Value over success.

Dear Aspen reader,

Often it seems like our culture pushes success over value. It’s as if making more money, going to new heights in your profession and having more “stuff” is a predictor of your worth. As a classroom teacher I found myself falling into a trap: teach your students with proficiency, be sure they pass this specific assessment and THEN you’ll be a successful teacher. Almost as if to say “If you don’t succeed, then your value as an educator is questionable.”

Success is important, especially when it comes to health and wellness practices. It’s encouraging to see the numbers fall off when you step on the scale or note the decrease in the inches of your waistline after you’ve been dedicated to healthy habits for a consistent amount of time. But apart from the success you see, does total wellness hold value in your life? Do you see yourself as valuable enough to invest the time it takes to get moving, make a meal filled with whole foods and stop for a few minutes to rest your brain? I hope you do because you are valuable!

Here are three mindsets to help you value total wellness over success:

1. Pay attention to the energy you gain as you make positive food choices; don’t place sole focus on the weight that you are trying to lose.
2. Slow yourself down, throughout your day, to take deep belly breaths noting your mood, instead of striving for success as you busily check off your “to-do” list.
3. Consider the vitality that you will add to your life with every minute you spend in exercise, as opposed to bitterly counting down the minutes until the workout is finally complete.

Remember, you are the only you that will ever be in this earth. Start valuing yourself, your health and looking for ways to bring your value to the lives of others!

In health,

Alecia