In last week’s blog, we started a deep dive into the beautiful world of the wholebeing approach, particularly looking at applying the SPIRE method to our lives and understanding how spirituality plays an essential role in our lives.
Before we can fully understand how the P in SPIRE impacts our everyday life, let’s quickly recap what the wholebeing approach is and how it directly connects to the concept of SPIRE.
What is the Wholebeing Approach?
The Wholebeing Approach that I teach focuses on the five macro levels of your life: Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Relational, and Emotional, or SPIRE. As explained by the Whole Being Institute, SPIRE is:
Spiritual – Leading a meaningful life and mindfully savoring the present.
Physical – Caring for the body and tapping into the mind/body connection.
Intellectual – Engaging in deep learning and opening to experience.
Relational – Nurturing a constructive relationship with self and others.
Emotional- Feeling all emotions, reaching towards resilience and positivity.
This approach encourages you to look at each level of your life and to get to know your whole being. In doing so, you gain clarity to make a change and the tools to act on what you have learned to accomplish your biggest dreams.
Today we will be focusing on the P in SPIRE, learning how to improve and maintain our physical well-being to lead healthier and happier lives.
What is the P in SPIRE?
The P in SPIRE stands for physical well-being. This focuses on caring for our physical needs while being mindful of the connection between our mind and body. In other words, it pertains to how we take care of ourselves physically, whether going for a walk, doing yoga or gentle stretching, riding a bike, or any other form of physical activity. Physical activity helps foster a positive relationship with our bodies, influencing the mind/body connection.
To start your journey into SPIRE’s physical well-being, try brainstorming some ideas for the types of movement you enjoy or would like to try. If you’re having trouble getting started or need extra motivation, consider asking a friend to try them together (by working out with a friend, you are now fulfilling needs from both the P and the R in SPIRE!)
The Physical Impact of SPIRE
SPIRE’s physical component not only refers to the needs of our physical body but also how our unfulfilled physical needs can cause the other four components of our wholebeing wellness to suffer. So how does our physical well-being affect the rest of our SPIRE wellness?
Personal Life
Making a conscious effort to incorporate physical activity into our daily routines can result in physical and mental benefits. These benefits range from sleeping better at night to better management of stress. because when we are properly maintaining our physical well-being, we have enough energy to make it through the day regardless of the challenges.
It’s also important to remember that every person’s body is different, so to best understand how your physical wellness impacts your life, you first need to understand what your body requires to function properly. This includes your daily nutrients, the amount of sleep you should be getting per night, and the amount of physical activity your body needs to maximize your energy levels. By listening to, understanding, and fulfilling our body’s needs, we naturally become healthier and, as a result, happier.
Professional Life
Incorporating physical activity into our daily lives while still setting aside enough time for rest and recovery can significantly lower stress levels. When we are plugged in 24/7 and always accessible, we often do not take the time to focus solely on ourselves, as it can be hard to remove distractions and prioritize our individual needs. If we ignore our needs in favor of keeping up with our ‘always on’ society, it can cause us to feel drained and lacking in energy, decreasing our overall well-being.
Remember that with SPIRE, each aspect affects our well-being. So, when one component is off, everything else is too.
Here are some actions to bring Physical into your professional life:
- LEAN environment
- Organized workspace
- Physical space meets employee needs
- Physical space is conducive to the culture
How to Apply SPIRE’s Physical Component
Fulfilling our physical needs can occasionally feel overwhelming, especially when there is not enough time in the day to meet them all. Thanks to the ‘4-Part Wonder Drug’ concept, coined by Astrid Baumgardner, working on our physical well-being appears more manageable. This way of reframing and simplifying how we view our body’s needs helps us set realistic daily goals for maintaining our physical health and increases our overall well-being in measurable ways.
The 4-Part Wonder Drug:
Recovery: getting enough sleep
Exercise: moving your body and elevating your heart rate
Nutrition: keeping a balanced diet that meets your needs
Touch: practicing physical closeness – aim for five hugs a day!
Baumgardner explains that “how we think about our lives can affect how we feel physically. And how we feel impacts the rest of our lives.” By implementing her 4-Part Wonder Drug method, you can expect to feel better mentally and physically, have more energy, improve your self-esteem, and enhance your creativity. This method can be used to improve both your personal life and your professional life.
To start applying the physical component of SPIRE to your life, consider what small changes you can make to your everyday life by following the 4-Part Wonder Drug method. Perhaps you should aim for an additional hour of sleep per night or take a brisk walk during your lunch break. On top of managing sleep and physical activity, try looking for fresh fruits and vegetables next time you’re grocery shopping to incorporate into your meals for the week.
For one-on-one coaching using a variety of SPIRE-focused techniques, reach out to me now.
How to Get Started Using SPIRE
Start your journey to self-discovery using the following SPIRE check-in!
Using a scale of 1 to 5, with one being low and five being high, answer the following question:
In thinking about the last couple of days, how is your SPIRE?
Spiritual: (1-5) – Have you been present in your life? What purpose did you set for the day? Do you feel in control of your life?
Physical: (1-5) – Did you appreciate all your body has done for you today? Have you made a point to do the things that make your body feel happy and healthy?
Intellectual: (1-5) – Have you learned something new today? Have you read any new materials? Have you felt mentally engaged?
Relational: (1-5) – Have you spent time with your friends? Have you met any new people? Have you taken the time to appreciate those around you?
Emotional: (1-5) – Have you checked in on the people in your life? Have you had your needs met? Have you been able to talk about both your positive and negative feelings?
Need help figuring out ways to improve your SPIRE? The Whole Being Institute has created a short list of examples for each letter of SPIRE, and they have a weekly check-in for those short on time. After completing the check-in, identify which areas require could use some improvement and how you want to go about working on them.
Exploring SPIRE in this way helps us uncover what aspects of ourselves could be affecting our well-being. Remember, when one or more are scored low, it can make us feel stressed, anxious, and irritable. This exercise is an excellent tool that helps us identify which parts of ourselves need additional nurturing to help us find balance and get back to feeling healthy and whole. If you’d like to work through a SPIRE check-in together, develop a deeper understanding of physical well-being, or to learn more about the overarching wholebeing approach, get in touch with me now.