This week I completed my education as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach that specializes in Executive Wellness. But, what does that all mean anyway?
Let’s start with how I got here.
I chose to pursue this path because I was a long-time, high-achieving executive myself on the brink of burnout – physically and emotionally. The demands of business travel, long-hours, corporate politics, and relentless emails, on top of home and family responsibilities were mounting beyond reason and accommodation. I simply felt exhausted, angry and lost.
So I took a time-out.
I spent the next few years assessing what was at the root of my feelings, taking charge of rebuilding my own mind, body and spirit for my own best interests and in benefit for those around me. Through my own wellness pursuit, integrative physician visits, voracious reading, lifestyle changes, and ultimately, a formal wellness education – I found my “ah ha” moment and made the official career-shift to Executive Wellness Coach.
I chose this speciality because as a highly-pragmatic person myself with decades of experience in high-pressure and time-constrained corporate environments, I knew that focusing on the Executive-set would provide me the opportunity to leverage my relevant experience and shared-mindset to most effectively guide achievable results and positive outcomes.
But, why wellness?
I wholeheartedly believe that the vast majority of us are in desperate need of these tools and techniques that drive positive change in our life – in our health, in our physique, in our relationships, in our career performance, and ultimately in our happiness. It has changed the quality of my life in such dramatic ways that I quite simply want everyone to find their own improved health, happiness, balance and sustainability as well – and the only person that can do that is you. But, most of us need help to identify, prioritize, and evolve our wellness within the constraints of our current life.
Meanwhile, our health care system generally is not designed to improve wellness – from a training, timing or interest standpoint. It’s not a criticism, it’s just a different job description. Most doctors are not trained in the significant impacts that nutrition, in particular, has on the performance of our mind and bodies. Furthermore, there is little treatment of the root causes of our ongoing distress, rather just addressing the current issue at-hand…of which most will just “put a pill on it” as coerced and rewarded by the drug companies. And as it relates to mental health or challenges in the workplace, perhaps your HR is not equipped to guide you to some effective solutions from an experience standpoint, and/or maybe you don’t trust them implicitly to have your best interests in mind anyway.
Here’s the deal…
We are in an age where we are consumed by stress by a number of means and negative influences. You can’t dispute the data. The downward trend in health and happiness is widely reported. Our human lifestyles have changed so dramatically in the past few decades alone that we’re living in a way that our bodies weren’t designed to accommodate and traditional physicians weren’t trained to support. And when our body is stressed at the level it is now – from a lack of proper nutrition, exercise, healthy relationships, meaningful careers, spirituality, and sleep…just to name a few – our exposure to grave illness, growing waistlines, and skyrocketing levels of general unhappiness are screaming for some meaningful attention and effort to turn the tide.
I want to help.
Quite frankly, a lot of people are so used to feeling like garbage all the time that they don’t even realize how much better they can feel with very small changes over time. And, I’m not just a “focus group of 1”, I have seen it happen over and over again.
You deserve the chance to feel better – mentally and physically – for yourself, your family, your friends, and your future opportunities. You probably know you have to change, but you’re just not sure where to start.
This is where a wellness coach comes in providing support, motivation and encouragement.
A Wellness Coach will help you talk through your concerns in a safe and supportive environment – either on the phone, video conference, or in person. I’m an educated port-in-the-storm that helps guide you to find the most effective and meaningful transformation in your life by identifying blockages, that perhaps, you didn’t realize were holding you back, or considering specific areas of your health and wellness that you know are a problem, but don’t have the right support, advocate, or simply listening-ear to enable your motivations and movement forward.
What are the kind of topics we might cover over time depending on your own unique goals?
- Food influences that may be sabotaging your mind and body – be it energy, weight concerns, health issues, or other – with a consideration of “bio-individuality” which explains why one person’s food is another one’s poison
- Exercise that is right for your body and you actually want to do
- Relationships that may be creating anchors in your life
- Self-care options and their value
- Spirituality (separate from religion) that may be absent or needs guidance
- Career direction that may be lacking or stagnant
- Finances that could be creating undue pressure
- Joy and creativity that may be missing or craved in greater-abundance
- Time-management skills to accommodate the things you enjoy most in life
- …And more
What’s the structure?
Over the course of 50 minute meetings (in person or over the phone), twice a month for 3 to 6 months – or, a program we can customize between us – we can tackle a wealth of topics and chronicle goal progress. We can create a roadmap together and source accountability and motivation where it may be lacking. We might review your grocery list, find better food delivery options, or clean out your pantry. We might discuss motivating books or documentaries. We might talk about recipes, follow each other’s iWatch activity, or meet each other on the Peloton leaderboard…if that’s your thing. We might talk about communication styles or relationship dynamics that are affecting you at work and at home and how you might overcome or address them.
This may be the light at the end of your tunnel.
Like the ripple effect illustrates, small changes can drive big results. Helping you identify those and drive your positive wellness evolution is my expertise. It’s what motivates me. Let me motivate you.
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Danielle is Founder of The Well-Intended® and an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach that specializes in Executive Wellness. As a former Senior Executive in the Marketing and Advertising Industry, she’s passionate about improving employees’ quality of life through improved mental and physical well-being and knows first-hand how great an impact it can have both personally and professionally. If you’d like to learn more about how The Well-Intended can help your organization – be it an inspirational speech, engaging workshop, or one-on-one leadership coaching – please email danielle@thewellintended.com.
Disclaimer: “The Well-Intended”, and its associated blog and social media pages are owned and operated by The Well-Intended LLC and does not provide medical advice. The Well-Intended’s author is not a physician or licensed medical expert. The content provided shares perspective on a personal wellness journey and healthy lifestyle approach practiced by its owner in order to achieve their own health and happiness. Please consult your physician for advice and/or guidance regarding specific concerns with your own health, vitamins, supplements, fitness plan and/or anything else health- or wellness-related.
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