Looking Back on 40+ Years of My Wellness Journey
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on my own wellness journey.
As I look back over the past 40+ years, I asked myself a simple question:
What helped me maintain my health living with MS, but also maintain healthy cholesterol, blood sugar, and have abundant energy all these years?
The answer surprised me.
It wasn’t because I had extraordinary discipline.
It wasn’t because I never lost motivation.
And it certainly wasn’t because my journey was linear.
In fact, if I had to describe my wellness journey in one phrase, it would probably be the same phrase a client recently used during one of our coaching sessions:
“I’ve been inconsistently consistent.”
I smiled when he said it because I’ve now heard some version of that from several clients. Then I realized something…
That’s exactly how I would describe my own journey.
For years, I believed consistency meant never missing a workout, always eating well, and staying on track no matter what life threw at me.
Today, at 60, I see it very differently.
My Journey Was Never Linear
Some changes I made stuck almost immediately.
Others I had to practice over and over again before they became part of who I was.
Sometimes I thought I was ready to make a change, but looking back, I really wasn’t.
What I’ve learned is that wanting to change and being ready to change aren’t always the same thing.
Being ready meant taking an honest look at why I wanted to change and being realistic about what it was actually going to take.
It also meant accepting that I didn’t have unlimited resources or complete control over my environment.
Sometimes work got in the way.
Sometimes the gym was so crowded after work that I couldn’t get on the equipment I wanted.
I had a choice.
I could do nothing…
Or I could be flexible.
Some days flexibility looked like working out before work.
Other days it meant asking my boss if I could take a longer lunch and stay later.
Sometimes it meant exercising at home.
Sometimes it meant taking a long walk at the park.
My philosophy slowly became:
Do something instead of nothing.
That mindset has served me for decades.
The Habit That Changed Everything
As I reflect on my journey, I think the biggest turning point wasn’t finding the perfect workout or the perfect eating plan.
It was becoming more aware of how my choices actually made me feel.
And I mean really feel.
First emotionally.
Then physically.
When I exercised regularly, I noticed I felt calmer, happier, and more energetic.
When I ate meals that truly nourished my body, I felt focused instead of sluggish.
And when I ate foods that tasted good in the moment but left me feeling tired, bloated, or foggy a few hours later, I stopped and asked myself:
“Was that really worth it?”
Likewise, when I woke up after eating well, sleeping well, and moving my body, I would pause and tell myself:
“Yes…this is how I want to feel. I want more days like this.”
Over time, I learned to trust those feelings.
That awareness became one of my greatest teachers.
Consistency Isn’t Perfection
Another lesson took years to learn.
One meal doesn’t determine your health.
One missed workout doesn’t erase your progress.
One vacation doesn’t ruin everything.
For a long time, I believed falling off the wagon meant I had failed.
Today, I actually give myself permission to fall off the wagon once in a while.
The conversation I have with myself goes something like this:
“Go ahead and enjoy today. Tomorrow, we’re getting right back on track.”
That simple mindset has taken away so much guilt.
Because I now know something I didn’t know when I was younger.
An isolated event rarely determines your long-term health.
What matters is what you do consistently over time.
Looking Back…
After more than four decades, I don’t think consistency means never getting off track.
I think it means shortening the distance between falling off and climbing back on.
The healthiest people I know aren’t perfect.
They’re simply better at returning.
Returning to movement.
Returning to nourishing foods.
Returning to sleep.
Returning to the habits that help them feel their best.
Returning to themselves.
If you’ve ever described yourself as “inconsistently consistent,” I hope you’ll give yourself a little grace.
You don’t have to be perfect.
You just have to keep coming back.
Over the next few months, I’ll share more of what I’ve learned over the past 40 years, from how our environment shapes our choices to why mindfulness changed my relationship with health forever.
But I’d like to leave you with one thought:
Consistency isn’t about never leaving the path. It’s about trusting yourself to return to it.
And every time you return, you’re strengthening the habit that matters most.
Take a Moment to Reflect
Before you move on with your day, pause for a moment and consider these questions:
- Where in your life are you “inconsistently consistent”?
- What’s one healthy habit you’ve successfully returned to in the past?
- What’s one thing you can do this week instead of doing nothing?
Ready to Practice Returning?
If this message resonates with you, I’d love to invite you to join my next 7-Day Mind-Body Reset.
The Reset isn’t about following a perfect plan for seven days.
It’s about practicing the skill of returning, one small choice at a time.
Each day you’ll focus on one simple, realistic habit that helps you build momentum without overwhelm.
If you’ve been waiting for the “perfect time” to get back on track, this is your invitation.
The next cohort begins the first Monday of the month, and I’d love to have you join us.
Because lasting health isn’t built through perfection.
It’s built by coming back.
Coach Sunny D
