Did you know that wellness is about more than just health? It is far more than being free from illness or disease.

To achieve a total feeling of well-being you need a healthy balance of the mind, body and spirit, this comes from being comfortable with decisions you make in all areas of life and the knowledge that you are following the right path and achieving your full potential. This in turn helps you live a higher quality life, positively contributing to your family environment, your social circles and your community.

You may well be tracking along very nicely, and feel you have everything in hand, and then a seed of self doubt can creep in to upset the apple cart and throw everything off kilter, causing stress, anxiety and ultimately (if left unaddressed) illness.

It happens to us all. Over the last six months I have made some dramatic changes to alter the course I want my life to take, allowing me to achieve what I believe to be my full potential. I have stepped away from a successful thirty year career in beauty therapy; and set myself on a path of higher education in something that I have always felt was my true calling, the prevention and reversal of cancer and the study of natural medicine and wellness through alternative and integrative cancer therapies.

I’ve been happy, and excited and already achieved some of the goals I have set myself; and yet two days ago it appeared… That niggle of self-criticism that I might not be doing the right thing… Have I chosen the right path or am I crazy to have stepped away from a business that was successful and certainly required less sacrifices from myself and my family?

I feel fortunate to know how to handle these times of uncertainty. I know how to reassert the belief I have in myself and by following a few simple steps I’m now in a much more positive place. I hope that my tips below help you find the inner strength to believe in yourself and achieve total wellness.

1. Be kind to yourself – Firstly, don’t beat yourself up. As I said self doubt happens to us all! You’re not weak or silly, you’re just experiencing a real human emotion. Give yourself the gift of recognising that.
2. Replenish yourself – This sounds silly, but sometimes it’s a lack of sleep or essential nutrients that can cause these emotions. Re-energise yourself in whatever way works for you. A nanna-nap, a cup of tea in a quiet room, a meditation or a brisk walk outside. Park the self-doubt, and do something that’s just for you. Then come back and re-assess.
3. Recognise yourself – Focus on the positive things you achieve every day. If you have set yourself goals, look at the milestones you have already accomplished.
4. Write to yourself – It’s amazing how committing things to paper, seem to help us unravel problems. A journal is a good thing. When you look back and recognise that you have had these moments of uncertainty before and come out the other end it gives you faith.
5. Motivate yourself – Picture yourself at your end goal, how awesome would it be, imagine that feeling of total wellness, knowing that you have achieved what you set out to do.