemplate some small steps you might take to incorporate or expand your intention or your passion in your life.
Consider the KIND method as a tool toward your resilience and renewal.
Be KIND to yourself and Be Well❤️
The KIND Path
to Wellness
Knowledge:
Books, Workshops, Podcasts, Reliable Websites, Resources, Classes & Courses.
Intuition:
Trust that you will know what information/actions resonate for YOU! In that place of trust the right wisdom & resources will flow your way.
Needs:
Needs will change throughout your life. Be sure to pause and reflect to identify when it’s time to reassess any area of your Wellness path.
Deeds:
Thinking and planning are not enough to create optimal results. All Wellness plans require action & “doing.”
Lisa MacLeanRN, MEd
www.crescentmoonwellnessnh.com
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