It’s a part of former employee, Morgan McMillan’s, everyday life.
Her example shows us that it’s possible to find fulfillment in our everyday wellness journey.
What exactly does it look like to ‘live for the journey’?
The journey can change the goal
Morgan’s wellness journey has changed her idea of what it means to be healthy. When she started, her focus was losing some weight she’d gained in graduate school.
But she soon realized that health and wellness was more than just the physical — in fact, “physical” is just one of the eight dimensions of wellness.
Morgan’s role with the Office of Financial Literacy (a university-wide department), gives her the opportunity to hire, train, supervise, and coordinate students and employees on many IU campuses. It also makes for whirlwind workdays with sometimes long commutes.
So in order to be able to keep up with any type of physical activity plan, Morgan found that she needed to nurture her mental health first.
For Morgan, certain daily habits help keep her energized and in the right state of mind: making sure to not overschedule her day, getting enough sleep, setting boundaries in stressful relationships, and spending time with her significant other and two dogs (Cielo, a Yorkie, and Pico, a Maltese).
“I can’t say that I’m able to do these things every single day, but overall, they are priorities. I think it’s really important to grant yourself the grace to take care of yourself,” she says.
As a result of her self-care habits, Morgan feels she is able to be the best version of herself. “Every aspect of who I am — as an employee, family member, and friend — is better when I take time for me.”
“Physical” is just one of the eight dimensions of wellness.
I think it’s really important to grant yourself the grace to take care of yourself.
The journey invites you to find your joy (and be versatile!)
When it comes to her goals of being physically active, Morgan has tried many things — from “boot camp” classes to personal training to working out at home.
While some people have one favorite form of exercise, Morgan is okay being more versatile. She’s not discouraged from trying new things, and “no matter what I do, I find a way to make it enjoyable,” she says.
Morgan has also taken advantage of some of the free lifestyle change programming available to all IU employees. Among them are a weight-loss program, Diabetes Prevention Program, and Feel Great IU! Challenge offered by Healthy IU. She has learned something about her likes, dislikes, and needs from each program. For example, she enjoys keeping track of her daily steps with an activity tracker. She prefers the accountability of a formalized group program, which she received from DPP.
By experiencing the array of programs available to her, Morgan now has a better picture of what she enjoys and has a variety of tools for the different situations on her journey.
No matter what I do, I find a way to make it enjoyable.
The journey is lifelong
“This journey is a process. I recognize there’s never a point when it’s done,” says Morgan. So how does she sustain herself for the long haul?
For Morgan, having a support system is critical. “My time in DPP was successful because of the positive group dynamics. I knew I had support no matter if I met my weight goal or not.”
Now that she has completed DPP, Morgan maintains a support network through meaningful relationships at work and at home.
She also finds that her dogs offer emotional support and encourage her active lifestyle — there’s nothing like taking them for a walk after a long workday.
Perhaps more than anything, Morgan works toward acceptance on her journey. “I’ve learned to be proud of the small steps, such as drinking more water, because those are what move you forward. When I appreciate the process, I get farther than when I’m hard on myself and try to do it all at once.”
Being hard on ourselves is common in a world that can sometimes place an emphasis on achievements like being the best or strongest. For her journey, though, Morgan’s goal is to sift through external expectations and find what is authentic and important: “I want to be my best self and accept who I am, where I am.”
Morgan realizes the journey is "never done."
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